The following year was marked by public services of a different kind. It was the Diamond Jubilee of our late Queen, of glorious memory, and the British Colony in Paris—and there is none more loyal to the throne—determined to mark it in a special manner. Public meetings were held in the Hotel Continental, kindly lent for the purpose, and it was decided to raise a fund which, after deducting the expenses connected with the fête, should be devoted to the various British charities of Paris without distinction of creed. It was also decided to give a fête to the children of the Colony and a dinner to the working classes. I consulted with Sir E. Monson, our Ambassador, who arranged with me that there should be services held in the Embassy Church corresponding with the services in London on Sunday, June 20th. An official service was also arranged for the afternoon of the same day to which the Diplomatic Corps were to be invited. The following is a description of the services:—

“At the Embassy Church, in the Rue d’Aguesseau, there were two thanksgiving services, one at eleven a.m., at the close of which the Rev. Dr. Noyes, who wore the scarlet cassock of a Doctor of Divinity, delivered a touching and eloquent address. He stirred a deep chord in the heart of those who heard him by reminding them that, though in a foreign land for the time being, they were in communion of thought with millions of their countrymen at home, and many more millions of their fellow subjects in distant regions, even in the most remote corners of the earth, in offering their thanksgivings for the blessings the Queen’s reign had conferred on England and the British people.

“The official thanksgiving service also took place at the Rue d’Aguesseau, at three o’clock in the afternoon. The admission to the church was by tickets, as a large portion of the nave had to be reserved for the French officials and the members of the Corps Diplomatique; but the English community was also present in large numbers, and the church was densely crowded. The Corps Diplomatique, with the exception of the United States Ambassador, whom etiquette compels to wear evening dress on State occasions, were all in full dress. Our Embassy received the various officials and Diplomatists, and showed them to their places. There were present, representing England, Sir Edmund and Lady Monson (the late), Mr. Gosselin, Colonel Dawson, Mr. Clarke Thornhill, Sir Brook Boothby, Mr. Marling, Mr. Barclay, Sir Berkeley Sheffield, the British Consul General and Vice Consul, Messrs. Percy Inglis, and Mr. Falconer Atlee. President Faure was represented by the captain of the frigate Serpette, and the French Government by M. Hanotaux and M. Mollard. The German Ambassador and Countess Marie de Münster, the Russian Ambassador and some of his Attachés two of whom wore the splendid uniform of the Chevaliers Gardes; the Austrian Ambassador, in whose suite was a Hungarian magnate in a splendid national dress, the Italian Ambassador, one of whose Attachés was attired in the picturesque garb of a Colonel of Bersaglieri; the Persian Ambassador, Munir Bey, and his Staff, decked in gorgeous uniforms, contrasting strangely with the unpretending fez, which, of course, they did not remove; the Chinese Ambassador and a couple of quaintly dressed Mandarins, filled the nave of the unpretending little church with a glittering array of gold lace such as I think was never before congregated within its walls. The rest of the nave and the galleries were filled by the ticket-holders, and they were all obviously English, ladies largely predominating. The service was shorter than that in the morning, but there was no sermon, and at the close the choir sang the first and last verses of the National Anthem, in which the English part of the congregation joined. The Ambassador and his Staff then took up places at the entrance of the nave, and shook hands with the diplomatists and officials as they passed out.”

There were some very striking testimonies in the French papers to the Greatness of the Queen, e.g., in the “Gaulois,” M. Imbert de St. Amand wrote:—

