The morning call., 1893-01-08
THE BLACK CAT.
Cabaret. Style Louis XIII.
Founded IN l1l4 by a
Practical Joker.

The gentleman beerselIer has only gained
by his generosity to artists, for these do all
III their power TO attract the public and
make the business profitable. The cafe is a
yeTItable picture gallery. and to great eX-
tent the pictures represent cats-cats in the
strangest attitudes, and ladies on the wild
est-loOking steeds. riding in their midst.
There is real picture gallery on the second
floor. aud here are some gems that are
comic, others that are horrible. For in-
stance. the Virgin of the GuillOtine,"
woman seated on The dread instrument, her
dress that Of a sans-cuotte executioneT. and
In her hand a device, Jattends mes amants.
Is horrible. In the cafe hangs Willette's
famous picture, symb0liZIng the artistic life
of Paris. 1t represents crowd of harle-
quinS and clowns issuing from the old
windmill on the top of Montmartre aud
pouring down toward the rich quarter Of
Paris.
On the road are mournful- looking women
and men who have lost their illusions, far
Their on are those old before their time, and
at the foot OF the hill one sees few spec
tiers. 1t is a marvellous allegory, represent
ing the march toward success. and il IS sup
posed that Sails will take it 10 Chicago.
Besides pictures. there are other works Of
art, presented by artists not yet famous.
Each one assists-some sing. some play.
some recite. Caran d'Ache. WHO does not
belong to the number of ''impecauous ar
ment ever given at the Chat NOir"-Chi-
nese Shadows. with piece of white cloth
for scenery, and shadows for actors--in
which he carcatured all extraordinary
events.
The first attempt was PEpopee and after
a Japanese overture there was a ballet In
which mandarin gave entertainments in
potohe The pantomime which followed
had not less than thirty tableauX and the
artist had drawn more than four thousand
personageS. These were afterward cut. and
some even articulated First there was
biyouac, and in the darkness of the night
the soldiers prepared their soup. Then
came the review, the sun of Austeritz, the
roaring of cannon, the artillery preparing,
the guards forming square, while the in
fantTY attacked FORT captured the cannon
and planted the French flag at the summit
OF the bastOn. Victory was followed BY
the march of the grand army, the view Of
the Emperor's palace. the eourtiers. the
imperial carriage, Mameluke aud the
apotheosis-in fact, history OF Napoleon's
campaigns
The ground floor of the cafe is devoted TO
instrumental concerts. and here, while
Parisians drink beer and eat sandwiches,
they listen to an orchestra that cannot be
excelled in Paris. Sails arrays his walters
in the green palm-embroidered coats of the
French Academicans, and addresses his
customers IN the French of three centuries
the little journal published by RodoIphs
Sails that Willette first became celebrated;
a guide of the cafe has been published and
this gives a history OF the acquisition OF
many objects of interest. Among those who
have assIs ted in decorating the Chat NOir'
are ex-Queen Isabella of Spain. the King of
Sweden and Norway. the Prince of Wales.
Dom Pedro of Brazil. the Queen Of Tahiti,
Marechal de MaeMahOn, Sarah Bernhardt,
Emile lola, VietOrien Sardou and COquelin-
They try TO make US believe that all the
crowned heads of Europe have sent pres
ents TO the "Chat Noir," but this statement
must be accepted with grain of salt
Little did R0dolpbe Sails dream when he
was surrounded only by joyous companions
of his own tastes, that some day the Chat
Noir" would be in large house; furnished
like museum, with stained-glass windows.
presented by great artists, and that his
clientele would be found among the elite Of
society, all grateful to him for reviving the
old-fashioned laugh.
1t is related of Sails. that once he an
nounced that ne was dead, and sent out in
vtations for his funeral, TO be held at the
BLACK Cat" The coffin was closed, and
friends aud acquaintance assembled and
made speeches in honor of the dead cabare-
tier. That was the beginning OF the burial
service. but gradually, remarks became less
and less complimentary, until Sails could no
longer quietly listen, ard came out from his
hiding place. Among the novelties he is
preparing for Chicago is a earicatnre of ali .
the French celebrities of modern times. The
principal contributors are Mason, the long
haired poet. Jacques Ferny and Paul Del
met
Certainly, it will not be a representation
to which American parents can lake their
children, but it will be highly entertaining
from French point of view.
BARONESS ALTHEA SALVADOR
Paris Dec 80