Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-02-13
JOKING WITH GRIM DEATH.
The Grewsome Carousais That Take Place
at tho Cafe dc la MOrte.

me 0TCWhOmc AbhS u INV
at tho Cafe dc la Mortc.
Paris, that ever-interesting city, has
again put itself on record, this time in
huying taken step forward in the mat
ter of "outre cafes"
The Cafe de Ia Mort was opened q
few months ago, but only recently has
It attracted much attention. 1t is situ-
ated two blocks from the Moulin Rouge,
that stamping ground OF Venus and
Racchus, at "a boulevard Montmaitre.
The outside of this extraordinary
cafe is curious in itself 1t is a small
two-story brick structure, the front OF
which, in imitation of the decorations
customarily used on French church
during n funeral, is draped with black
portieres with white trimmings. En-
trance is obtained through u slit In the
curtains.
Upon entering the unsuspecting
stranger receives shock not soon to
be forgotten. A room about 80 feet
square lies in front of him. The walls
are painted black, with white lines, in
imitation of the walls of dungeon. AT
intervals along the walls are painted
red devils with forled tails and pitch
forks enveloped in flame. From the
ceiling hang chandeliers composed Of
human bones, holding small oil lamps,
which dffuse dim and CHASTITY light
upon human skeletons whose hollow,
sightless skulls grin Mt one from every
side. There are six or eight of these
skeletons, arranged in fantastic atti-
tudes ,around the walls, some erect,
others seated. Placed about the room
are tables made of polished pine cotIins,
about which hustle the walters, who
are dressed us undertakers in long,
somber gray clothes. "Garcon" gives
place to "fossoyeur.'
Around the tables are seated men of
all classes-professional men and mer-
chants, the wealthy and the poor, the
gentleman and the loafer, sit side by
side, for "De la Mort" tolerates no class
distinctions. A curious picture they
present as each lifts "un we're du
poison" as they call glass of wine, to
their lips, in toast or as sign of
welcome.
The stereotyped expression of the
'fossoyeur" us he welcomes you is GER
taiDly in keeping with the surround
ings. The strangers reception is moth
ing If not cordial: 'Hola, macca bee 1!
All, sacre gailard! Quest ce que tn
yeux?' Hello, dead body! You dirty
fellow! What do you wish?"
To the rear of the room and little to
the right Is dimly lighted passage
with vaulted ceiling extending back
some ten feet, Mt the further end of
which is massive wooden door, with
n huge iron knocker resembling skull.
y few vigorous raps and false panel
Is swung wide. A face appears at a
little grated window.
A man dressed in hood and gown, like
the Capuchin monks, demands in gut
tcral tones the reason for intrusion:
"Ah! One wishes to die? One wishes
to enter the chamber of death?"
There is grewsome rafting OF
chains. The heavy doors swing slowly
back. "Entrez, mes freres. Vous en-
trez lie domain de la mort. Vous venil
lei morir."
The room is somewhat smaller thar
the first. To the right are few rows
of benches for the spectators, to the left
nm old organ, while directly opposite
the entrance is a platform draped in
black, upon which, set up perpendicu
larry, stands an ebony coffin. Here
also the walls are painted in imitation
of masonry, with an assortment Of
Mephisto's angels painted on back
ground of flame.
AS the visitors take their seats on,
of the two monks who conduct the cere
mony asks who it is that is ready ant
prepared to die. Upon the expression
of such desire one is led to the coffin
placed therein and covered, all except
his face, with white sheet. The lights
are turned low, almost extinguished
and the wheezy old organ begins tc
pour forth n most melancholy dirge
A phosphorescent effect appears about
the coffin, while faint streaks of light
are visible on the figure inside. The
monks are chanting in a weird jargon
Gradually and imperceptibly the bone.
of skeleton appear. The human form
becomes less distinct, the skeleton
more clear. The illusion is perfect
startling. The mans head has sud
denly turned into grinning skull. II
the coffin nothing remains except {
| skeleton.
Presently the lights are turned III
and the CHASTITY apparition disappears
while from out the coffin walks the MAJ
who has contributed the amusement
to his morbid friends. He has seer
nothing CT the skeleton into which h,
was transformed, but could vaguel,
see the audience, to whom, owing TO tn,
illusion, he was invisible. Needless tt
say, the transformation is effected b,
the use of n concealed stereopticon
Such Is the domain of DEATH"
This room Is connected with another
by narrow passage. The latter room
being furnished in a less impressiv,
style, is somewhat more endurabl,
than the others. There are rows O
long benches across one end, while a
the other is low, curtained platform
Here performance is conducted
Tricks, straightforward performance
and dancing generally comprise tn,
programme. The exit from this room
is through passage similar to the en-
trance, which leads back into the mail
room of the cafe.
The proprietor is little Frenchmar
who seems to have entered thorough,
into the spirit of the place and his un
dertaking. That he is making none,
out of his chamber of horrors is un
questionable. The strangest thing il
that, besides the usual throng of curl
GUS sightseers, he has large numbel