Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-10-01
MARKETING IN PARIS
THE COMMISSION SYSTEM AN INDEX
TO LIFE IN THE CAPITAL. :


An Picking and Extortion Must BE
Hedged About by Time Haiioued Gus
toms--seliiug n Harlequin.
The Halles Ceptrales, as they are called,
consist OF vast iron structure situated in
the center Of Paris, few squares from the
river on the north side. The streets around
form an open square Other streets con-
tinuo their course through 1t. Technically
II contains 10 great pavilions, to say moth
ing OF the cellars Practically IL is series
OF covered streets and cross streets, where
one wanders from the cabbage market to
the department Of cheeses and from the
tripe market to the fruits and flowers. Its
actual divisions are rs followr; Poultry
and game, meat, flsh, butter, eggs and
cheese, vegetables, fruits and flowers.
As TO the selling, 1t Is both wholesale
and retail Before n. M, 1t Is q bourse for
the provisioning OF Paris, where not only
retail dealers come to get their wares, but
even exporting houses must find those
primeurs which their distant customers de
mand Thus the first peaches are usually
bought up for Russia, often Mt n dollar and
a half apiece. This example Of peaches for
Russia, when coupled with the information
that the mass of them from January TO
May are not grown In France at all but in
the extensive lighthouses outside OF Brus-
sells, will indicate what manner OF market
this place is,
Flower stands welcome you along the
streets before you reach the market, OF
which they are the promise and tho sign.
They share this Office Of harbiLger with
the host Of returning servant maids, How
er faced bonnes Of opulent contours, whose
stiff stArched skirts orackle melodiously TO
the healthy swing of their sturdy limbs.
They are colffed In spotless muslin; their
skirts arc drnped in voluminous white
aprons; they bear their purchases in CO.
uuettish baskets and the commissions they
have extortcd from the market people In
cold cash IN their pockets.
This practice Of giving commissions to
servants on all they buy FOR their masters
tables strikes II keynote of Partisan habit.
Nothing is done for nothing, though all
picking and extortion must be done accord
ing 20 the time honorcd customs, The
bonnie will do her best to market for her
mistress aud fight vigorously with the 10
dies OF the Halles about the prices. Only
after the money Is paid and the goods are
delivered Ia her basket she coolly asks for
her commission, about which there is no
fight at oil.
What the bonnie does for her mistress,
| the mistress, II she be n boarding house
keeper, does for her guests. No matter
| how much abe mny wish 70 keep you con
tented In her establishment, she will black
mail your washerwomau into giving her n
commission on your weekly laundry bill
| So II is also with the municipality OF Paris
which forces strangers to help pay taxes
by means Of city customs on every bunch
OF radishos. So IL Is also with the retail
sellers of meat In this great market, who,
though you should buy 81 worth Of roast
from them, would not give you soup bone
without an extra o cent piece.
80 IL Is In the inclosed space Of the poul-
try marx ct, from which no purchaser is al.
lowed TO take out anything for himself. II
It be only n hare or a dozen larks, they
must be given to n "strong man TO carry
20 the street at n regulation charge OF .
cents. So II is In the division Of the butter
market. Around the tables where butter
Is sold the floor Is kept strewn with clean
straw. This is to receive the dabs OF but
ter which intending purchasers have tasted
on the ends OF butter testing Bkewers and
then thrown down. Tho straw is gathered
up carefully twice n day by the porters
boys, whose perquislte it IL, and they get
from IL enough butter to bring them in 500
francs a month.
Asa result OF these minute pickings and
savings everybody ls cheerful, everybody
profits, everybody is handling ready money.
OF tho GOOOO persons who arc said to have
some connection or other with this great
market, from the municipal inspector Of
meats to tho licensed factour who carries
home your basket there 10 scarce one who
does not get some little whack outsido his
| rYa11.a -
ford q unique theater for the display Of
French good nature at its best-wher
Frenohmen are in the act of gaining cen
tlmes
That Il Is almost impossible To hangnboui
the Helles and not participate In some de
gree In this reign OF plenty modified by econ
omy IA well known to Partisan poor devil
(pauyrcs dlablas), who, hustled out Of th,
unlicensed cent lodging houses at o'cloel
IN the morning 20 present colorado con
, formation 60 the law concerning hotels
haunt this square around the Hnlles. Tn
, wholesale nuctloning, which goes on from
II p. m. to 9 a. m, they find a cause for di
version and an occasion to pick mp sundr!
fruits 10 cat and perhaps few coins at tn
hands Of generous peasants, who have mad
thoir market and are about departing II
! their wagons for the country. Later OF
they are almost sure TO gain stray sou
from the ladies, who come all gay aud lust,
in the morning with their servants and PEI
haps their children to cheaper flowers an
; fruit aud meat and fish.
r A harlequin, It will be remembered, Is
$ character in old pantomime distlnguiahe
: by costume OF mixed and variegated col
: ors. At the Halles \ harlequin" lisa plat
OF broken ylotuals whose strange mixture
perhaps OF fish, sad, sweet pastry and pic
kles, has given 1t the name Petty trailiok
ers make n business OF collecting sue
cooked scraps from hotels restaurants an
Y private houses, and their sale throughou
h the poorer sections OF the city correspond
very closely TO the function shop. not Vi
known TO eastern cities in America.
!, Twelve stalls for the sale OF these harl,
4 quins arc philanthropically permitted b
the municipality In one corner of this grea
rich looking market Their proprietor
= have semiofiloial position; their scraI
l. are known TO be cleaner and more jud
> ciously selected than those In ruder resort
y 81 that even the shabby gentcel poor an
u Gwen dead broke students Of the uniyerait
do not disdain them, Seven cents will a
n man up for the day and give him leewa
4, for bowl Of soup to wash the dainti,
n down. Then the atudent goes oil TO n
ri studies, and the poor deyilp betakes hin
10 self again TO the lodging house TO finish b
Lila To- tstsk