The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-14
Ragploker's Town.

Although this strange locality in Paris,
Is more widely known than some others to
which we may presently refer, it ls yet SC
much out of of the way as to make ii worth
while to describe its exact whereabouts.
1t lies, then, beyond the northern slope OF
the hill of Montmartre; it IS bounded tC
the south by the Rue des Clogs and to the
north by the Rue Marcadet, aud ls COM
plctcly surrounded by a high stone wall
1t covers considerable tract of ground,
and was used during the Commune as an
artillery park. The entrance TO it is
through .arge wooden door in the Rue
Nlarcadct, opposite the cemetery of Mont,
martrc. Before we go any farther, it will
he well to warn any intending visitor that
the inhabitants. although a very tolerant
folk, cannot endure the sight of decent
clothes, and that amongst many healthy
symptoms to be noted in them, the most
prominent is deadly abhorrcnce of the
tall hat OF civilization. TO attempt to
take them Ill, on the other hand, by any
assumption of blouse or of silkcn 'casqu-
elte' is absur', owever 'quai Mt and curious'
your knowledge Of Parsun slang may be-;
Dnt they will be pleased by the attention,
and when you come among them will COM
mcut pleasantly upon your good breeding
and taste in adopting the outward habits
of the country in Which you happen to
find yourself. Such, Mt least, was our ex-
pericncc. The coup dDtt when you find
yourself within the entrance is u striking
one. Immediately before you lies an open
space with grass growing here and there
between heaps Of rubbish. In the centre
is sort of avenue of young trees and
plants in every stage of decrcpitude, lead
ing Up to the houses, or, TO speak by the
card, boxes, in which the chiiIonniers live.
These ure about six feet square, and the
roofs are kept in their places by heavy
stones, such rs one sees on the cottages in
exposed situations in other places. The
roofs are for the most part of wood, where
which are generally considered unfit to
build with, SO that the appearance of a
Rue hlarcadct chlffonnier III his house may
be best likencd to that OF caddis in his
strangely constructed abode. On the occa-
sion Of our visit a high wind had been
blowing, and more than one member Of
the community was busy rebuilding his
house, which had been blown down in the
night. On all sides hustling activity pre-
vailed, men and women busly sorting the
contents Of their baskets, while numbers Of
dogs Of al unknown breed barkcd Justify
at our approach. Strangers are, indeed,
few and far between III the chiifonnicrs'
town, for no man from the outer world
ever comes td sell them anything, a street
of shops kept by their concitOynns exist
ing, not indeed within their own walls,
but in another enclosure close by. Here
dwell boolmakers, a butcher Ga great ex-
pert at making cat found dead into u
toothsome dish), tailors and lampmaIkers,
who provide the triangular lanterns with
which tue members Of the 'profc. sion go
their rounds at night in search of prey.
60 through that strange little street, OF
which the houses come up to your shoul-
dcrs, at what hour Of the night you will,
you will still see the bootmakcrs at work
on the cast of shoes which their customers
have picked up Ill the Paris cutters.