National Republican., 1883-11-16
PeCulisrities Of Pretended American Actress
al the Vaudeville Theater.
Making an Inspection Of the Famed
".HaIles CentraIes."
How the Unemployed wOrkmen Of Paris Exist on
the Merest PitLanCe.
a Nonchnlnnt Ragpickor and n Thought-
fn1 1Coachman-Froth and Feathers.
SpecfdL Letter.

PARIS, Nov. 2.-Last night went TO the
theater. 1t was not bit of nice evening
in which to leave ones freside, but some one
had mentioned LES Afollies" at the Vaude-
vile, so go to tho Vaudeville must. hate
walking or taking an extra stop on bad
night, and, to my disgust, the voiture was
drawn up quito away from my door. The
coachman explained, "A thousand pardons,
but one must trouble onos self to take few
extra steps. l do not like to disturb the COM
merce of monsieur the ragpicker. Ho has
just now arrived in front Of your number"
looked at tho coachman. He looked at
me as If the matter were quite settled. Then
stopped an instant to look at the ragpicker.
Disturb him! derision the thought.
should like to have seen anything or any
body who could have disturbed that chiffo-
nier. Besides, poor man, he was earning his
bread; his work was just beginning had
eaten minc my work was done, and / was
going to amuse myself or-let us be just
thoughtlthat 1 was going to amuso myself-a
different thing.
Had l known that would spend so mis-
cradle an evening would have treated that
ragpicker much worse. AS it was / smiled as
his lantern flashed in his face. / came near
receiving some of his refuse down the back
of my neck. The horse. "haughtier" than
his driver, had ventured to advance to his
usual stopping place. A collision seemed
imminent, but Mr.. Chiffonier never budged.
He made q false movement, however, which
nearly landed the best of his wares down the
aforementioned small of my back. / saw it
all--the hook, the false toss-and permitted
myself to pale. / had only time to gasp,
"Au Vaudeville JEAN" and / left the rag
picker master of the situation. l will drop
the subject, but before doing so may say that
in Eugene Sues mysteries of Paris" the
fn,,ia via l..,
seen them in all large cities, and must confess
that they are the same and look as much
alike as the band Rip Van Wrinkle discovered
on the Catskill mountains, with this histori
cal exception-one looks worse, if possible,
than the other, but they are all Hags and
Hecates.
When you come to Paris go to any theater,
but never the Vaudeville while they are
playing Les Affollies." 1t is one of the
most absurd, idiotic pieces l have seen in
some time. The usual theme is the American
in Paris, who pronounces French with broad
cockney accent thing impossible to any
human being born outside of London. 1t is
sickening. l have heard many Americans
speak French, but have never heard any
thing to equal Mdlle. Legaults supposed
American Partisan accent. With all of that
she says that she has lived in New Orleans
and is native of Charlestown. 1t
takes a very colossal brain to realize
=
very pure French, and in Charlestown
the people of the place usually know how to
pronounce at least the name of the city in
which they live. The Vaudeville has q
speciality of pieces all with Americans for hero
and heroines. assure you that these
caricature and creatures exist only in the
deceased and empty brains of their French
creators. For pure,e unmitigated ignorance
give me the average Frenchman.
You must not think that there are only
few hackneyed things to see in Paris. After
Louvre, Luxembourg, Palais do pIndustrie,
churches, and theaters, there is another sight
all should see. This is the "halles centrales'
or markets of Paris They were commenced
in 1851, and are composed of twelve great
pavillions or sheds, with wide boulevard in
the center. These markets take the place of
the old mdrche des innOCens and are really one
ofthe sights of Paris The buildings are Joined,
and all under an immense roof, with glass COW
ering and splendid framework of iron After
3 o.. m. the halles are q wonderful sight
Thousands upon thousands crowd around, the
streets adjoining are filled with carriages,
carts, and voitures of every description. Such
noise, such yelling, such O mixed crowd 1t
is a perfect bedlam from that time on until
about in the morning, when the urgent
commerce of tho day is nearly ended. The
odor of decayed vegetables, meats, and matter
of all sorts is quito enough to turn the
strongest stomach. There are always crowds
Ol pOOr uhHBlnB aDOuU bryluR 10 PICK
scraps and u stray eatable which may have
been thrown into the streets waiting the
scavenger carts.
The sight of these poor people inter ested
me. l sent for the coiffeur in the street, near
by. He is my friend. We have long confabs,
and when | want any real information 1
know just where to get it.
"Tell me about those beggars at tho
'halles.' They look much worse OFF than
the other beggars in Paris. Why?"
My legitmatist friend spoke:
"They look worse off? Naturally they arc
worse off, A long time ago, or just after the
war of 20, the poor in that quarter could live
with one sou a day. There was q great room
at the halles, and in it was an enormous
cauldron or pot.au-feu. Into this kettle was
% splendid soup, with hundreds of pounds of
meats of all kinds, bread, potatoes, and other
vegetables This was really for the poor, and
the poor laborers or workingmen out Of en-
ployment. Each person paid one sou; he
had hook, and had just one throw or chance.
Sometimes he brought up piece of meat
weighing several pounds; enough to live ON
for several days, and everything he hooked
up for one sou belonged to him."
"A grab bag worth having in the famille,
should say"
'Je crois bien. But this was done away with.
Naturally, some grew so dextrous that they
fished out all of the meat; tho otheIs had
none; there was discomfort. Now there is
another institution, where all may share
alike for l sou more. At tho Pension Alime,l-
tGre one cam
stop. Don't tell me another word. / must
Beo this pension quick. Where is it?"
Near the old Hotel de Vile. Ask for Rue
de la Verrerie, No. Is. One CAM
"Merc Merci CASTOR, | am Off What
ever you do don't tell me another word.
must see for myself, and in ten minutes more
I shall be there"
| was disappointed in not seeing tho grab
bag. That must have been fun, but tho
next best thing is its successor, tho Pension
Alimentdire.
Not caring to go alone, begged friond
TO accompany me. Rue dc la Verrerie is n
little street near the Hotel do Vile. To reach
il VIC passed the celebrated Fountain dies In
nocents, ono of the we'll known fountains in
Paris. No. l5, from tho exterior. scarcely
realized my idea of grab bags, but we soon
saw that we had really got to the place.
We passed under a low arch and walked
into very damp, filthy court. There were
no less than twenty beggars standing around,
evidently without the necessary two sous TO
buy food. There were fair, baggard women
old grand danes, little children, with golden
hair and cherub faces, hanging to their
mothers skirts, not venturing word, but
with hunger's mute appeal for bread staring
from their dllated oyes, All were well washed
and oombed. l saw no uncean faces Their
rags, their suppliant attitudes, their patience,
well distinguishing tho Paris OuUrier out of
employment; scarcely tho beggar-the cheer