have filled my soul with joy. The fact that I share this
weakness does not, however, prevent my laughing at such folly in others.

No. 24--Changing Paris

Paris is beginning to show signs of the coming "Exhibition of 1900," and
is in many ways going through a curious stage of transformation, socially
as well as materially. The _Palais De l'Industrie_, familiar to all
visitors here, as the home of the _Salons_, the Horse Shows, and a
thousand gay _fetes_ and merry-makings, is being torn down to make way
for the new avenue leading, with the bridge Alexander III., from the
Champs Elysees to the Esplanade des Invalides. This thoroughfare with
the gilded dome of Napoleon's tomb to close its perspective is intended
to be the feature of the coming "show."

Curious irony of things in this world! The _Palais De l'Industrie_ was
intended to be the one permanent building of the exhibition of 1854. An
old "Journal" I often read tells how the writer saw the long line of
gilded coaches (borrowed from Versailles for the occasion), eight horses
apiece, led by footmen--horses and men blazing in embroidered
trappings--leave the Tuileries and proceed at a walk to the great gateway
of the now disappearing palace. Victoria and Albert who were on an
official visit to the Emperor were the first to alight; then Eugenie in
the radiance of her perfect beauty stepped from the coach (sad omen!)
that fifty years before had taken Josephine in tears to Malmaison.

It may interest some ladies to know how an Empress was dressed on that
spring morning forty-four years ago. She wore rose-colored silk with an
over-dress (I think that is what it is called) of black lace flounces,
immense hoops, and a black _Chantilly_ lace shawl. Her hair, a brilliant
golden auburn, was dressed low on the temples, covering the ears, and
hung down her back in a gold net almost to her waist; at the extreme back
of her head was placed a black and rose-colored bonnet; open "flowing"
sleeves showed her bare arms, one-buttoned, straw-colored gloves, and
ruby bracelets; she carried a tiny rose-colored parasol not a foot in
diameter.

How England's great sovereign was dressed the writer of the journal does
not so well remember, for in those days Eugenie was the cynosure of all
eyes, and people rarely looked at anything else when they could get a
glimpse of her lovely face.

It appears, however, that the Queen sported an India shawl, hoops, and a
green bonnet