“Queen Victoria has not only been a model Sovereign, she has also been the model of all wives, of all widows, of all mothers. She might be described in a very few words—virtue on the Throne. As a rule, long reigns generally end in sadness. Charlemagne wept at the sight of the Northmen’s galleys scouring the coasts. Charles V., weary and disheartened, sought the living death of the cloister, and was present at his own funeral service. Louis XIV. remarked to Marshal Villars after his last defeat, ‘We cannot at our time of life hope for good luck.’ None of these precedents holds good in the case of her Britannic Majesty. Her reign, after sixty years, seems to defy the efforts of time. There are no signs of decay, but of a permanent renewal of life. The popularity of the Queen grows with every year added to her reign, and the joy and enthusiasm with which her three hundred and fifty millions of subjects acclaim it are the crowning and most touching feature of her Diamond Jubilee. The Queen fully merits this apotheosis, since she is the noblest incarnation of all the leading qualities of the Anglo-Saxon race—love of her home, firmness of purpose, energy in effort, unswerving devotion to duty. England sees herself mirrored in her Sovereign, and takes just pride in the presentment. She and her people are one.… Every class of French society, without any distinction of party and origin, unites in respectful greeting of the Sovereign who stands out as the grandest womanly figure of her century—the heroine of duty, whom not only her children, but her whole people venerate as the most intelligent, the most devoted, the best of mothers. Like our neighbours, we shall all say, ‘God Save the Queen,’ and with all our hearts take part in the Jubilee, which is at once the triumph of the woman and the triumph of the Queen.”

And again M. Comely in the “Matin”:—

“It is impossible for a civilized being to refrain from a feeling of deep admiration at this splendid result of the past sixty years. But it is difficult for a Frenchman not to feel some bitterness when he compares the situation of England with that of his own country. Queen Victoria has known one King of the French, one Emperor of the French, and six Presidents of the French Republic. From her steady, unchanging, Royal observatory, she has beheld the rise and fall of eight Sovereigns! This stability of England, compared with the instability of France, is sufficient in itself to account for the reason why France has been growing less while England has been growing greater; the one has been shrinking, the other has been expanding.”

The fêtes were a great success, and a grand testimony—if it were needed—to the loyalty of Britishers living in France. About fourteen hundred applied for tickets. St. Cloud, a favourite suburb of Paris on the Seine, and the Restaurant du Parc—the scene of many British fêtes—were decided upon. Four of the “Hirondelles” boats were chartered to convey the party down the river. As each boat reached the jetty, the band of the Pavilion Bleu, a well-known restaurant, struck up the National Anthem. After dessert the following telegram was read, which had been sent by Sir E. Blount, then the “doyen” of the Colony, to Her Majesty Queen Victoria: “We your Majesty’s most loyal and loving subjects, venture to offer our heartfelt congratulations on this auspicious day, and pray for the continuance to your Majesty of those blessings which have shed such a lustre on your Majesty’s glorious reign.” The following reply was received: “The Queen desires me to thank you and Her British subjects in Paris for your kind message and congratulations. Bigge.”

Mr. A. Percy Inglis, the highly-respected Consul-General in Paris, made a patriotic speech. His proposal of a toast to the Queen was received with the utmost enthusiasm. I also made a speech on the occasion, and took the opportunity of explaining the history of the “Union Jack,” at which the audience seemed greatly pleased. Paris joined heartily in the celebrations, and the Rue de la Paix was a mass of flags, and parts of the City were illuminated. The English business houses all displayed flags in profusion.

In January, 1900, there was a remarkable gathering in the Embassy Church at the funeral of an English governess. It was the time of the Boer War, and it was said that the well-known firm of “Creusot” had supplied the guns which had done such execution against us in South Africa. This lady had been a governess in the family at the head of the firm, and was greatly respected. The firm paid all the expenses of the funeral, and attended in such large numbers that the body of the church was filled with men. It was a remarkable coincidence that at such a time the English Church in Paris should be filled with those who had, it was understood, supplied the munitions of war used against us, to pay a tribute of respect to a British subject, the service being conducted by an English clergyman.

