The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-01-03

WENsssN ~ trance to the quar-
NH WI5N ter from the GEN.
4lsT, ,HD trial part Of the
kaAJQS great city, which
50 does not always
the wide-open Place de la Concorde.
The obelisk is here, approximately on
the spot where stood the guillotine a
hundred years ago. Directly at your
lett there stretches a wide avenue,
Hanked by long groves of trees on
either side and ending in the famous
Arch OF Triumph, seen in the far dis
lance. It is the avenue OF the Champs
Elysees, he promenade of Paris ele-
giant in thousands CT smart turn-outs;
the nome of art, because it holds the
older salon annually in it's palace Of in
dustry; the nightly pleasure ground of
rich and pleasure-loving Paris; the
hunting ground of youth and beauty;
and, lastly, the main street of Paris for
Americans. The avenue is broad and
fair, and fresh and green and gay. 1t
is a splendid sight to see the colony
as 1t is promenading home to lunch, it's
stomach we'll distended with American
cake and ice-cream bought at Fuller's.
This special boarding house is in the
Quarter Marbeuf, say half way down
the avenue and to the left. The houses
are all high and regular, of creamy
White stone, long since turned grayish
blue or yellow in the damp, smoky at
mosphere of Paris. Each house, six
stories high, has it's eternal garniture of
fanciful iron balconies, like a gray
skirt with a dozen darkish flounces.
Each house is large enough to be a ho-
tel by itself, with one great central
doorway, through which carriages may
drive to the large central court, there
70 be washed and housed and have their
horses stabbed. Entering this common
doorway for a dozen families, a splendid
winding marble staircase strikes the
view. At the same instant one makes
the acquaintance of the concierge, her
husband also, and Gf one is lucky of
the fresh and rosy servant maid who
W to the name of Marie, though
her name is really Anna, for she is a
HAoAo "ACA O1S luz CyCO. L L
is the business of the concierge Ghe
j%anitor) to say if o are in or out. Be-
cause it is a boarding house and quite
a large one, it is seldom that she an
SWers accurately. She comes out with
a cup of coffee in her hands, which she
is always drinking and yet never fin
ishes, and gives your visitors the wrong
M y ~ cei1,~ Nth - oo~4osa 49, .---J
nature. She is a stout dame, who once
had a waist, but her time of %coquetry
is passed and years have gone by since
she wore a corset. She also guards the
elevator; there is no elevator boy. Two
persons at time. can squeeze them
selves into the little car, which moves
with frightful slowness. And every
body is forbidden to ride down because
it wastes the power. The elevator is
for the use of masters only-that is,
paying boarders and their friends. All
servants, laundresses, shop unner and
the like must take the stairs. There is
one hallway which is never Uttered up
with trunks-that Of the second floor.
Here, all the public life goes on, between
the salons and the dining room. Here
gentlemen may stand around and
smoke a half hour after each meal. A
colored gentleman from Algiers stands
and smokes among the whites. At Ia
Bile he sits between two French girls,
who enjoy his conversation and his
dusky tint with equal satisfaction.
There is no color line in Paris; for the
life of mel cannot understand why all
the wealthy Scolored people of America
do not come over here to enjoy the lib
erty, equality and fraternity.
It is not family board here. That does
not exist insParis. French family life
is 80 united that the idea of accept
ing a few boarders isanot to be thought
of. The boarding houses of Paris are
professedly money-making establish
ments.. The. principl is to get money
every way,55at every turn. Suppose
your room is sonesat91I francs ($1.2O) q
day. Youshave your room, your morn
ing coffee, lunch or dinner for that
price. Your winesis. extra, your after
noon coffee is extra. Your bedroom has
no gas and the petroleum burned in
your lamp is extra. Your fires are ex-
sra; use Of the bathroom is extra.