The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-07
QUEEN OF BOHEMIA.

We were seated in one of the rooms OF
pretty Partisan cafe. 1t was luxuriousiy
furnished apartment, arranged with ex-
t:cme taste. My companion was specu-
isstor on the bourse, man with exhaust
I've knowledge of the boDleyerds AS We
were waiting for an ORDER to be placed De-
fore US 1 casually scrutinized the apart
ment. Behind US was large mirror, and
'Gritten upon it with diamond ring was
Gae word '.Julie" Putting at cigarette,
involuntarily came a feeling Of curiosity.
Who was Julie? That word was written
In an attractive feminine hand. In what
particular field OF Bohemia had she moved!
The cafe was frequented almost exclusive
~ by painters, sculptors, musicians and
members of the theatrical profession whose
names were familiar to the public.
called the attention Of my companion to
the inscription and asked him who Julie
was, but he replied that the lady had -four.
ished before his time, since he had seen
the writing en- the mirror when, 90 years
before, he had first come to Paris. The
waiter placed before lis 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 fol
which the proprietor of the place YVES
famed.
The next day I took trip up the Seine
Ind stopped for dinner at a little eating
house which, from time immemorial, had
been rendezvous Of artists. The rosy
checked waiter placed a small bottle OF
wine before me on a table, in which were
carved as many letters as though the place
were 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 bohomians, who had cop
per instead Of silver and gold jingliDg in
their pockets. Suddenly my attention was
called to word cal we'd there Julie.
who is Julie?'' I asked.
The proprietor replied that the name
was placed there by an artist, now re-
nowned, and led me TO a room where
many rough pencil sketches were framed.
This collection he priced highly, as we'll
he might for there in caricature and other
wise were seen the faces Of men and wom-
en- who had caused a furore not only in
Paris, but throughout the world of art.
Among them was the portrait OF girl,
vivacious and charming. / 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
canyases in q junkshop when, 10 and be-
bold, came across what was undoubtedly
G.. Il, n f.,D
was that of julio. The master had painted
her in the garb of a peasant, or perhaps he
had met her before sho came to Paris and
only painted a bit of nature. She was
alone in the fields, and the majesty of the
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 Julie in the
boulevards. Around her was the quiet OF
eycntide. In the distance was che outline
of house which was the dwelling of a
peasant Here, however, was a 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 / 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 favorite like
Julie, who might have charmed Titan ana
his friends or Raphael and his disciples.
Everywhere We turn in the old galleries
this memory OF the past confronts US
Now it is Madonna, then a Magdalene
but the observer knows it is real person,
or one who has lived, who looks out from
all these canvases, and he wonders what
tales of Bohemia in those golden days Of
art might be unfol6eG if those lips could
speak. So in many places glimpses Of
Julie were seen. \ charming statuette re-
vealed her in viyacious mood. She was
one of the figures in ballroom scene.
Upon a celebrated monument an unmis-
taxable likeness to her features looked
down. benignIy. Her personality seemed
TO be thoroughly imbedded in the art Of
Paris.
One day while in large gallery dis
covered grewsoma scene at the morgue
"a young girl lying upon the marble slab.
II was a magnificent work, but startling
in It's realism, and yet it belonged to that
period OF French art when realism was in
its infancy But chill went through me
when / 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-
neDt noyelists wTote-not dissected, for
they did not dissect people in literary
manner in those refreshing days? The at
tendant at the museum told his little story
about the picture and the painter.
lit was painted from life, be said. 1T
was an actual episode.
Who was she?''
I'VE don't know that
One day while strolling through one Of
the pretty cemeteries l came to grave
marked by plain stone. Julie" it said.
who she was is known to her friends.
When she died Will be remembered by
them. When she was born we do not
know Enshrined In the hearts Of poets,
artists and sculrtors are written her viz
tues. What does it matter to others!"
And that was rs far as l ever went in
my investigation. Detroit Free Press.