In 1901 came that sad event which plunged the Nation into mourning—the death of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. The sympathy of the French people with us in our sorrow was very marked. I consulted with Sir Edmund Monson, our Ambassador, who desired that special and official services should be held in the Embassy Church at the time of the funeral in England. The following account of what was done in Paris appeared in the “Galignani Messenger” of that date:—

“Rarely, if ever before, has the little church in the Rue d’Aguesseau held a more august assembly than it did yesterday morning, and the service, in its grandeur and simplicity, was in every way suited to the solemn occasion. It consisted of a few prayers; Psalms xc. and cxxx.; the favourite hymns of the late Queen: ‘Hark, hark my soul!’ ‘Lead, kindly light,’ and an anthem, ‘All ye who weep,’ with Gounod’s music. No address was given, but the two final prayers—one in memory of the late Queen, the other invoking the Almighty’s blessing on the new King—were specially written for the occasion, and went home to the hearts of all present. The Rev. Dr. Noyes conducted the service, assisted by several other clergymen resident in Paris, and the choir, consisting of about fifty voices, was heard to great advantage.

“The church was sumptuously decorated in black drapery and silver, but, possibly, the effect would have been more impressive if the large monograms V.I.R., in bright yellow, and the Royal Arms in colours, had not figured so prominently.

“Lady Monson was early in attendance, and Sir Michael Herbert, assisted by Mr. Austin Lee, Commercial Attaché, and Mr. Colville Barclay received the numerous and influential congregation.

“Mme. Loubet, accompanied by Mmes. Dubois and Combarieu, was amongst the early arrivals, Colonel Nicholas in attendance. The President was represented by M. Combarieu.

“Mme. Loubet, upon her arrival, was conducted to a seat near the choir, by the side of Lady Monson.

“One side of the church was reserved to the Diplomatic corps, every member of which was present, save, of course, the Papal Nuncio, and the Russian Ambassador, who was unwell, and was represented by his First Secretary. On the other, all the members of the present Cabinet, who without exception were present in person, including M. Waldeck-Rousseau, President of the Council, MM. Dupuy, Delcassé, Pierre Baudin, General André, etc., also M. Paul Deschanel, President of the Chamber of Deputies; M. Fallières, President of the Senate; the Military Governor of Paris, the Prefect of the Seine, and a great number of Deputies, MM. Hanotaux, Le Myre de Viliers, R. Bompard, etc.

“The lower gallery at the back of the church was reserved for representatives of Royalty: Prince Roland Bonaparte, Princesse Mathilde, Princesse Marie of Mecklenburg, and the Baron Machiba, representing the Countess d’Eu.

“Amongst other notabilities present were: Baronne Faverot de Kebrech (Née Seymour), Marquis de Lau, Marquise de Peralt, Comte de Vettre, Comte de Ganay, Baron Edouard de Rothschild, Baronne Decases Stackelberg, Comte and Comtesse Jean de Castellane, Vicomte Léon de Janze, Mr. John K. Gowdy (American Consul), MM. Crozier (Chef du Protocol) and Mollard, Marquis d’Harcourt, MM. Picard and F. Arago, Comte Greffulhe, Comte de Clermont-Tonnerre, and M. and Mme. Benjamin Constant.

“The English Colony was represented by: Sir Edward and Lady Sassoon, Colonel Mapleson, Mr. Henry Blount, Mr. (now Sir) T. Barclay (President of the Chamber of Commerce), Mr. T. Hounsfield (Vice-President), Messrs. Inglis (Consul,) J. (now Sir John) Pilter, W. C. Robertson, P. Lammin and Mrs. Lammin, Messrs. Spearman, Ablett, and C. E. Lord, Captain Churchward, and Messrs. Brigstocke and A. Coleman.

“At the close the organ pealed forth the well-known Dead March in ‘Saul,’ the effect of which was marred by the departing congregation, who, after the French fashion, shook hands with Sir Michael Herbert and the other attachés to the Embassy, who stood in a row near the porch.

