thing　of　the　past。　　So　she　falls　a　victim　to　the　allurements　of　the
  bargain…counter；　returning　home　after　hours　of　aimless　wandering；
  irritable　and　aggrieved　because　she　cannot　own　the　beautiful　things
  she　has　seen。　　She　passes　the　evening　in　trying　to　win　her
  husband's　consent　to　some　purchase　he　knows　he　cannot　afford；　while
  it　breaks　his　heart　to　refuse　her　…　some　object；　which；　were　she
  really　his　companion；　she　would　not　have　had　the　time　to　see　or　the
  folly　to　ask　for。
  The　janitor　in　our　building　is　truly　a　toiler。　　He　rarely　leaves
  his　dismal　quarters　under　the　sidewalk；　but　〃Madam〃　walks　the
  streets　clad　in　sealskin　and　silk；　a　〃Gainsborough〃　crowning　her
  false　〃bang。〃　　I　always　think　of　Max　O'Rell's　clever　saying；　when　I
  see　her：　〃The　sweat　of　the　American　husband　crystallizes　into
  diamond　ear…rings　for　the　American　woman。〃　　My　janitress　sports　a
  diminutive　pair　of　those　jewels　and　has　hopes　of　larger　ones！
  Instead　of　〃doing〃　the　bachelor's　rooms　in　the　building　as　her
  husband's　helpmeet；　she　〃does〃　her　spouse；　and　a　char…woman　works
  for　her。　　She　is　one　of　the　drops　in　the　tide　that　ebbs　and　flows
  on　Twenty…third　Street　…　a　discontented　woman　placed　in　a　false
  position　by　our　absurd　customs。
  Go　a　little　further　up　in　the　social　scale　and　you　will　find　the
  same　〃detached〃　feeling。　　In　a　household　I　know　of　only　one　horse
  and　a　COUPE　can　be　afforded。　　Do　you　suppose　it　is　for　the　use　of
  the　weary　breadwinner？　　Not　at　all。　　He　walks　from　his　home　to　the
  〃elevated。〃　　The　carriage　is　to　take　his　wife　to　teas　or　the　park。
  In　a　year　or　two　she　will　go　abroad；　leaving　him　alone　to　turn　the
  crank　that　produces　the　income。　　As　it　is；　she　always　leaves　him
  for　six　months　each　year　in　a　half…closed　house；　to　the　tender
  mercies　of　a　caretaker。　　Two　additional　words　could　be
  advantageously　added　to　the　wedding　service。　　After　〃for　richer　for
  poorer；〃　I　should　like　to　hear　a　bride　promise　to　cling　to　her
  husband　〃for　winter　for　summer！〃
  Make　another　step　up　and　stand　in　the　entrance　of　a　house　at　two
  A。M。；　just　as　the　cotillion　is　commencing；　and　watch　the　couples
  leaving。　　The　husband；　who　has　been　in　Wall　Street　all　day；　knows
  that　he　must　be　there　again　at　nine　next　morning。　　He　is　furious　at
  the　lateness　of　the　hour；　and　dropping　with　fatigue。　　His　wife；　who
  has　done　nothing　to　weary　her；　is　equally　enraged　to　be　taken　away
  just　as　the　ball　was　becoming　amusing。　　What　a　happy；　united　pair
  they　are　as　the　footman　closes　the　door　and　the　carriage　rolls　off
  home！　　Who　is　to　blame？　　The　husband　is　vainly　trying　to　lead　the
  most　exacting　of　double　lives；　that　of　a　business　man　all　day　and　a
  society　man　all　night。　　You　can　pick　him　out　at　a　glance　in　a
  ballroom。　　His　eye　shows　you　that　there　is　no　rest　for　him；　for　he
  has　placed　his　wife　at　the　head　of　an　establishment　whose　working
  crushes　him　into　the　mud　of　care　and　anxiety。　　Has　he　any　one　to
  blame　but　himself？
  In　England；　I　am　told；　the　man　of　a　family　goes　up　to　London　in　the
  spring　and　gets　his　complete　outfit；　down　to　the　smallest　details
  of　hat…box　and　umbrella。　　If　there　happens　to　be　money　left；　the
  wife　gets　a　new　gown　or　two：　if　not；　she　〃turns〃　the　old　ones　and
  rejoices　vicariously　in　the　splendor　of　her　〃lord。〃　　I　know　one
  charming　little　home　over　there；　where　the　ladies　cannot　afford　a
  pony…carriage；　because　the　three　indispensable　hunters　eat　up　the
  where…withal。
  Thackeray　was　delighted　to　find　one　household　（Major　Ponto's）　where
  the　governess　ruled　supreme；　and　I　feel　a　fiendish　pleasure　in
  these　accounts　of　a　country　where　men　have　been　able　to　maintain
  some　rights；　and　am　moved　to　preach　a　crusade　for　the　liberation　of
  the　American　husband；　that　the　poor；　down…trodden　creature　may
  revolt　from　the　slavery　where　he　is　held　and　once　more　claim　his
  birthright。　　If　he　be　prompt　to　act　（and　is　successful）　he　may　work
  such　a　reform　that　our　girls；　on　marrying；　may　feel　that　some
  duties　and　responsibilities　go　with　their　new　positions；　and　a
  state　of　things　be　changed；　where　it　is　possible　for　a　woman　to　be
  pitied　by　her　friends　as　a　model　of　abnegation；　because　she　has
  decided　to　remain　in　town　during　the　summer　to　keep　her　husband
  company　and　make　his　weary　home…coming　brighter。　　Or　where　（as　in　a
  story　recently　heard）　a　foreigner　on　being　presented　to　an　American
  bride　abroad　and　asking　for　her　husband；　could　hear　in　answer：　〃Oh；
