The Atlanta constitution., 1896-09-07
In the Latin Quarter.

OF our last days in Paris. which were rath-
er funny, filled as they were with amusing
and interesting experiences. The Jolllest
evening We spent WAS one OF sightseeing
with two Atlanta boys who do not spend
all their time going to Sunday school even
when at home. and an Ohio professor. u
young chap. but sedate for his years and
fun of wise saws aud maXims as to the
proper conduct of life. We went TO the
Cafe d'IIarcourt. in the QUARTER Latin. Z
place where the students all gather. fire.
quented by George du Maurier in his day
and the present haunt OF many OF the great
wits and artists OF Paris. The poet Yer
| laine often exchanged there a jest for 4
supper. and. indeed, no man. great or
small, in Paris who counts himself an ar
tist has failed to visit the place at mid
night when the life is at its widest. In
this place occurred some of the maddest
routs of Sarah Brown. Models cOnsregate
here: 1t is the home Of the itinerant bicy-
Gle girl. of the girl with short hair, and
the men with long hair. and whisilers that
are not 10 be forgotten.
These Partisan whiskers, How I shall
always loathe the memory of them. They
we're the very first whsiSers that the wind
blew through and the blast came straight
from the inmost hollow of hades. But we
found life here, at any rate. jollier. less
wearied life than that of the tired men
and prettily frilIed and painted
creatures at the Jardin de Paris.
or OF the commouer strata OF both sexes
at the Moulin Rouge. The wide sidewalk
was filled with chairs and tables. the air
whirled and puZ1ei with laughter and
song. one could scarcely get inside for the
| crowded tables and chairs. but finally We
did manage to push through Il al ana seat
ourselves at table in the center of life
/ whore We could see everything about us
To our right girl sat with her angel. The
angel looked like the poorest American
type Of man that We could possibly export.
lie bad face like a little starved ferret.
The girl with him was. suppose. Paris
grsctte. She was hOmely, too. but her
face wreathed in smiles. She had a
beau ana that meant a good supper and a
botIle Of vine. He female companions
looked upon her with envy they passed.
Now and then they stopped To fling jest
at her, and one hungrer perhaps than the
rest. sat down beside the pair to make
herself agreeable. The angel ordered her
cup of coffee. and her pinched. weary little
face lost its envy in smile of gratitude
My table was very popular \ woman
1 accompanied ~ four good looking mon IS
/ TO be envied IN the Latin Quarter, where
/ every night several dozens Of them ran 10
| fnd ono man inclined to treat
4 great big-mouthed girl with bangs and
/ high chcekbouts became euamOred of our
best looking Atlanta chap. Beau garcon.
I beau garcon. Gentil garcon." she exclaimed.
pattinS him on the shoulder as she prone
naded up and down with a bicycle girl in
a chiffon waist and large checkerboard
knickerbockers.
"Ey George" exlaimed the other Atlanta
youth enthusiastically why didn't they
send me here instead OF TO Moreland
Park
We all looked around rs and shriekcq
with merriment. Imagine that com-
Z ian -
opposite were kissing in unmolested
abandon \ little Russian. black and
loathsome of form ana face. was sharing.
under compulsion. his one pint of cham
pugne with an houri in a black skirt and
a scarlet waist. y cirl in the doorway
wanted TO have "a little run with the Rus
sian She ran up behind him and snatched
off his tile What a horrible revelation
was ours as lac stood black with rage for
one awful moment. He was bald. dread
fully bald. jUSt few shining black
greasy hairs We're brushed skilltully over
his marble pate. We could see II shining
through the scaut tvesscs. scarlet and an
CRY. In a second more. he had leaped over
the table and was hopping after the girl
like ar enraged little black chimpanzee.
At the door he grabbed her. lie pulled
her hat hair pins and all from her head
and tore it to shreds
She was shriekng wildly ard her female
3
grv as she was. They shook their fists
and yelled threats at the I;ussian. while
he went quietly back ana seated himself
! with never a word. Then they formed an
angry group around him talking and
threatening, but it ended finally. much TO
our disappointment. ike all French quar-
rels. In Il few moments more the crowd
7 had scattered. each with scowl and
Shrug Of the shoulders.
There was very little lavish eating and
drinking here. Wit and good nature and
trauSitory affection had TO make UP for the
[ lack of a long purse. Very few OF the
women treated themselves OF were treated.
Z 1 was sorry for them.
The professor laughed. We'll. At home"
! he said. they'd be school teaching. The
/ question 0f the worlds surplus women is
, Il pretty sad one anyway
We looked at the professor sadly. We
. an felt tAat Paris was demoralizins him
! ore of the other men remarked that Paris
sent her surplus women direct either TO
I heaven or he'll.
You'll find them" ne said. 'in CON
vents or places like this
The beau garcou" sat with his profile
TO the promenadeIs. during our supper.
/ for beau earcons" are as susceptible 70
/ admiration in the QUARTER Latin rs they
/ are in the ballroom of the Capital City
/ Club Ii. however. we could have told the
/ Young women that the Atlanta ''sarcon'
/ who was not quite SO beau" had an ex-
| traorlinarny large bank account l am
! afraid that the other would then and there
/ have found Narcissus forsaken for Mann
mon.
| We had good supner and departed in
n peace that would no; have been obtain
ed I am sure. save for my presence as pro-
tectresS The girl with the high cheek
bones and The other girl in chcckerboard
knicke.s followed us TO our nacres ana
kissed their hands 10 the party and danced
a cancan on the sidewalk. The night Was
really just warming up when we left. IL
was / O'Clock and the crowd was growing
thicker. SO was the smoke and so. IL
seemed TO me, we're the fuzzy bangs or
the females. oh such faces. such awful
faces. If one could only forget them after
wards.
Bad irsiuuatins eyesssensual Hps. figures
with lines all out of drawing-this is my
individual impression of Paris: hat when
the memory of this diSsolves itself into
comnrehensive one of the Par,s crowd
| see order good breeding. taste ana
| light frou-frou sracefulness that pleases
| me much. and l call it civilization. marked
| by much that is individually loathsomc.
| everything that is collectively pleasing and
= attractive. The impression is most pecu-