Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-11-02
THE PARTISAN PENSION.
wherein 1t Differs From the Boarding
House In America


House In America
In the life of cosmopolitan Paris the pen
sion plays a role of prominence. 1t is a
marked and characteristic feature OF the
city, rs local to II as the lodging house OF
London is to English life, or the boarding
house to the land of free Americans, but
occupying totally different position in the
social scale from either Of these institu-
tions.
The Paris pension is distinctly and un-
deniably cosmopolitan; il Is even more, in
that it is democratic, or, rs the French
themselves would say, republican. 1t is no
respecter of persons or localities, for it is
equally at home in narrow street of from
the old Faubourg St. German. or when it
looks out ON the beauty of the Champs
Elysees. You will find it away out ON the
road to Passey, or just around the corner
from the Boulevard des Italiens, and you
will discover its inhabitants to be as di-
verse in aspect and nationality rs its stu
atoms are various, but in spite of all this
the pension will still maintain certain un-
alterable characteristics that pronounce 1t
to be, all in all, a true Paris outcome Of a
distinctively Partisan need.
In Paris there is not the same social gull
separating the dweller in hotel from the
resident Of u pension that is to be found be
tween those who live in hotels and board,
ing houses in the States, where the one may
be "in the swim," but the other never is
being debarred by the very fact Of his exist
ence within the tabooed walls. Here the
reverse of this is true, rather, for Of the two
the pension is the more hignly estimated
and the better and more refined social ele
ment, whether of resident foreigners, tour
lists or native Parisians, will always bC
found located there in preference to the no
tells.
The pension differs in grade according t.
the locality in which it is situated, and thu
amount of French gold you will part will
in return for the shelter of its walls and tn,
use Of its accommodations will fuctuat'
with the same actuating cause, also a littl
with the nationality of the proprietor. If
as an Americana should say, as do th'
Parisians, Estates American"-you selec
a pension presided over by host of tn
same nationality, you may reconcile your
self to paying for that privilege at a rat
based upon "States" calculations Th
cooking will be French, likewise the servic
and the servants.
The principle of the household system
will be entirely French in all probability
and very likely not SO we'll executed as
would be under French management, b,l
that will have nothing to do with the price
which will be truly American. If you dt
sire to test combination Of English an
French tastes az illustrated in househol
life-a very risky thing to attempt, by tn
way-and you find true son of Briton wh
is condescending to exist on the hate
French soil, your condition will be nearl
as bad, but possibly not quite, if the hous
Is one much frequented by Englishmen, b.
cause the travelling Briton is deeply and il
curably averse to parting with his none.
and the English standard of prices is ther
fore lower than the American.
As in any ease, everything but the lanl
lord or lady is sure to be French, it is fl
more satisfactory on the whole to dispo!
of yourself at a purely French pension
begin with, where the prices are much le
and the comforts much greater than in tt
hybrid establishments.-Bosto Herald.