“The afternoon service was of an equally simple character, in fact it was like the one held in the morning. But instead of officials clad in their showy uniforms, it was composed of the English and American Colonies—those who felt that they had lost one who was very dear to them. The service seemed far more solemn than that of the morning, and handkerchiefs and tears were by no means scarce. The Rev. Dr. Noyes again conducted the service, and as the deep-toned sounds of the organ rolled out the Dead March, the faces of many of those present showed that, as the laureate has so beautifully expressed it, ‘She is dead; and the World is widowed.’”

The same evening I received the following letter from the Hon. Michael Herbert (now, alas, no more):—

The late Hon. M. Herbert was first Secretary of the Embassy, highly respected, and one who took a keen interest in all that concerned the British Colony. The services were continued on the following day. Sir Edmund Monson, our Ambassador in Paris, was not present at the services, owing to the fact that he had been summoned to London to attend the funeral service. Services were also held in the Roman Catholic Church for English members of that Communion, in the Russian Church, and in several other places of worship. Indeed, an atmosphere of sadness seemed to rest over the whole city. All the English houses of business were closed, many exhibiting draped flags. Groups of people would stand under these flags conversing in an undertone, and many were the kind remarks by the passing crowds. I heard one say, “She was a good mother to all her people.” I may mention that I asked the Rev. P. Beaton and Rev. J. Milne, Presbyterian clergy in Paris, to take part in the official service, and each read a lesson.

In 1902, the English Colony in Paris were looking forward with the greatest interest to the all-important event fixed for the 26th of June, the Coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII. It had been decided that a service should be held and a fête given to all the British working classes and poor resident in Paris, and extensive preparations were made. Then on June 24th came the startling news that the King was ill, and the Coronation ceremony had been postponed. The first intimation we had was a telegram which was posted at the Bourse. The excitement was intense, and the sorrow and anxiety in the British Colony seemed intensified from the fact that we were residents abroad and far from the centre of interest—the Palace where the King lay. As soon as I heard of the telegram I called at the Embassy, and found that the news was only too true, and that all had been postponed. As is well known, instead of the Coronation Service in Westminster Abbey, an Intercession Service was held in St. Paul’s Cathedral. We decided that a corresponding service should be held in Paris, and I shall not soon forget the solemnity of that hour. The church was well filled, all the staff of the British Embassy being present. We all sang the National Anthem kneeling, and never, I believe, was prayer more earnest that God would spare our beloved King. During those anxious days every item of news was eagerly sought, and great was the relief when we heard that the operation by Sir Frederick Treves had been successful, and that our prayers had been answered in the safety and then recovery of His Majesty. There was at that time no “Entente Cordiale,” but the sympathy and anxiety of the French people was very manifest. News was published hour by hour, and in the evenings, on the Boulevards, the latest bulletins were given in immense letters, shown by electric light from the office of the “Echo de Paris.” The month of August—when happily the Coronation could take place—is the holiday month in Paris, and the city is supposed to be empty. As a matter of fact almost the whole of the British Colony is then away. In view of this it was decided to postpone the fêtes until the close of this memorable year. We held, however, special services in the church, when I took occasion to comment upon the Coronation Service, and to explain parts of this solemn religious ceremony. The fêtes came off in December, and were a great success.

In 1903 we had a visit of Members of the British Parliament to Paris. As they were staying over a Sunday, and many ladies—wives and daughters of Members—were in the party, I wrote to the Secretary proposing that a special service should be held. Sir E. Monson very kindly fell in with the suggestion, and arranged for the service at three p.m., with a reception at the Embassy, a few yards away, to follow the service. About three hundred persons were present. I preached from the text: “Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which are God’s.” I never had a more attentive congregation. Many of the Members at the subsequent reception were kind enough to express to me their appreciation of the service.

Later we had an official visit from the London County Council, which left very pleasant memories; and in 1906 the City Fathers came over, headed by Sir Walter Vaughan-Morgan, for whom also I held a special service. I have given some details of this visit in another chapter.

CHAPTER IV.
THE ENGLISHMAN ABROAD.
PECULIAR CALLS UPON A CONTINENTAL CHAPLAIN.

