The Washington critic., 1888-02-18
LIFE A TRENoH FLAT.

the practicability OF the soldier.
LIFE IN A FRENCH FLAT.
Interesting Notes by an Observing
American Tourist.
Paris correspondence New York
Nat and Express: "Appartement
louer,p or in simple English, "Flat to
let, is a sign that meets the view at
every turn in Paris. And still build
ing goes on as If there were not a
vacant apartment to be had, whole
rows and blocks Of houses remaining
empty for months together. There is
but a very small sprinkling among
them of private dwellings,, OF
"hotels,p as they are called, and with
so much to choose from it would seem
to be an easy matter to be suited.
If there is no restriction as to To-
cality and there are no American
prejudices to do away with in regard
to steam heat, set washtubs and bath
rooms, then it is easy to find pleas
ant apartment. There are airy rooms,
electric bells and an absolute feeling
of safety against fire in the well-built
houses. The entrance is not made
from steps, but from under the pOrte
c0chere. The house with an elevator
is the exception, not the ru}e, in
Paris. Americans are evidently
shori-breathed and weak-kneed, for
it is they who complain Of the stairs.
The most expensive flat in a French
apartment house is the premier, which
is two flights up. 1t is. always more
L., al Inaarot tn1 n nd hnu lnftinr
ceilings than the others. Balconies
are built at this and the fourth floor.
The eRtresol is the story between the
ground floor and the first floor. Tbere
is fifth and a sixth floor. The for
mer is not too plebeian for Il man like
Jules Simon, the journalist and legis-
|13DHQ dcsupy, or Theodore Stanton,
yer SON of Elizabeth Cady Stan
.cl, Whe,. with his French wife, is
fast becoming popular in social circles
in Paris.
The sixth floor is always devoted to
the ,domestics of the entire house,
although there are often surplus
rooms that are let out 10 dodgers at the
moderate yearly rental of $50 or S25 a
room. The price is higher if there is
u fireplace, but the floor is always of
stone, much greater surety against
fire than the ordinary wood floors. 1t
is possible TO be perfectly respectable
and occupy such room. II Is also
possible 10 be the occupant of a
premier i'll fine house in which the
sixth floor neighbors are anything
but respectable. ~aH
Americans, particularly women,
when they look ut French apartments
for the first time, are struck with the
number of reception rooms and the
small kitchens. The ante-chamber
might be dignified by the name of re-
ception room, and give very agree
able impression to the visitor If it
were not for the necessary hat-rack
and umbrella stand. The word can
not be translated by "hall," because
that but half eXpressesits meaning.
II is generally square or oblong, is
furnished with pictures and curtains
and is otherwise tastefully fitted up.
There are two drawing-rooms in
apartments Of any pretense. The
larger room is only used on sat
home" days and state occasionsi the
smaller one is the ordinary sitting
room. II visitors arrive during the
early part Of the day, they are gen.
orally shown to madame's bedroom,
where she invariably spends her
mornings.
But the kitchen is the room which
shows best what may be done with
little space and much ingenuity. II
is usually about six feet wide and ten
feet long and is lighted by one small
window. 1t is palatial if it is any
larger and better lighted. Every
available space on the wall is hung
with bright copper saucopans. AT
least two rows of shelves contain
unique and curious utensils for cook
ing Fancy colored papers hang from
the shelves like a fringe, and give a
very tidy look to thereon.
Next the kitchen there is always Il
staircase which is used by the sery-
ants and tadespeople. 1t very mar
row and generally dark. The Other
stairways are sometimes dark, but
always spacious and clean. The bath
room Is more of nuisance than O
convenience as 1t is arranged in q
French flat, There is an enormous
tub, TO be sure, and plenty of cold
water but the hot water must be
| nVttcu expressly Tor tl0 luln III
small boiler which stands in the bath
room and for which gas or oil is used
The heating arrangements for the
rooms are on the most frugal scale
but that is chiefly because wood and
coal are Sll aton, Steam heat is I'M
known, and In most houses there l.
no heat furnished by the proprietor
In the new quarters, where the land
lords cater to American tenants and
tastes, there is furnanoe in the cellar
! which supplies heat in the public
halls, and gives trihing amountir
the ante-room of each apartment.
The loge is always within, and on
one side Of the porte c0ehere, and wher
the great double door is closed somt
one must always be there to answer
the bell. The door is opened from
the loge by means of pulley, and
permission has TO be demanded to e
out as well as come in when it Il
closed
\ WHATa d ohance-the $40 900 house,