Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-06-30
ROBINSON CRuSoE'S.
A Jolly Place within Few Miles o
Frances Capital.

to be the fippant question put to the
gentleman proposing to spend his sum
mer vacation In Paris. 1t is meaning
less nowadays, for hundreds not only
take their wives as usual thing, but
their whole families also, TO the latter
it may be suggested that in the environs
Of Paris there can be found no moro in
teresting place, especially to the boys
than "Robinson's." Take the whole
family there some afternoon with a
copy of Robinson Crusoe" with you
for occasional reference.
Being in Paris you take railroad
train at the Care de Sceaux, asking the
ticket seller for return ticket to Rob
inson's, for which you will pay thirty
five cents. In twenty minutes you will
be at the end of your railroad journey,
and You will then ride in an omnibus
for fifteen across little valley and ar
rive at your destination in the forest of
| Meudon. You enter an arch, over
which you will read in large letters the
is pronounced in the French way, and
does not sound exactly like the familiar
English name.
You pass through the arch and you
are in garden, which is arranged to
represent the island of Juan Fernan-
dez, where happened the adventures,
the recital of which by De Foe
has delighted the boys for so many
generations. You are welcomed by
"Friday," who is known there
as Monsieur Vendredi, a negro, all
smiles and politeness. On n perch
you see big green parrot, who talks
French with foreign accent, and on
the ground several macaws, trailing
their long tails as they waddle about.
On the walk you are met by an ancient
goat, and all about you are little
matched huts with conical roofs In
with primative seats, made of crooked
limbs of trees. In the middle of the
garden there is plstform for dancing
covered by q matched roof, but the
sides are left opened to allow the ali
free circulation to keep the dancers
On one side of the garden stands 6
cafe-a very primitive-loolSing, rustic
affair, with a matched roof, like the
rest of the buildings. You enter, anC
find that the walls and ceiling arr
frescoed with scenes from thu
story Of Robinson Crusoe," a per
feet illustration of the book. Having
] swallowed glass of vermuth a
an appetizer, you go out into thu
garden and look up into the branches
of the large oak trees, and there yol
see platforms, on which arc tables an'
chairs; in fact, restaurants in TIL
branches of the trees You mount
ladder and scat yourself at the tabl
and order your meal. You can gaug
. your meal by your poclSetbook an
:. your appetite. You can have a goo'
: breakfast or dinner for two francs
' about thirty-six cents-or, if you hav
full purse and an empty stomach, yor
can have a splendid meal for ten franc
I, about one dollar ane eighty cents
= These prices include wine. OF course
= you can spend anything between tw
francs and ten francs, merely tellin
the waiter that you wish for meal a
a certain price; that is, for meal at
fixed price. You can also dine a
:. carte, ordering whatever you are please
to have.
:. They have at Robinson one of til
:, best chefs in France, and they serve yo
with the very best of everything; eve
the fish-which arrive from Paris ever
: morning-are fresh from the sea {
!, river. l have seen the small fish of til
- River Seine there still. alive. You M
only dine in the woods, but up in II
=. trees.
If you do not care to climb up I'M
n the trees, you can be served in the lit
huts in the garden; but these are usl
ID ally occupied by little parties, WI
drink bottle of wine, laughing an
y chattering in the manner of the ga
French people. On a Sunday ever
-, seat is taken, and you must await yo,
~ turn.
y Attached to the garden is a large st
7 bic, full of horses, mules and donkey
at You can hire these animals for tv
in francs an hour, either to ride or driv
~ if for the latter purpose, you pay L
tie more for the use of the vehicle, al
nc you can have any kind of a conveyanc
from a carriage and four to donl
T cart.
Iv On Sunday the students from Pal
n. arrive with their sweethearts in Il
morning, and remain there until nj
"a o'clock at night, when they take t
- train for Paris They eat, drink, dan
and sing, and it is difficult to imagine
gaycr scene. Through the day part
~ of them take horses and donlSeys a
~ go securing through the forest. TIL
: are the most reckless lot of people y
> can imagine, more like sailors ashO
than anything else, except that they
NO not get drunk in the manner OF t
III Jolly tars. The fact that many ha
Gu not learned to ride does not matt,
~. they mount, just the same, and gall
"a away recklessly. They tumble off,
no matter of course, but that makes
nc all the more amusing; for a chase aft
ID the liberated steed ensues their laul
ter and shouts echoing through
woods They seem never to {
~ badly hurt. You will see TIN
'n tearing along, the girls with tn
hair flying behind them, and tn
ne escorts often hatless. The girls
'h- ways leave their pretty Partisan hi
'Ve at the stables, and ride bareheaded
you wish to see lot of reckless you
~ people having good time, just
down there and observe them.
70 Through the week these girls We
Nit hard with their needles, from seven
di- The morning until seven in the evenil
with half an hours rest in the mid
~ of the day for lunch. On Sunday Il
," go out for a frolic, having first
tended mass in their churches. 7
os- toll of the week is forgotten in the n
II. through the forest and the dance