More frequently than at home, the calls upon a chaplain abroad are various and sometimes peculiar. This applies especially to Paris, which, being comparatively near home and easy of access, is largely patronized by holiday makers, and has besides a considerable resident British Colony. There are about 12,000 English (according to the last census) resident or travelling. I was sixteen-and-a-half years in Paris, during which period my experiences have been somewhat varied. It is proposed in this article to give some extracts from letters received at different times and requests made, which illustrate the fact that a chaplain abroad is often expected to know some things besides those connected with his calling.

A lady writes:

My wife kindly arranged for this good lady.

Another lady writes:

I obtained and sent her the information she required.

A gentleman writes:

Those who know Père-la-Chaise and other cemeteries of Paris will realize what a difficult task was here given to the chaplain. The grave, however, was found.

A lady came to the Vestry one morning and asked to see me. She told me she was leaving Paris, and had a pet monkey which she did not wish to take with her, and would I find it a home. I was glad to be able to arrange this for her.

A clergyman writes:

On passing to the pulpit one Sunday a paper was handed to me by one of the congregation. It was to ask me to say from the pulpit that the applicant desired a wife about 25 to 30 years of age—domesticated, etc. He added that he was prepared to take the one I recommended, and that he had means to support her. I need hardly say the notice was not given.

A lady writes:

A Colonial clergyman wrote:

There were various “scares” of a revolution during my sojourn in Paris, and one was frequently called upon to calm the fears of the timid. The following extract is an illustration.

A well-known gentleman wrote:

The following request was more difficult. A lady writes:

The request evidently referred to the system of “couveuses” by which prematurely born children were saved, a system which has proved generally successful.

I referred her to the public exhibitions of these “incubators,” which were being held in the Boulevards at that time.

Another request was as follows:

These are extracts from a long and rather rambling letter, which I was unable to answer to the writer’s satisfaction.

The following letter relates to the subject of marriage, and is one of many I received on the same question:

To this I replied giving both the French and English regulations as to marriage, and I heard no more of the case. I am sorry to say that during my chaplaincy there were several sad cases of desertion after mixed marriages (French and English); but these will be more easily dealt with under “The difficulties of English people abroad.”

The calls of anxious parents to meet girls coming abroad to situations, and to look after them, and requests to find French families where young men and maidens could be placed for education in the language, and enquiries as to schools, pensions, and hotels, were a pleasant though constant part of every day’s work. A list of reliable abodes was kept, and one had the satisfaction of being able to be of real service in this way to hundreds of one’s fellow countrymen, who without good advice too often get into difficulties.

One rather frequent call upon the services of the chaplain, in the earlier part of my work in Paris, is happily no longer necessary. We frequently got urgent letters and telegrams from India to look after people who had been bitten by snakes, dogs, a jackal, etc., and were hastening to France to put themselves under the Pasteur treatment; and with some the experiences were very painful, as they arrived too late for the cure to be successful.

Now happily our Government has provided a similar institution in India, so that those who need it can be immediately attended to. This splendid institution in Paris is, however, well worth the attention of visitors.

There were occasionally English people in Paris suffering from mental disease—not sufficiently insane to be placed under control, but yet ill enough to cause considerable trouble.

Upon one occasion a man came to me and gave me a sealed packet, telling me it contained a most important document, and it was not to be opened unless I heard of his death.

His manner made me think it might be of real importance, and he did not strike me as insane. Some years after I heard of his death, and opened the packet, and found it contained only torn pieces of paper with no writing upon them.

One poor lady who lived in Paris during the whole of my stay there, frequently wrote me letters—literally yards long—some of them must have taken her many hours to write. Yet on many points she was sane enough, and was engaged for years in teaching English to the French, both privately and in classes.

