This Is
Still Done; These Memorials Are Ever There.
At one time this was
forbidden by the government, but to no purpose.
At last, an officer
was stationed at the foot of the column with a water engine, and
with orders to play it upon any one who should bring any votive
offerings to the fallen hero. A lady, whose love and admiration
could not be so intimidated, came the next day in her carriage,
which she filled with wreaths of flowers, and stood up in it, and
threw wreath after wreath at the foot of the column, crying out, as
each one fell, "Will you play your engine upon me?" But not a drop
of water was sent at her, and she deposited all her offerings, and
went away unharmed. I suppose a Frenchman would sooner have been
shot than have done any thing to quench the enthusiasm of this
heroic woman.
One thing struck me much in Paris, and most agreeably, and that is
the good appearance of the children. This is not confined to the
rich; you will see a very poor woman leading her child, really well
dressed. You never see boys idling in the streets; you never hear
them swearing and quarrelling. If you ask a boy to show you the way,
his manner of doing it would grace a drawing room. I am told that
the French are never severe with their children; that the French
nature will not bear it; that strong excitement makes the children
ill; that the law of love is the only one they will bear.
Stop with me now on our walk, at this little low cart, just by the
sidewalk; it is as you see larger than a common handcart, and much
lower, and on four small wheels; it is full of china, all marked 13
sous. See how pretty these cups and saucers are. After your looking
at all the pieces, the owner would say, "Bon jour" very kindly to
you, if you took nothing, but we will take this pretty cup and
saucer; as a remembrance of his little cart. As we walk along, we
shall see many others, containing every thing you can imagine.
I bought many things in the streets, - combs, saucepans, clothes-
brushes, &c. Look into this shop window; see these lovely flowers,
and, in the midst of them, a small fountain is playing all the time
to keep them fresh. Look at those immense bunches in the windows, -
of pansies, violets, hyacinths of all colors, ixias, wall flowers,
tulips, geraniums, narcissus; and O, this is not half the variety of
flowers! look into the shop; there are bushels of them and other
flowers, all ranged round the wall; the perfume salutes the most
insensible passer-by; it tells of the songs of birds, and of the
delights of summer time. You cannot resist its influence. Let us go
in and look at the flowers. The person who keeps the shop has the
manners of a lady; she wishes you good morning; and, if you do not
behave just as you would if you entered a lady's parlor, you are set
down as an American or Englishman, who does not know how to behave.
When you leave the shop also, you must remember to say, "Bon jour,"
or you commit an offence.
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