The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-12-16
The PariahS of Paris.
London Globe

hlSuI Ill lHc very ucdIt VI ais, LII
the Rue des Lyonnais, and next door to
the church of st. Medard, the visitor
who has courage enough to see such a
sight may find lodging-house and res
taurant frequented and patronized by
building, covered with smoke, and be-
grimed without and within, has no
flaming placard Its owner has not
christened his house with any high
sounding name to qualify the word
''hotel," and the lantern which hangs
out at the first floor alone indicates that
lodging may be had within. The win
dows of the ground floor are closed,
and the panes have been carefully
whitewashed to save curtains. Now
and then a man comes slouching down
tina street. pushes with his shoulder
against the greasy door, and enters.
The hesitating wanderer, who casts
his eye up at the lantern and shudders
when he reaches the door as if all hope
were abandoned, has, perhaps, seen
better days. His demeanor contrasts
strangely with that of the next conner,
who has his hands in his pockets, jing-
ling the few coppers which will enable
him to eat and drink, as we'll as obtain
bed. All sorts and conditions of men
find their way to the Rue des Lyonnais.
The place has n reputation for cheap
ness, and poverty gives men strange
bedfellows and companions, so that the
faStidious must put all their finer feel
ings i'll their pockets when they find
that their ideas are not counter-bal-
anced by certain sum of money suffi-
cicnt to enable them to maintain their
reputation.
Follow the man who has Just gone in,
who looks like a student of the Raoul
Rigault school, and who carried bum
die of manuscript under his arm, rs if
he had been taking copious notes at
some lecture, OF had been copying some
data from the well-thumbed folios in
the public libraries. The door, when
pushed open, leads to II passage, the
floor of which is caked with dirt. In
front are the stairs, and a lantern hangs
on dark days ut the turn SO rs to pre-
vent the dodgers from breaking their
limbs. On the left of the door is the res
taurant, with its low ceiling, dirty floor
and green tables, while an indescrib-
able odor of damp straw, old clothes,
etc, pervades the place.
Honesty does not appear to be q
prominent trait in the character of the
customers of this establishment. The
pewter platters, which are used TO pro-
tect the food served from any contact
with the tables, are attached to the
wood with thin but stout chains, for the
proprietor knows that the merest trife
has sOme value in the eyes of man
whose cravings and stomach cause him
to rise against his neighbor, take what
belongs to him, and find some custo-
mer for the stolen property. Benches,
worn and stained with use, are the only
seats provided, and the luxury of knives
and forks is unknown. True, every
customer carries his own knife, and
knows how to use it in pinch, while
more than one has been arrested by
the police, dragged from his lair, his
hands and finger-nails bearing traces
of the bloodshed he has committed.
Forks are quite superfiuous where fin
gers can be used, and then meat is not
sold in the restaurant. Portions of veg
etables fried up in some nameless fat
can be had for a penny, while the
bOui2lon, or broth, which has some
appearance, is sold for about half that
sum.
Contra to the custom prevailing in
other establishments of this description,
neither wine, coffee, nor brandy, is
sold here. The only beverage the GUS
toners can obtain is what the proprie-
tor has been pleased to denominate
"beer,' made without hops, by the
owner of the place in some dark cellar,
and sold for two pence a quartz
price which effectually prevents any
grumbling. Bread is generally brought
into the house by the customer, who
can buy old crusts and leavings from
the restaurants for three half-pence a
pound.