The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-25

ordinary character. It's largest dimension
was probably not more than thirty feet
ard It's width was rot at any place ra9re
than one-hsls as much. ~ least - per
cent. Of this snail room was occupied BY
plain board benches and primitive wooden
tables. ~ one Of these tables We sat with
out attention. II Houiier ordered "cognac
ceF3se"
.'One car take branded cherries without
fear" sad he They are not likely 20 he
worse here thar elsewhere. But the vine
or the beer---" ard an expressive shoulder
shrug followed
Before rs was that small portion Of the
room which was devoted 10 dancing. and
In it's narrow HrnltH an incredible number
Of couples were Waiting with a fsry0r
which varied with the amount Of liquor
which tire dancers Rad drunk during the
early evening. THE music was furnished
by addier A cornetist and pianist VINO
were provided for fn a tiny recess TIE
dancers ranged In age from is to 50. The
women averaged perhaps g years Cos
tunes were careless. One young woman
contented herself with corset and q skirt
as the Only visible garments. and she at
fracted no especial attention. Cririnality
does not seem TO rob the Frenchwoman Of
her prettiness, and there were those there
that night whose very dirt and tatters
were chic and jauaty. But the men,
Frenchrnen are rarely Of fine appearance
any way. and the lowest Of them, such as
patronize this place. lock Ike beasts
High cheek bones. small wtdsIy-set eyes
fat noses. short stature. big hands and
feet and u1graceful arms and legs are
Characteristic. Such faces as ] saw that
night in Paris I have never seen IN the
worst quarters Of New York or London
such utter and entirely brutalized deprav-
ity could not be written on any but
French face OF the lowest type.
I WAS not SURPRISED to learn that this
place bad been the scene Of two murders
within the vear-one OF the victims being
a member Of one branch of the police serv-
ice. the Republican Guards II Is permit
ted 10 continue in existence because the
Paris police philosophicslly figure that IL
these people did not meet here they would
find some other and very likely less aces
slble place. and have some slight reason
for believing that the proprietor OF this
dive is not without quiet connection with
the Paiais dc Justice.
This place was fair sample Of the worst
OF the Paris dance halls. II - I'm such
places as IL that the thugs Of Paris find
their rough amusement. The stranger
who goes there under police escort and sits
quietly AT one OF the tables in tine rear Is
certain not to be molested, but the strang-
or who went alone would be I'm danger of
drugged drinks, despite the watchfulness
OF the Republican Guard. And IL he at
tempted to make free with one of the girls
woe would be his lot. The thug is jealous
OF his inamorata.
From this dance hall, after many strange
calls and unsupported peeps into queer
places We strolled around TO Pere Lun-
cites. Pere Lunette's is the anarchist re-
sort which is best known of all those in
Paris The police came within al ace OF
arrestng one of the most sensational OF
the past two years dynamiteTs there, and
II ~ limited that they avoided taking him
while he was actually within the place be-
cause they did not want to have to close II
up. Another instance OF their method OF
giving bad men a chance TO congregate so
that they tthe police win have chance
TO watch them. Pere Lunettes is a long.
low room Of most extraordinary contents.
IL is divided at about it's middle by par
tItioB. Along the side OF the room in front
OF this Is row of wine casks, each painted
with a fairly good caricature portrait of
some well-known Frenchman. Writers,
artists. politicians, journalists, even act
ors. are In this strange gallery, which in
cludes about twenty men who have in
CURED the enmity OF the habitues of Pere
Lunette's. The portraits are not badly
done. Their source is quickly discovered