Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-22
tbs HOMELESS FRENCH.
No Need For the Home tthe North when
the Open Air Is SO Sweet.

tttdTpcf maRaZine,)
The Place du Capitole, when we strolled
into It after dinner was a blaze OF light
from the gilded cafes. which lined 1t
on three sides. and cast into shadow the
long low facades OF the capitol rising on
the fourth. There is not French pro-
vincial town, hardly a village. that has
not its chief square encircled by cafes.
I'm which we might have seen, as here.
the elegant commercial travellers swelter-
ing in top-hats and frock coats, and
drinking tea by way of showing their
superiority and Anglomania the real pro-
vinclals. fat and frankly warm. their
alpaca coats thrown back. revealing a
vast cXpanse OF white shirt and the
absence of any waistcoat, their straw
hats on the table: officers braided. booted.
and spurred, and occasional workmen I'm
blouses. celebrating some special event
over a good glass of cognac. But in Tou-
louise. ! can scarcely explain why, the
cafes seemed more brilliant and glitter
ing. the tables TO overflow more ire
prCssibly into the street Indeed in the
Place 1t was only the street-car track
that kept them at all within bounds),
the shufiling of cards and the rafting of
dOminOes to be more ceaseless. No one
stayed inside except a few old men in
their favorite corner. and madame, in n
very fine gown, doing out sugar and
change at the counter Even the walters
were on the street. AS soon as we sat
down at q table one was at our side
with stool for my feet-a little atten-
ton reserved for wonderland to ask for
orders. And then he brought our cups
with a cry Of "Versezw pour ouU, and
"A second. with the coffee-pot, came and
filled them, and the first returned with
the evening and illustrated papers: for
the lights were bright on the pavement.
and II was easy to read. We had ordered
each only a glass Of collector in a good
provincial cafe they give you coffee In a
goblet-but we were free, If we wanted,
to spend the evening at our table. The
proprietor OF the cafe we had chosen was
wandering about. talking to almost every
one quite as If he were a host entertain
ing his invited guests. There was music.
too at this northumberland which
could not drown the incessant cries of
"NerseZ! deux books cling sur dix"
pour OUT two beers! five out of tend
one wandering musician after another
came and sang, and played. and some
sang well, while workmen and peasants,
and women with babies done up like
mummies, and children and dogs gath
cred on the street-car tracks. until. after
pi"NHIk warming Oh MS hotH ~tIe Sueti-
car driver slowly and good naturally
urged his horses forward and scattered
them to left and right. And all along the
bOulevards (for Toulouse, like many
another French town. is little Paris
in miniture, and so must have its bOule-
vards), all along the wide quay above the
GarOnne, in every square there was the
same array of brilliantly illuminated
cafes. the same crowded tables in the
street. the same hustle of busy walters,
the same wandering musicians. What
need have people here for the home"
OF the North. when the house is so close
and the night in the open air under the
stars so sweet