Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-14

a
ways returned TO II
after temporary absences.
The Rue Lafitte branches directly Of the
Grand Boulevard in its central quarter-the
Boulevard des Italiens II is therefore in the
northern part OF tho city and close to the
heart Of cosmopolitan Paris. II is within easy
distance Of the opera, which IL the central
point for tourists. Of the Caro- Saint La
care, which Is their railway station, and Of the
great shops, cafes, restaurants, theaters and
newspaper Offices. At one of the corners which
ii makes with the boulevard il the Maison
Doree, with Tortonis alongside, points so often
mentioned by THE Eugiishman In Paris" and
on the other corner lives Lady Richard Wallace,
whose husband is supposed to have given the
material of those gossipy memoirs She is now
old and her friends have died or moved into
new Paris, but she unwilling to quit the CEN
trail animation Of this place, TO whose noise
long years have accustomed her.
ANCIENT CHARACTER OF ITS HOUSES.
The noise, the continual rattle Of cabs, omni-
buses and wagons OF commerce over the old
fashioned stone roadway is the most serious
drawback of this street. 1t has a second dis
advantage In the ancient character OF most OF
its houses. Many of its large Offices and apart
ment buildings were originally great private
hotels from the time OF the first Napoleon down
| to the middle Of the century. From such a
house. of the famou banker Laffitte, ii has it's
present name with its peculiar spelling. This
IL repeated in tho coursing suburb Of
Maisons Laiitte, which il due to the same finan-
cier along in tho thirties. Even in the first
years of Louis Napoleon il was one of the fash
ionable streets. and amid all it's present decay
the tradition remains OF the Empress Eugenie
and her court coming in the summer evenings
to the bate garden parties Of the Turkish en-
bassy, whose gloomy palace stands idle and
fNr In Rf,.h 10
then lived here beside their bank and across
the street the witty Madame Emile de Girsrdin
better known as Delphine Gay. had her salon of
literary and political celebrities Her house is
now a modest hotel and the remaining grandeur
OF the street has subsidized in like ma nner. 1t
| could not endure after Baron iiaussmann had
been set by the emperor to blasting boulevards
in wide straight lines through ancient Paris and
thus Transforming il into the new and splendid
CITY of TODAY
The buildings OF this street are therefore old,
aud the street itself is narrow in comparison
with the boulevard, where it begins, and with
tho commercial Rue Lafayette, which runs
| across its center. In these old buildings the
| long French windows. which reach nearly to
the floors Of the upper stories, are far from
| alright. and let in the cold wind when i. blows
furlousiy mp the narrow street. But there
are many bachelors apartments here for men
who with to be at all times in the very ceiter of
Paris, and there are several hotels Of decaved
ara uuprelcnuOu5 comfort. FOR DOtn tneSe
purposes and for its own peculiar trade the
| street ia really but n single square long. This
is between the boulevard and the Rue Lafayette.
The square beyond IL occupied mainly by the
small burgeoise, and northward toward ahe
hill Of Mortmartre the street ends before the
little church of Notre Dame de Lorotte. This
neigtborhood was never choice and at one
| time it WAS celebrated for the sprightliness of
| the working girls, who lived around the church
| and obtained the name. famous in the htera-
| ture of Bohemia, Of Lorettes.
In the chief square OF the street, however,
| there Is n little world that still Shines though
with the reflected light Of the Grand Boulevard.
/ In tie bright winter afternoon YOU escape from
| the thrOnging Boulevard des Italiens. with the
ladies in their latest street costumes, with gem
tlemen in curious hats, with the brawl Of the
afternoon newspapers just ont and the COM
plants Of loud and quarreisome cab drivers
and turn aside to the quiet sight-seeing of the
| Rue Lsfi.te.
THE MAIsoS DoREE.
Beside you, on the corner, is the Maison
Doree. This restaurant at one time ex-
tremely famous; and it still has the distinction
| of using butter at 60 cents a pound for all its
cooking purposes Down the broad but wind
/ ing staircase on the Rue Laffitt, Lord George
| Hamilton in other days fell headlong and broke
his neck after having enjoyed the cheer too
| freely. From its portal at 3 o'clock one sum
mer morning there issued the lovely form of a
celebrated danseuse. who for a wager essayed
| TO pass Godiva-like across the deserted bolle-
ward and back. Bat accidental policeman
threw his coat around her and marched her
| of to the station house. On another occasion
| n gentleman who had dined too well made "A
running leap from what should call the
second-story dining room, smashed through
the Venetian blinds, and alighted on the roof Of
a newspaper kiosk in the street below with no
| other damage than broken leg.
| These are the tales Of the past. One who
passes here day and night for month after
| month can still remember times when loud
laughter and gay greetings are heard from the
/ private supper rooms os the Maison Doree's
| second story, but the ordinary life of this one
I time resort Of gilded debauchery is now quiet
/ TO the verge OF melancholy. Not many new
| people learn to frequent its expensive tables,
| and the life OF Paris which made 1t possible has
| broken Into a hundred ciques. doubt il the
Mason Doree pays at all at present, except
/ perhaps that the wholesale wine trade OF its
| cellars, which still retain their prestige. may
| make up for the losses. The world now gravi-
| tates to more democratic places, like the Tav-
| erno Pousset a square below along the bou!e-
ward. This is in the very heydey Of its success;
| loud, busy, bright with electric lamps and with
CAV colored panels on its wallis. Bavarian beer
| aud hearty food served and are growing
| strangely in favor. 1t has the notorious Frank
| fort sausage. and il makes q speciality OF onion
| soup and steaming crabs, shining red and
| juicy. glance along the boulevard at mid
| uight will show where the late restaurant
| patronage Of Paris is going. There is a soil
! tnde before the Maison Doree, but you may see
| leo cabs huGdled in front OF the Taverne Pous-
| set, where it belches forth light and noise aud
| the gay conversation Of parting customers.
NovELIsT's BLcNpER.
A successful young American writer Of short
stories, who is a. his best when be writes on
| subjects with which he is familiar, blunders
curiousy with regard to Paris life along this
/ line. He puts Into the mouth Of the wife Of Q
struggling New York artist-she must have re-
ccived her data from her husband-a desire to
have a studio at Montmartre and to dine each
day at Bignons. Now Bignon is well down the
! Avenue Of the Opera, long walk or ride for
any hungry pair from Montmartrs, and the
Bohemians OF that quarter smile at the thought
| OF dining habitually at the one pretentious re-
sort In Paris. where only strangers are habit
uaily taken in and done for. II one really
must get rid OF bis money he had best chance
the Maison Doree aiter all but no Montmartroise
would think OF either in connection with The
man she loved.
| The Rue Latitte is the direct road to Mont
martre. As YOU turn your back on the bouie-
ward and walk up its narrow length by night,
! you see. high above the Church OF Lorette. the
lanterns which light the steep flight Of steps up
TO the very top Of the great hill overlooking
| Paris. When the new church of the Sacred
Heart, which is building there, is lit up ss it