Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-10
the DRAGON EYED CONCIERGE.
The Presiding Deity of the Parisian
Tenement-Diyiding the Duties.

rbe fresiding Deity of the Parisian
Tenement-Dividing the Duties.
The EngliShman by u constitutional figure
If speech, calls his house his castle. In France
here is no figure Of speech about it, the house
s a veritable castle built round court, hav-
ng thick walls, ponderous doors and pass
age TO the court, on one side of which lies i'll
wait for ever the dragon eyed concierge. At
night the doors are closed at an arbitrary
hour, varying from o to II. The con-
ciergc, or the garcon representing him, goes
% bed in his little room, perhaps four by SIX,
having first taken the prccaution 10 close the
ioors and windows, where in comatoss
state his hand close to u bell rope, he awaits
the late corners. The tenants arrive one by
one III a steady stream, touch the bell button
without, and one Of the great doors, or
smaller one which forms a part of II, swings
open He enters and it CLOSES behind HIM
with crash. The half awakened concierge
gives him his candle and key and falls back ON
his pillow sound asleep while he Is talking,
not retaining on the following morning the
slightest recollection of the minute directions
in regard To awaking the stranger.
To the easy CluSStS i'll Paris, French or
strangers the night is as day, only little
more 80, and the last tenant Is not safely
housed before SUNRISE when it is necessary
for the concierge to rise and begin his duties
rs a bontblack SO his life passes, at night
his hand on the bcllrupe in the fctid air Of his
clothes press of chamber: in the morning
up before the sun during the day cleaning
the halls and doing the chamberwork, at
meal times waiting on the guests at table, and
at odd intervals going of messages, taking
81 lnf nT,s the station
10 meet expected guests. | know Of no class
in America who would perform his arCluous
duti,s, for five times the money. The work Of
one day not ended till that of the next begins
never having the luxury of sound sleep,
scarcely able to 90 into the street for an hour
duriu.r the ,lay unconscious of the meaning
of the word holiday, and paid oaly 10y pour
boires, varying in amount according 10 the
pleasure Of exaCtIng guests.
The duties of concierge are often divided
between a man and wife, the man doing the
rough work of the house, acting as garcon, or
perhaps having other occupation without; the
woman all day on duty i'll the little lodge,
which serves alike as office, dining room, sit
ting room and bed chamber. In this class of
/ buildings there are usually several rooms
ranged round the narrow entrance, the two
largest large enough for bed, table and a
few chairs The landlord and his wife sleep
in that at the right, The one at the left
serves as dining room and office, while of the
two remaining closets one serves as sleeping
and living room for the concierge and his
wife (who may also bear the names garcon
and bOnne), and the other as kitchen, its
proximity to the stairway facilitating the
general diffusion of the steam and odOrs
arising from blended meats, onions and gar
lie throughout the halls and the led cham
bers.-Paris Cor San Francisco Chronicle