  he　could　not　come；　he　was　too　busy。　　I　am　making　my　wedding…trip
  without　him。〃
  CHAPTER　19　…　The　Grand　Prix
  IN　most　cities；　it　is　impossible　to　say　when　the　〃season〃　ends。　　In
  London　and　with　us　in　New　York　it　dwindles　off　without　any　special
  finish；　but　in　Paris　it　closes　like　a　trap…door；　or　the　curtain　on
  the　last　scene　of　a　pantomime；　while　the　lights　are　blazing　and　the
  orchestra　is　banging　its　loudest。　　The　GRAND　PRIX；　which　takes
  place　on　the　second　Sunday　in　June；　is　the　climax　of　the　spring
  gayeties。　　Up　to　that　date；　the　social　pace　has　been　getting　faster
  and　faster；　like　the　finish　of　the　big　race　itself；　and　fortunately
  for　the　lives　of　the　women　as　well　as　the　horses；　ends　as　suddenly。
  In　1897；　the　last　steeple　chase　at　Auteuil；　which　precedes　the
  GRAND…PRIX　by　one　week；　was　won　by　a　horse　belonging　to　an　actress
  of　the　THEATRE　FRANCAIS；　a　lady　who　has　been　a　great　deal　before
  the　public　already　in　connection　with　the　life　and　death　of　young
  Lebaudy。　　This　youth　having　had　the　misfortune　to　inherit　an
  enormous　fortune；　while　still　a　mere　boy；　plunged　into　the　wildest
  dissipation；　and　became　the　prey　of　a　band　of　sharpers　and
  blacklegs。　　Mlle。　Marie　Louise　Marsy　appears　to　have　been　the　one
  person　who　had　a　sincere　affection　for　the　unfortunate　youth。　　When
  his　health　gave　way　during　his　military　service；　she　threw　over　her
  engagement　with　the　FRANCAIS；　and　nursed　her　lover　until　his　death
  …　a　devotion　rewarded　by　the　gift　of　a　million。
  At　the　present　moment；　four　or　five　of　the　band　of　self…styled
  noblemen　who　traded　on　the　boy's　inexperience　and　generosity；　are
  serving　out　terms　in　the　state　prisons　for　blackmailing；　and　the
  THEATRE　FRANCAIS　possesses　the　anomaly　of　a　young　and　beautiful
  actress；　who　runs　a　racing　stable　in　her　own　name。
  THE　GRAND　PRIX　dates　from　the　reign　of　Napoleon　III。；　who；　at　the
  suggestion　of　the　great　railway　companies；　inaugurated　this　race　in
  1862；　in　imitation　of　the　English　Derby；　as　a　means　of　attracting
  people　to　Paris。　　The　city　and　the　railways　each　give　half　of　the
  forty…thousand…dollar　prize。　　It　is　the　great　official　race　of　the
  year。　　The　President　occupies　the　central　pavilion；　surrounded　by
  the　members　of　the　cabinet　and　the　diplomatic　corps。　　On　the
  tribunes　and　lawn　can　be　seen　the　TOUT　PARIS　…　all　the　celebrities
  of　the　great　and　half…world　who　play　such　an　important　part　in　the
  life　of　France's　capital。　　The　whole　colony　of　the　RASTAQUOUERES；
  is　sure　to　be　there；　〃RASTAS；〃　as　they　are　familiarly　called　by　the
  Parisians；　who　make　little　if　any　distinction　in　their　minds
  between　a　South　American　（blazing　in　diamonds　and　vulgar　clothes）
  and　our　own　select　（？）　colony。　　Apropos　of　this　inability　of　the
  Europeans　to　appreciate　our　fine　social　distinctions；　I　have　been
  told　of　a　well…born　New　Yorker　who　took　a　French　noblewoman　rather
  to　task　for　receiving　an　American　she　thought　unworthy　of　notice；
  and　said：
  〃How　can　you　receive　her？　　Her　husband　keeps　a　hotel！〃
  〃Is　that　any　reason？〃　asked　the　French…woman；　〃I　thought　all
  Americans　kept　hotels。〃
  For　the　GRAND　PRIX；　every　woman　not　absolutely　bankrupt　has　a　new
  costume；　her　one　idea　being　a　CREATION　that　will　attract　attention
  and　eclipse　her　rivals。　　The　dressmakers　have　had　a　busy　time　of　it
  for　weeks　before。
  Every　horse　that　can　stand　up　is　pressed　into　service　for　the　day。
  For　twenty…four　hours　before；　the　whole　city　is　EN　FETE；　and　Paris
  EN　FETE　is　always　a　sight　worth　seeing。　　The　natural　gayety　of　the
  Parisians；　a　characteristic　noticed　（if　we　are　to　believe　the
  historians）　as　far　back　as　the　conquest　of　Gaul　by　Julius　Caesar；
  breaks　out　in　all　its　amusing　spontaneity。　　If　the　day　is　fine；　the
  entire　population　gives　itself　up　to　amusement。　　From　early　morning
  the　current　sets　towards　the　charming　corner　of　the　Bois　where　the
  Longchamps　race…course　lies；　picturesquely　encircled　by　the　Seine
  （alive　with　a　thousand　boats）；　and　backed　by　the　woody　slopes　of
  Suresnes　and　St。　Cloud。　　By　noon　every　corner　and　vantage　point　of
  the　landscape　is　seized　upon；　when；　with　a　blare　of　trumpets　and
  the　rattle　of　cavalry；　the　President　arrives　in　his　turnout　A　LA
  DAUMONT；　two　postilions　in　blue　and　gold；　and　a　PIQUEUR；　preceded
  by　a　detachment　of　the　showy　GARDES　REPUBLICAINS　on　horseback；　and
  takes　his　place　in　the　little　pavilion　where　for　so　many　years