I had not been long in Paris before I was asked through the secretary of the “Société de Steeplechase” to join a syndicate for the purpose of adjudicating upon any question that might arise connected with the riders. I was supposed to represent the English jockeys, being the only Englishman on the board. I accepted the position, as it was represented that I might often be of some service to my fellow countrymen, although I knew nothing of the race-course. I regularly received, up to the date of my departure from Paris, tickets for the reserved enclosure. Sometimes friends visiting me appeared shocked at seeing these in my study, until I explained the reason. A copy of the card, which may be interesting, appears on the next page.

The syndicate met very rarely, and I never had any serious case upon which to pass judgment.

A peculiar call was made upon me one day. I was passing the Arc de Triomphe when a gusty wind removed several hats. In front of me was a nursemaid wheeling a perambulator. The wind took her hat, and all her hair, which fell at my feet. It was an embarrassing moment, but I fulfilled my duty, and handed it all to the blushing maiden.

CHAPTER V.
EDUCATION IN FRANCE.

I was often asked by anxious parents as to the facilities for education in France, indeed it was part of one’s daily work answering enquiries on the subject. It may not be out of place to give here the result of my experience. For English boys there are very few schools carried on as our public schools are in England. For parents living abroad, the best plan is to send their young boys to French “cours” or classes, of which there are many, where they will readily pick up the language, and then to send them over to England for further education. The instruction given in French schools is not of the character or sufficient for those who intend to enter professional life in England. When it is not convenient to send boys to England, I would strongly advise parents to see the school carried on by my friend, Mr. E. P. Denny, M.A. (Oxon.), at 55 Boulevard Suchet. He has been very successful, and parents may safely entrust their sons to his care. For older boys and young men entering the army or navy it is better to select one of the many French families where young men are received to learn the language. The resident chaplain can always supply a list of thoroughly reliable homes. For mercantile life some of the Lycées are very good. I may especially mention the Lycée Lakanal, at Bourg la Reine, a short distance by rail or tram from Paris, where many English boys have been received, and where every care is taken as to moral training. I was appointed by the French Government as Religious Instructor for the English boys there, and occupied the position for some years, so that I had every opportunity of knowing the merits of the school.

The advantages for English girls in Paris are very great. There are a number of excellent schools, as well managed as any of our schools at home. It is not usual to receive very young girls or day boarders in the best schools. For the most part they are finishing schools, and the girls do not usually stay more than one year. I need hardly say anything to commend the old-established school founded by Madame Yeatman in the Boulevard Victor Hugo, Neuilly. Her name is well known in England and America, and other parts of the world. Some eight to nine hundred young ladies passed through this school during my sojourn in Paris, and the classes I held there will always be a pleasant memory. Madame Yeatman is now enjoying a well-earned rest, although she continues to take the kindliest interest in the school, and her charming house with access to it enables her to pay frequent visits. Madame Yeatman displayed her knowledge of character in the choice of Miss Easton to carry on the work, a lady eminently suited to the position, who has already attained to a well-merited success. An interesting gathering of old pupils is held every year at the Grand Hotel in London, known as the “Yeatmanite tea.”

Another school which I can speak of in equally commendatory words is that carried on at “The Maronneries,” Auteuil, by Mlles. Hogg and Guyomard. This is quite an up-to-date establishment, and has largely increased of late years. Two houses standing in extensive gardens, and a large field for recreation, make one feel quite in the country. Nothing can exceed the kindness and care of the principals—the teaching is excellent, and many of the pupils have gained high distinction in French examinations. These two schools occupy the galleries in the Embassy Church every Sunday morning, forming an important part of the congregation. I always felt the responsibility of speaking to so many young people, who would so soon occupy important positions in English life.

Besides these two large schools there are several excellent smaller ones where equal advantages may be obtained. Some of them take a certain number of French girls, who take their lessons with the English—an arrangement for and against which something may be said. The more important of these, and all of which I knew well, and can speak of in the highest terms, are Mlle. Lacarrère, Rue St. James, Neuilly; Mlle. Bourré, Auteuil; Madame d’Almaine, Passy; Madame Morel de Fos, Bolougne-sur-Seine; Mlles. Expulson and Metherell, Auteuil. The Marquise de San Carlos has a successful school at Bornel, about two hours from Paris, which is a delightful country home for girls, for whom it may be well to add a country life to the advantages of education. There are other schools, French and partly French and English, which I do not mention, not because of any reason against them, but only that I was not brought into contact with them in the way that I was with the above.

