he boulevards, and, stopping at the
consul's office, found a famous budget of letters and papers, and with
great pleasure we addressed ourselves to their contents. I am amused to
see how various are the demands made upon the time and services of a
consul. He needs to have the patience of Job; and if he answers
satisfactorily and authoritatively the questions which I have heard
propounded, he ought to have in his library the acts of every state
legislature in the Union. Marriage, death, removal of deceased
relatives from their places of sepulture, rates of interest, value of
stocks, condition of railroads, and statistics of all sorts have been
topics which I have heard laid before him for advice and opinion. Very
few men, however, possess more general knowledge of the United States
than our consul--Mr. Goodrich--does; and his kindness will lead him to
do all he can to satisfy the querist.

Yours, as ever,

J.O.C.

Letter 30.

PARIS.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

Yesterday we went to the Cirque, in the Champs Elysees. It is a very
large building, with sixteen sides, and behind is another spacious one
for the horses. The intention of the builder was to represent a Moorish
hall; and the pillars of iron are, with the panellings of the walls,
gilt and frescoed. The roof is very elegant, and the largest chandelier
in Paris is in the centre, blazing with I cannot tell you how many gas
lights. The circus will accommodate about six or seven thousand people,
and when we were there it was very nearly full. We paid two francs each,
and had the best seats. The performances were very good, and some quite
beyond any thing I had before seen. There was one feat that was really
great. They placed planks upon supporters, from the centre of the circus
up to the edge of the gallery, making an angle of about fifty feet.
Well, Charley, a fellow walked in with a ball, about three quarters of a
yard in diameter, and on this ball he trotted about on the ground for
perhaps two minutes; then he marches it to the foot of this plank, still
standing on it, and up he goes,--yes, he totes and coaxes the ball under
his feet, up, up,--till at last he stands on it on the gallery; and
then, did not the place ring again with applause? But then it is not
over; for down he comes the selfsame way--and that is the tug of war;
but he did it. This he did _backwards_, also, each way. I never saw any
thing before that would equal this, and I want to see him do i