st to her old friends
and relations. I know of several cases of this kind where it is to be
doubted if a dozen Americans outside of the girls' connections know that
such women exist. The fall in rents and land values has made the French
aristocracy poor; it is only by the greatest economy (and it never
entered into an American mind to conceive of such economy as is practised
among them) that they succeed in holding on to their historical chateaux
or beautiful city residences; so that pride plays a large part in the
isolation in which they live.

The fact that no titles are recognized officially by the French
government (the most they can obtain being a "courtesy" recognition) has
placed these people in a singularly false position. An American girl who
has married a Duke is a good deal astonished to find that she is legally
only plain "Madame So and So;" that when her husband does his military
service there is no trace of the high-sounding title to be found in his
official papers. Some years ago, a colonel was rebuked because he
allowed the Duc d'Alencon to be addressed as "Monseigneur" by the other
officers of his regiment. This ought to make ambitious papas reflect,
when they treat themselves to titled sons-in-law. They should at least
try and get an article recognized by the law.

Most of what is written here is perfectly well known to resident
Americans in Paris, and has been the cause of gradually splitting that
once harmonious settlement into two perfectly distinct camps, between
which no love is lost. The members of one, clinging to their
countrymen's creed of having the best or nothing, have been contented to
live in France and know but few French people, entertaining among
themselves and marrying their daughters to Americans. The members of the
other, who have "gone in" for French society, take what they can get,
and, on the whole, lead very jolly lives. It often happens (perhaps it
is only a coincidence) that ladies who have not been very successful at
home are partial to this circle, where they easily find guests for their
entertainments and the recognition their souls long for.

What the future of the "Great Faubourg" will be, it is hard to say. All
hope of a possible _restauration_ appears to be lost. Will the proud
necks that refused to bend to the Orleans dynasty or the two "empires"
bow themselves to the republican yoke? It would seem as if it must
terminate in this way, for everything in th