Wichita eagle., 1886-09-08
9ai11R eagle
THE DRAGON EYED CONCIERGE.
Tho Presiding Deity OF tho Partisan
Tenement-DiyidinS the Duties.

Tho Presiding Deity Of tho Partisan
accommodating the Duties.
The Englishnlan by constitutional figure
Of speech, calls his house his castle In France
there is no figure Of speech about it, the house
is veritable castle built round q court, hav.
ing thick walls, ponderous doors and Q pass
sage to the court, on one side of which lies in
wait for ever the dragon eyed concierge. At
night the doors are closed at an arbitrary
hour, varying from 9 to IL. The con-
cierge, or the garcon representing him, goes
to bed in his little room, perhaps four by six,
having first taken the precaution to close tho
doors and windows, where in a comatose
state, his hand close to a bell rope, he awaits
the late corners. The tenants arrive one by
one in a steady stream, touch the bell button
without, and one Of the great doors, or
smaller one which forms part OF II, swings
open. He enters and it closes behind MN
with a crash. The half awakened concierge
gives him his candle and key and falls back on
his pillow sound asleep while ne Is taiklns'
not retaining ON the following morning the
slightest recollection of the minute directions
in regard to awaking the stranger
To the easy classes in Paris, French or
strangers. the night is as day, only little
~. y
housed before sunrise, when it is necessary
for the concierge to rise and begin his duties
ms a bootblack So his life passes, at night
his hand on the bellrope in the fetid air of his
clothes press of chamber: in tie morning
up before the sun, during the day cleaning
the halls and doing the chan1berwork, at
meal times waiting on the guests at table, and
at odd intervals going of messages, taking
care of baggage, or even going to the station
10 meet expected guests. l know of no class
in America who would perform his arduous
duties 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 go into the street for an hour
during the day, unconscious Of the meaning
Of the word holiday, and paid only by pour
boires, varying in amount according to the
pleasure of exacting guests
The duties Of concierge are often divided
between q 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 in 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 a 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 bed cham
berS.-Paris Cor. San Francisco Chronicle