Most of the afternoon was spent in the
Louvre, a vast palace of art, and the evening at the Theatre Francais,
the ceiling of which represents France, bestowing laurels upon her three
great children, Moliere, Corneille, and Racine. The Theatre Francais
occupies the highest rank. Its plays are usually of a high class, and the
acting is admirable. The government grants this theatre an annual subsidy
of about fifty thousand dollars.
Early next morning, the Harrises took carriages to the Halles Centrales,
or union markets. These markets consist of ten pavilions intersected by
streets. There are twenty-five hundred stalls which cover twenty-two
acres, and cost fifteen million dollars. Under the markets are twelve
hundred cellars for storage. The sales to wholesale dealers are made by
auction early in the day, and they average about a hundred thousand
dollars. Then the retail traffic begins. The supplies, some of which
come from great distances along the Mediterranean, include meat, fish,
poultry, game, oysters, vegetables, fruit, flowers, butters, cream
cheese, etc. Great throngs of people, mostly in blue dresses and blouses,
with baskets and bundles constantly surge past you. The whole scene is
enjoyable.
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