The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-09-08
o. rUr1als q Paris.

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Right in the very heart Of Paris. IN
The Rue des Lyonnais, and next door Z
the church Of ST. MedArd. the visitor
sight may find . lodging-house n res
the pariahs of Paris. The sombre
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
s'hotel,'f 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 q man comes slouching down
the 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 II all hope
were abandoned, has, perhaps, seen
better days. His demeanor contrasts
strangely with that Of the mex conner,
who has his hands in his pockets, jung
ling the few coppers which will enable
him to eat and drink, rs well as obtain
q bed. All sorts and conditions of men
find their way TO the Rue dies Lyonnais.
The place has q reputation for cheap
ness, and poverty gives men strange
bedfellows and companions, so that the
fastidious must put all their finer feel
ings in their pockets when they find
that their ideas are not counter-bal-
anced by q certain sum Of money suffi-
Gent 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 q bun-
die Of manuscript under his ARM, as il
he had been taking copious notes al
some lecture. or had been copying some
data from the well-thumbed folios in
the public libraries. The door, when
pushed open, leads to q passage, the
floor of which Is caked with dirt In
front are the stairs, and Q lantern hangs
on dark days al the turn so as to pre-
vent the dodgers from breaking the4r
limbs. On the left of the door is the res
~taurant, with its low ceiling, dirty floor
and green tables. while IN 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 tho
wood with thin but stout chains, for tho
proprietor knows that the merest trifo
has some value in the eyes Of a man
whose cravings and stomach cause him
to rise against his neighbor, take what
belongs to him. and lind some custo.
mer for the stolen property. Benchee.
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 1t in a pinch, while
more than one has been arrested By
the police, dragged from his lair. hil
hands and ~finger-nails bearing trace!
of the bloodshed he has committed
Forks are quite superfiuous where I'm
gers can be used, and then meat is nol
sold in the restaurant. Portions Of veg
etables fried up in some nameless tAl
a be had for q penny, while tie
5ouiHon, or broth, which has SOLD
.'eyes" Of grease on it for the sake o!
appearance, is sold for about half thai
sum-.
Contrary to the custom prevailing IN
other establishments of this description.
neither wine, coffee, nor brandy. u
sold here. The only beverage the Gus
toners can obtain Is what the proprie
tor has been pleased to denominats
.'beer," made without hops, by ths
owner of the place in some dark cellar
and sold for two pence a. quart
price which effectually prevents an,
grumbling. Bread Is generally brough'
into the house by the customer, whs
can buy old crusts and leayings from
the restaurants for three half-pencs
pound.