The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1883-05-31
HOME LIFE IN PARIS.
PecuIiarities Of the Pnrisians. - HOW
People Live in tho French Capital

HOME LIFE IN PARIS.
Peculiarities Of the Pnrisians. - How
People Live in tho French Capital.
This picture of home life in Paris is
given by a writer in the Decorator and
Finisher: Wherever one sees a yellow
bill upon the door of Partisan house
he may be tolerably certain of discover
iRznsuiiihakia--~-neat- ana.tsssalsA11lt
furnished, having at least bedroom,
a parlor, a dining-room, kitchen, and
usually an ante-room into which the
entrance door opens. The windows,
extending to the floor, are hung with
lace and stuff curtains; the doors have
portieres upon either side, rugs, as a
rule, take the place of carpets, the he'd
is under the protection of a canopy,
even if it be no more than muslin, and
heavy wardrobe, with full length
mirror in the door, is often the point
de resistance in the room. 4 snowy
silk down quilt is thrown over the bed,
and bolster of huge proportions rests
at the head. The top of the mattress
averages three or four feet from the
floor, and suggests the advantage OF
step ladders and the utter discomfort
of little people. The peculiarly, how
ever, of the French bed is its restful
quality, for it is so whether it be found
in the Palace of the Elysee or third
rate apartment house on Montmatre,
in the Hotel de L'Athence, or the most
provincial of pensions.
The elasticity of prices in the rent
ing of apartments is wonderful. A
Frenchman pays $50 a month for a
nicely furnished flat in the Palais
Royal, or, we will say, in the neighbor-
hood of Trinity church, taking the two
extremes of localities, and an Ameri-
can tourist gladly pays $50 for the
same accommodations. If the lessee
is fortunate and rents from family
that may be going to Vichy for a few
months, he possibly can arrange for
silverware, linen, and crockery, but if
this is denied him, he will find a most
agreeable company organized for the
very purpose of supplying the transient
resident with all the necessary appur-
tenances Of housekeeping, at a prica
that allows one to display magnif-
cence approaching royalty at the most
economical outlay. A bonne may be
had at 81 per month, one of those
smart French girls that does every
thing from cooking the meals to dress
ing her mistress, and who insists upon
doing it. Seven dollars, be it under
stood, is not starvation pay, it is NUM-
ficence, and one may expect from such
a girl all the esthetic cooking Of the
French repertoire-peas, not as we
have them in this country, yellow and
hard, but deliciously sweetened, tender
as cream. The bonne does all the
marketing, wrangles with the trades
people, and hands in her account every
day or week. Of course she has a
percentage from the stores, but who
would begrudge that to get rid of the
intolerable nuisance of shopping?
A stroll on the boulevards, a visit to
the Jardin dAcclimation, a ride to the
Bois de Boulogne, by the way Of the
Champs Elysee, all these are pleasures,
and combine with the attractive fur
nishings of the house to make one
forget the annoyances he is subjected
to and the crude and primitive domes-
tic surroundings he is called upon to
endure. He is induced to forget that
on his way home he may be run over
, by vicious cab driver and then arrest
ed for being in the way of the horses,
for, of course, in Partisan streets
vehicles have the right of way.
The concierge is an important factor
in French life. If one fails to "come
down" with the proper amount Of
subsidy in the shape of "pour boire"
the concierge, whose place is at the en-
trance to his building, takes very good
care that his close-fsted tenant does
not receive his mail, certainly until one
day after it's delivery at the door, and
his visitors are informed that he is mot
at home" when in truth he is await
ing their coming in his rooms. Should
the tenant protest to the landlord, his
life will thereafter be miserable, sue
cession of ills and terrors that will
finally drive him from the house, to
look for other apartments. But he is
known to every concierge in the city,
and, despite the flaming yellow poster
that announces from the outer wall
there is an apartment to let, he meets
everywhere the one reply, "There is
nothing here SIR and if, perforce, he
does get into the building the price is
placed at such figure as to put it
beyond the reach of the tired and
discouraged searcher. After one eX-