The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-12-10
A Ragpicker Princess.

The most curious "city" of Paris Is on
the Avenue de Ia Revolte, at the upper
end of the Passage Triboulet The pas
sage ends in vacant lots, where in summer
our carpets arc whipped. The right side
belongs to woman named Foucault,
who built and manages the 'city;" 1t is a
long alleyway, bordered with sort of
sheds. Each lodging on the ground
floor, or first story, to which accsss is had
by an out side gallery, is species of lit
tie cell, moro or less broken down and
dirty. Tho only furniture is mattress
thrown on the floor or a Joplin iron bed
stead. Asquare window, eighteen inches
across, lights these places. La Fem,ma
CuzOtte is the title bv which the propire-
tress is known. She reigns supreme
over wretcbed people-,agpickers, work.
men without work, dectasses of every
kind-to the number OF 400. This WON
An who is very rich, and goes about in her
phaeton drawn by pretty pony, is dis
Id as a man; she may be fifty; her
air is cut short, like that Of men;
clad in pantaloons-hence the
"a vest, blue blouse and laced gait
ers. This costume she has worn for the
last twenty years, assuming, as we'll, the
bearing and energetic gestures of the
stronger sex. La Femme Culzote is by no
means dull: in her sprlngtime she must
have associated with intelli gent men,
She declares she knew Dumas the elder
we'll. She chats very aggreeably and
skins literature with light touch, The
day had the honor to visit her she had
two friends to breakfast. As l entered
they had just taken coffee, and these La
dies were smoking cigarettes, pouring
out from timeAto time swallow Of cog
nae. LII Femme Cullotte lean ed back in
her chair, her legs crossed, and pulled
the smoke from her cigarette in
dainty rings. At the moment
the three : companions were en-
gagged in a,dispute. Emile lola was the
subject. La Femme Ca1otte was Of the
opinion that "L'Assommoir," which
claimed to. be the romance of the people.
was picture OF but one phase OF Paris
ian wretchedness and it lola had applied
to her he would have learned much more
as to popular depravity. This coaversa-
ton was Interrupted from time to time
by the entry of some poor fellow who
presented himself at the cash-window to,
pay an instaliment of his rent-fve cents
or ten cents-all of which La Femme
G'uZotte buried In her brooches pocket.
Conducted by this lady in person,
whom her tenants salute as a sovereign
we make the round of the "city." Every
where the, same spectacle of heart rend-
ing poverty; entire families in dwellings,
where single person could hardly find
room. In one of these holes a woman
with new born babe lay on a straw pal
let, while the oldest girl of twelve was
cooking on little furnace, and the odor
OF the charcoal mingled with the pestilen-
tlal carnations from the rubbish which
the husband had brought IN and was rak-
ing over. Young boys, who had been hunt
ing rags. tired out, were sleeping at the
foot Of the bed, by the side of the mother
and babe. Poverty descends in these
families with the calling. Some here
are honest fathers, who for twenty
years have lived in the "city," worked
like, dogs paid their rent regularly, and
have never been able to lay up sou for
the morrow. Others are worthless scamps
spend each days wages at the rum shop
and live On. a morsel of bread so long as
they get as much brandy as possible.
Children born IN these settles" are raised
in the midst Of the most degrading sights.
Modesty is an unheard word; shame an
unknown feeling. Old men pass by with
backs bowed, whose lite has been passed
in this filth, buried under their load Of
refuse, covered with vermin. Here are
born little beings who will die without
having caught glimpse, even for an in
slant, of the joys Of Life. T