The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-18
QUEEN OF BOHEMIA.

We were seated in one Of the rooms Of a
pretty Partisan cafe. 1t was Iuxuriously
furnished apartment, arranged with exc
treme taste. Ny companion was a specu-
lator on the bOurse, a man with exhaust
i've knowledge of the bOuIevards. As we
were waiting for an order to be placed be-
fore US / casually scrutinized the apart
ment Behind US was a large mirror, and
written upon it with a diamond ring was
the word Julie. =" Putting al a cigarette
1nvoluntarily came feeling of curiosity.
" no was JulleS That word was written
in an attractive feminine hand. In what
particular field of Bohemia had she moved?
The cafe was frequented almost exclusive
y BY painters, sculptors, musicians and
mem bers of the theatrical profession whose
names were familiar TO the public. I
called the attention of my companion to
the inscription and asked him who Julie
was, but he replied that the lady had -four
1shed before his time, since he had seen
the writing on the mirror when, 20 years
before, he had first come to Paris. The
waiter placed before US an appetizing re-
past and my friend, in the diverting man
ner Of his cOuntrymen, launched forth
with an interesting criticism Of current
topics while we enjoyed the good fare for
which the proprietor Of the place was
famed
The next day took trip up the Seine
and stopped for dinner at a little eating
house which, from time immemorial, had
checked waiter placed a small bottle of
wine before me on a table, in which were
carved many letters as though the place
were a resort for college students. There
were many famous names engrossed there,
and the proprietor pointed to them with
pride, recalling the time when these art
lists were unknown and led the happy,
careless life of bohemians, who had cop
per instead of silver and gold jingling in
their pockets Suddenly my attention was
called to a word carved there J ulie. r
Who is Julieg'' / asked
The proprietor replied that the name
was placed there by artist, now re-
nOwned, and led me to a room where
many rough pencil sketches were framed.
This collection he priced highly as well
he might, for there in earicature and other
wise were seen the faces of men and WOn-
en- who had caused a furore not only in
Paris, but throughout the world of art.
Among them was the portrait of a girl,
vivacious and charming. I fixed her fea-
lures in my mind. Such was the second
step in delving into bit of the past in
Bohemia.
This delightful girl appeared in a new
role soon. / was looking over some old
canvases in a jUnkshop when, 10 and be-
hold, / came across what was undoubtedly
an unfinished Coulter. Moreover, the face
was that of Julie. The master had painted
her in the garb of a peasant, or perhaps he
had met her before she came to Paris and
only painted a bit of nature. She was
alone in the fields, and the majesty of thu
pose and the remarkable grace and
strength of the figure were quite charac-
teristic of the great artist Julie in the
fields was very different from j ulie IN the
bouIevards. Around her was the quiet Of
eventide. In the distance was the outline
of a house which was the dwelling of a
peasant. Here, however, was cue, and
asked many French painters whom had
met incidentally if they had ever seen the
original of my painting, for I purchased
the sketch from the proprietor of the shop
for a mere nothing. But many of the old
artists pupils could not recall the face Of
the girl Purely out of curiosity I largely
pursued the Investigation just to see how
easily a queen of Bohemia may be by the
world forgotten and pass out of sight alto
gether.
Besides, here, thought, was the oppor-
tunity for little romance-the life Of
Julie, whose name was carried from one
generation to another IN these resorts OF
talented people. Sometimes in studying
the works of art of an epoch of painting
one face may be seen appearing and reap
pearing, the features of some fayorite like
Julie, who might have charmed Titan and
his friends Raphael and his disciples
Everywhere we turn in the old galleries
this memory of the past confronts us.
Now it is a Madonna, then a Magdalene,
but the observer knows it is a real person,
or one who has lived, who looks out from
all these canvases. and be wonders what
tales of Bohemia in those golden days of
art might be unfolded if those lips could
speak So in many places glimpses of
J uIie were SEEN A charming statuette re-
vealed her in vivaciOus mood She was
one of the figures in ballroom scene.
u pom a celebrated monument an unmis-
likeness to her features looked
down benignly- Her personality seemed
to be thoroughly imbedded in the art of
Paris.
One day while in a large gallery dis
covered a grewsoTne scene at the morgue
"a young girl lying upon the marble slab
Tt was a magnificent work. but startling
in It's realism, and yet 1t belonged to that
period of French art when realism was in
its infancy. But a chill went through me
when I recognized the features of the
young girl who figured SO prominently in
the art of the day. Was this the Julie of
whom De Musset sang or several promi-
Dent nOvelists wrOte-nOt dissected, for
they did not dissect people in a literary
in those refreshing daysS The at
tendant at the museum told his little story
about the picture and the painter.
1T was painted from life, = he said. 1T
was actual episode =
Who was shes'
We don { know that"
One day while strolIing through one OF
the pretty cemeteries 1 came to a grave
marked by a plain stone. Julie" it said
Who she was is known to her friends
When she died viii be remembers by
them When she was born we do not
know Enshrined in the hearts Of poets,
artists and sculptors are written her viz
tues. What does i6 matter to others2''
And that was as far as 1 ever went in
my estigation.-Detroit Free Press
Napoleon ut sixteen.
II ives the a4,+7,7,7r, IF 7s4 when Nauo-