Sometimes parents have written to me asking if it was safe to send English girls to France at all, and many have sent their daughters in fear and trembling. My answer was that if parents would only be careful in the choice of a school, and consult those on the spot, who had no object to serve but to give the best advice they could to enquirers, no harm would result. Schools in Paris cannot be carried on cheaply—the necessaries of life are all taxed, and consequently living is dearer than in the country in England. Many mistakes have been made from choosing a school where the fees were a few pounds less than others. Those who cannot afford a good school had better keep their daughters at home. Convents have been a temptation to some owing to cheapness, and I would warn parents who are anxious (as all should be) about the religious education of their children that they should avoid these establishments for their daughters. The food is often insufficient for English girls, who find it hard to work on the “petit déjeûner” up to midday, and I have known many become anæmic from this cause. But this is not the only difficulty. While the promise is frequently made that there shall be no interference with the religious belief of the pupil, it is rarely kept. Parents should remember that it is after all the business of a convent to propagate the religion of the Church of Rome, and if parents, for the sake of cheapness, allow their children to go, they must not be surprised at the consequences. I had several most painful cases while in Paris where the parent was inclined to blame the chaplain for what had happened—whereas his advice had not been asked in the first instance. I do not as a rule recommend French families for girls. There are some most excellent homes (French pastors and others) where every care is taken. But I have known others where there was culpable laxity. English girls cannot go out alone in Paris as they do in England, it would not be safe, and in some families it is not easy to find a chaperon, and mischief follows. In seeking a family for an English girl, it is well to ask if there are any daughters about the age of the pupil, as if so the above difficulty is lessened.

One further point about learning French. It is important for both sexes that they should (if beginners) learn colloquial French from one who speaks some English—at least sufficient to explain the meaning of words. I have known some ludicrous mistakes arise from this cause.

On the whole I recommend Paris rather than the country parts of France for the education of young people; it is the centre for music and art in all its branches, and the best professors congregate there. Moreover, in case of illness or difficulty of any kind, it is better not to be too far from home, or an English doctor, and may I say, an English clergyman.

The children of the working classes in Paris are well provided for in the British schools, where they receive a good sound elementary education, both in French and English. The children trained in these schools do remarkably well, as they are taught shorthand and typewriting in both languages, and are thus able to take positions in French commercial houses, and earn good salaries. There are often more applications for boys than can be met. The schools are managed by a committee of which Sir Henry Austin Lee, C.B., is the chairman, who takes the warmest interest in their welfare. A small fee is collected from those able to pay, and the very poor are paid for by the British Charitable Fund.

CHAPTER VI.
DIFFICULTIES OF ENGLISH PEOPLE ABROAD.

It was part of my duty during a chaplaincy of sixteen years in Paris to help our fellow country people, who from one cause or another got into difficulty.

Sometimes it was their own fault, and similar conduct would have brought a like result at home. But often these difficulties arose from ignorance of the language, and from an extraordinary disregard of French law. Too often the Englishman not only expects his own language to be spoken, but also the laws of his own country to prevail in a foreign land.

