Many miles of fine boulevards were built under Napoleon III. Most
from the Madeleine to the July Column are flanked with massive limestone
buildings, palatial mansions, and glittering shops, the architecture of
which is often uniform, and balconies are frequently built with each
story. Early every morning the asphalt and other pavements are washed.
At midday a busy throng crowds all the main streets.
Parisians favor residence in flats, and they enjoy immensely their
outdoor methods of living. At sundown the wide walks in front of
brilliant cafes are crowded with well dressed men and women, who seek
rest and refreshment in sipping coffee, wine, or absynthe, scanning the
papers for bits of social or political news, and discussing the latest
fad or sensation of the day. The English hurry but the French rarely.
Paris under electric light is indeed a fairyland. The boulevards are
brilliant and the scenes most animating. Everybody is courteous, and
all seen bent on a pleasurable time. Cafes, shops, and places of
entertainment are very inviting, and you easily forget to note the
passage of time. Midnight even overtakes you before you are aware of
the lateness of the hour. This is true, if you chance to visit, as did
the Harris party, some characteristic phases of Parisian life.
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