Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-27
EVENING STAR.
The Rich-POOr Of Paris.
A LESSON In TUE Art OF KnRPINe Up APPEAR-

The Rich-Poor Of Paris.
A LEssoN IN TUE ART OF Kl8PINe Up APPEAR-
tFrom the Chicago Trisase'. cOrrsspoud.noe.l
There Is no such thing as measuring the d.
mansions Of q Frenchman's house. He may
live at the top Of . magnificent white-marble
palace In SIX rooms at Q rent of 500 or 500.
And yet, when you have climbed up there,
have sounded the bell, and have been admitted
into the hall, which, with its hlghly-polished
size of the little box, you are convinced that he
revels in luxury. Opposite the hall-glass, open
tie folding-doors into the parlor, which Is long
ing the perspective. on Of this room are yet
other folding doors, two Of them Leading into
the dining-room, which Is always fitted up In ex-
quiste trste, and, with studied carelessness LEFT
visible to the caller. Try the doors ut the other
SIDE Of the room; it is hard to open them. Prob
aSly locked Most effectually locked! They
never move upon their hinges. Still they are
not quite as useless rs ga painted ship upon Q
paint: ocean," for they serve q double pur-
po'e; they dispense with the necessity of pic
lures to fill Cp the bare walls-for who would
the ir re sion that vast apartments stretch be-
yont.
Madsme will receive you in the most charm
cur In the dav-time She has inst aI,ssn: Won't
you have toffee with her? This, IL she means
by q nervous courtesy to maze = useful friend of
you: Now you fnd your way into what she
calls her pnvate apartment, which, like the
other rooms, opens into the parlor. 1t is really
quite gem in its way. You wish YOU were
French, or, at least. that you might understand
little closer acquaintar ce ard a moderat, in
crease in your exper. ence will teach YOU that
these people work and strive only for the sake
o. the appearance they make They comprehend
what the elegances of life consist of, and thew
will live tbOut the comiDonest necessities in
order TO deceive You as to their real condition.
"A family Of seven persons will actually live in
two small rooms, and make their beds up late
at night on the floor of the apartments In which,
but few moments before, they were chatting
with you upon the impcssibility of &c ,nomizing
IN Paris since the war. Even they, in their
modest style OF living, find that IL takes a for
tune now to spend year in Paris. You are
shocked to hear them suggest that theirs is
tlmple mode ca life; you never thought of being
bne at home. In reality, these people that
speak OF live like paupers. They sleep on the
floor, the year round, and often on the kitchen
heof at that. This last is convenient, as they
can get up and put the coffee over the spirit
lamp, and retire again until it is prepared.
Coffee is taken in bed, of coprso.
For the benefit of the girls at home, who may
f1mire and envy this lady of luxury that gra-
ously asks you into her boudoir at IL O'Clock,
ceclaring she has Just arisen, and invites you
take coffee with her, will tell them something
of her toilets, and the singular way in which
they change with the hours of the day. Mad
ame goes to market as early as possible. No
DohS out pf early IN 1he is to say
pearance,-and as the market people always
measure a customer before setting a price, it
is wise to 60 to the market shabbiIy dressed,
not only because no one will see her, but as a
matter of economy. So the toilet of the day is
not made until this duty has been performed.
In exchange for the great, airy bath room, with
It's abundance of hot and cold water, aud lis
fresh, clean towels, which Americ IDS cannot
live without, Mad me has, In q little dark no lie
between the kitchen and her bedroom, pint of
water in basin the size of fnger-bowl For
water Is too precious a commodity to be used
unless spariDgly. 1t has to be carried from ,he
street up five flights of stairs, and a servant
must be paid cents an hour TO do it. No fur
ther arguments than these are necessary with
madame. With the aid of a dirty little towel,
for clothes must be washed Hay f.em home
there is neither room nor water to do it in these
PAPER mache boJes,-our lady will succeed in
making herself very tidy. I have really begun
TO wonder If there Is not such q thing as a dry
wash. at 10 the coiffeur comes, and madame's
hair Is dressed, as, my dear, you never think of
having yours dressed, except Ii be for a ball.
II she chance to be little gray. the hair is
powdered afier IL has been arranged in its in
uicste puts, braids, and frizzes. A coiffeur
CO Us but few rus, and this dressing of the
hair is, believe, the stronghold of French
women. L know that 1t made profound i'm
preston upon me. 1 shall never forget the
feeling of BATTERED vanity aud unutter able
gratitude experienced when such a fine Ia iy
invited US to make her house our home. If we
could put Up with their simplicity, and
make ourselves comfoI table in her room, She
would gladly move iuto another apartment.
All this was u be granted because OF the very
favorable impression we had made upon her
1t would be 81 disagreeabls for US to move into
an ordinary hoarding-house; this should be like
home to NJ.
Home indeed! have nv doubts il there be
3'any such things in Paris, except where some
Americans have made their nests for a FEW
years. This matter OF home, am coming to
think, Is purely American. The English can.
not make ore; they find such repose only in a
American will make a little room home in a
single day.