Not long after I commenced work in Paris I received the following telegram, addressed to

I lost no time in going down, and found that the writer—an English governess—had, in a moment of temptation, stolen a pair of gloves at the Magasin du Louvre. I believe it was a first offence. I did all I could to console her, but was unable to get her off, and she had to undergo a term of six days’ imprisonment. I regret to say that this instance of “Kleptomania” was by no means singular. The system at the larger shops in Paris lends itself to pilfering by the dishonest, as the goods are displayed in such a way that it seems easy to steal. The manager of the Louvre shop told me that they had on an average twelve arrests a day. It is not generally known that a large number of detectives are always employed, who are continually on the watch. There was one sad case of a lady who had come to Paris to place her daughter in a school, and who had ample means, and yet took some gloves from the same establishment. With considerable difficulty she was released upon the payment of 600 francs (£24), a good price for a pair of gloves. One other case in which I was successful in obtaining the release of a woman who was, I believe, innocent, but in a moment of thoughtlessness, put over her arm a covering for a child’s bed. I had known her for a long time; she was the mother of a large family, all well brought up. She assured me she had intended to pay for it, but no attendant being near she went to another part of the shop with the article in question, when she was arrested, and invited to appear in court to answer to the charge. I wrote to the Judge and told him what I knew about her, and he kindly gave her the benefit of the doubt. Her husband (a waiter) was away in Germany, and had she been imprisoned it would have been the ruin of her family.

By the kindness of the late Earl of Lytton, I obtained a pass enabling me to visit any of the prisons in Paris, where English people might be confined. Many of the cases were very sad, and especially where the prisoners could not speak French, as this added to the misery of their lot. I recall one case, which interested me much. It was that of a young man who had come to visit Paris, and like so many others, had been led where he soon got into difficulty.

He came with a considerable sum of money and went one evening to the “Moulin Rouge”—which at that time was of questionable repute. (It is said to be under better management now.)

He was relieved of his purse, which contained a 1,000 franc note, beside some coins. He had left only a 100 franc note in his hotel, and went the next morning to the bank to get it changed—very much irritated, as he said, with the French for having stolen his money! At the bank he saw a French gentleman counting some notes, and he snatched a number of them and ran away. He was soon arrested and was sent to prison for some years. He assured me it was his first offence, and that he had no intention of stealing when he went to the bank.

On another occasion I unwittingly broke the prison rules. An aged Englishman had been imprisoned for picking pockets on the race course. He said his wife did not know what had happened, and begged me to give him something to buy paper and stamps. I gave him a franc, but as I was leaving the prison an official came up and handed me the franc, telling me I had broken the rule. They had been watching me while I was locked in the cell, and made the poor man give up the money.

Ignorance of the language was frequently the cause of difficulty. One morning a nurse came to the vestry in the Rue d’Aguesseau, and when I enquired her business, said, “Why, I am lost, and have been walking the streets all night.” She then told me she arrived at the Gare St. Lazare the previous evening, and was driven by the cabman to an address near, which she had now forgotten. She went out to post a letter, and must have taken a wrong turning, and so was soon lost. She walked about all night, and had only just found an English-speaking person, who had directed her to the Church. I gathered from her description where the Home was, and sent her up with my Vestry Clerk.

On another occasion a girl was brought to me in great distress. She told me she had started from England on the previous day to visit a French friend of her mother’s. She had the address written on a piece of paper, which she was instructed to give to the cabman, as she did not speak French.

She travelled by the night boat to Calais. When she arrived at the Gare du Nord, she could not find the paper, and, staying to look among her parcels, the English travellers all left. She got out of the train and did not know what to do; she spoke to a porter who did not understand her, and eventually left the station. This was about 7 a.m. She walked about the streets until late in the afternoon, when she was heard near the Madeleine trying to explain to a policeman. The Englishman who heard her brought her to me, and I sent her back the next day to England, as I failed to discover her friend’s name in any directory.

On another occasion I received a telegram from a lady in Ireland asking me to meet her daughter that evening at the Gare St. Lazare, who was going to a situation as governess, which she had obtained through an advertisement. I met the girl, and took her to the address she gave. It was a small wine shop, and altogether unsuited to her, and would, I fear, have been a very dangerous position.

I persuaded her to go to the excellent G.F.S. Lodge, where she was most kindly received, and eventually a good position was found for her.

The above are illustrations of many like cases which were brought before me.

More serious cases are illustrated by the following telegram: