On the occasion of this far from cheerful festival, the authorities took the opportunity to add to the gloom by closing all the picture palaces, the only places of amusement which have been left open since the war began. Perhaps it was a hint that the situation is more serious than the newspapers try to make out; but there was really no need to ask Parisians to refrain from turning their minds to other subjects for a few brief moments. The police even suppressed an attempt to revive a concert organization which has never given an, thing but good music. There is absolutely no music to be heard anywhere except in the churches; and it was quit> s relief when, the other day, s brass band of doubtful quality struck up the Marseil-raise at the end of my street. I could almost fall on the neck of the first organ-grinder_ who comes along! The authorities clearly pre-for that every Parisian, when his day's work is done, should stay at home and think about his sins, or the all-pervading subject of the war. Thus ths whole city is driven to commune with itself, and the closed doors of the theatres and music-halls mutely imply a quite unnecessary addition to the ranks of the unemployed.
There must be thousands of women and middle-aged men, de-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.