The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-23
ONE OF PARIS QUEER CORNERS.
Examination OF Candidates for Adj
mission.
From lie Temps.

From lie Temps.
There Is a corner of Paris where the
theatrical outbursts of politics are not
heard, where there is much agitation. new
ertheless-a special, curious corner, noisy.
very vivid in its hours of feverish inten-
sity. 1t is the Conservatoire. where can
didates for places as pupils are now pass
ing their examinations.
OF the Conservative the public knows
only the grand days of competition, which
have become one of the fashionable spec
tacles an amusement as much in vogue
as steeplechase. The crowd is admit
ted into the small Pompeiian hall, where
occur on winter Sundays several famous
concerts. But in the class room. in that
small room which was formerly in tho
time of the first empire, the public hall,
the scenes that are played, the comedies
that are given, are more attractive en-
tirely unexpected, and often amusing.
Here there is a procession OF young am
billions, irresistible vacations. Here is q
riot or an onslaught of future comedians.
The number of the candidates is great,
the number of the elect Is small. And
nothing dscourages day dreams In this
land OF the Imagination, where young girls
who can hardly talk hope to represent
Celimene, and humble little fellows pre-
sent themselves to incarnate Romeo.
A talented designer. Paul Renouard who
has given masterpieces to ILLUSTRATION
of Paris and to the Graphic of London,
hobtained permission to be present one day
at these examinations, where only judges
besides competitors are usually admitted.
He took sketches, which, unfortunately,
are still unpublished, profiles of Dumas
or Doucet. gestures of candidates on the
stage decorations wherein are displayed
the little drama of examination, for IT is
always a drama, and Is often a painful
one. SO many hopes are disillusionlzed,
so many hearts are broken! l regret that
Renouards pictures have not been pub
lished but the son of the comedian De-
launay, who was q painter before he was
an actor, has exhibited at the salon a view
Of this hall where dramatic art is secret
ly cooked. He exhibited the pupils of his
father playing there scene from Psyche
Mile. Marsy, in a short gown, and Al
bert Lambert, beardless and as frail as
a schoolboy The picture was exact
A small, circular stage without scenes,
with green drapery for a background,
a table a few chairs, a piano, and on the
waxed floor Hamlet, Alceste. Perdican,
Clitandre, l6 years OF age, and Marion,
Lizette, Agnes. Andromaque, the entire
ideal Pantheon of our theater; incarna-
ted in children who stutter, recite, hesi-
tate-at times give also the sensation Of a
future talent, a sudden stroke Of lightning
And the official in the rear of the
stage Lescot, opening the small door on
the exterior yard, where candidates are
waiting, noisy or silent, enervated, anx-
iOus for their names 90 be called, like con-
victs of the Terror.
When l say I.escot / am mistaken The
Parisans, accustomed to the legendary
official. who for thirty-three years an
nOunced on days of competition the names
of the laureates, win never hear him again
saying cOldly, in the grand silence of the
small room, "Call monsieur or mademoi-
selle" Lescot is on the retired list. His
was a Partisan physiognomy A compe-
tition was impossible If good Lescot, with
his white moustache on a military face
could not be present. He had seen so
many of these laureates pass. He was tir-
ed Of the procession, and ne is thinking
now perhaps that days of competition,
and OF examination are not complete,
since he does not appear in them.
Another figure than his has its place
at the small door which opens to let the
competitors come in. Before the stage
there is a horseshoe table, covered with
green cloth, studded with inkstands made
Of white porcelain, and round. There are
the presidents, the judges, the professors
writing notes on big registers. Ambrose
Thomas does not use a bell but strikes
the table with his paper cutter. which is
a variety of bell. and the noise Of which