The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-29
DICTIONARY SNYDER.
a UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE LATIN
,,........,. QUARTER OF PARIS.

,,.-......--- QUARTER OF PARIS.
An Americas WHO II . Typical Bohemian.
Ilsw He Lived During the Siege Of Paris.
Boid Dash For Cheese and Bssr--Hs was
J Equal To Any Emergency. tse
!, Stories OF the unique characters that
America contributes to the Latin quarter
Of Paris, the section inwhich is to be
found the majority of the art students In
She gay French capital, arc entertainiDgly
told by Clinton Peters, the artist
Charles Snyder, who has lived for tho
last 81 years In Paris. is well known to
the students In the Latin quartsr as Die.
tionary Snyder. This sobriuuet is due to
his fund of information. He Is not an art
tst,s but has for several years associated
with them. Snyder speaks seven languages
and has superior education, which, how
eyer, be has seldom been able to turn t)
advantage SO far as his personal benefit Ia
concerned
b I'm everything he is typical Bohemi.
An, said Mr.. Peters, "and indifferent to
the future so long as his wants are pro.
yided Tor in the present. He is master OF
ekpedieDcy and has given innumerable IL.
Iustrations of his remarkable resources In
practically living without money.
At the beginning of the siege OF Paris
Snyder had but 10 francs, yet he lived on
them throughout that long period, when
the necessities of life were sold for almost
fabulous prices. asked him once how he
managed TO survive on such small sum,
and he replied that at the time the siegs
was announced he resolved to buy q quan.
tity Of food that no one else would think
Of. and which would sustain life for con
siderable period. Prices were SO high that
there were very few articles Of food that
were loft to the choice Of limited pocket
hook, but he solved the problem accurate
~. He bought three bottles of olive oil on
the first day, when hardly any one Of the
Parisians thought of such an article of
diet, and from day to day purchased small
quantities of bread.
"The oil and bread were mixed togeth-
en- with water and made into sort OF
soup, and on this limited though nourish.
ing menu Snyder lived until the siege was
nearly ended.
Toward the close Of the siege he be.
came extremely weary of his monotonous
diet and resolved on a bold stroke for a
change in the bill of fare. So he left the
city secretly and walked boldly up to n
Gcrman picket OF course he was brought
to a halt by the soldier. Then he explain.
ed that he was not Partisan, but an
American citizen detained in Paris and a
very hungry one at that. He asked per.
mission to enter the German camp, but
the soldier told Snyder he had orders to
allow no one to pass. Convinced that Sny-
Iar ys,aar mr. mn .piccbiaf bitt roally "A
man in need of provender, he finally con
sented to become party TO rHCe which
that fertile gentleman proposed. This was
that Snyder was to take to his heels In the
direction of the camp, while the soldier, as
il In the full performance of his vigilance,
was to fire his gun in the air. 1t was car
the camp in safety.
Here he was regaled with cheese, beer
and other good things to his hearts con
tent by the Germans and soon after start.
ed to return to Paris. But he had prom.
ised the guard who had first arrested his
bold fight TO return within an hour. In.
dplging in the foaming beer offered him
in the camp, ne had overstaid the allot-
ted time and on reaching the outpost
found another picket.
proposed that he be allowed to run for the
while the guard pretended to chase and
fire upon him. Again was his scheme
agreed to, and he re entered Paris.
E'Once inside the gate the astonished
Frenchmen regarded him as one who had
achieved q marvellous escape, and, as the
Germans had done, set before him boun
tifal repast.
"Although at many times in the great
est penury, Snyder would never accept
regular employment. know Of one Offer
that was made to him by New York
newspaper to take charge of its cable bust
ness at u salary of $4,000 per annum. Thi.
offer was promptly declined by Snyder,
who said that it involved certain amount
Of routine work which would surely kill
him. He was then living on about cents
day.
AT the time was spending most OF
my early days in Paris there was an art
student for whom Snyder had a particular
fondness. He has since risen to promi
nence, but in those days the student was
far from prosperous.
t'There was to be dinner given at a
restaurant celebrated in the quarter foi
tne cxcellence ol It's menu, ana, OI course,
this student 1 speak Of was particularly
anxious to go. But he lacked most i'm
portanf essential He had no white shirt.
snyder was called into the meeting of con.
dolenoe that was held and at once set hi.
inventive genius to work. He pondered 81.
lently for "a brief while, but his brow soon
lighteped, and he cheerfully asked, Have
you a collar
1.-The student responded. i'm the afiirma.
tive, but announced that he had no tie to
wear with 1t appropriate to the occasion.
'Ill fix that easily answered Snyder
resssuringiy as. he went through the very
lig,ised wardrobe OF the art student. He
fishcd up q vivid rcd stocking, and by
means Of sundiy holes cut in tbs collar
and artistic manipulation the flaming
stocking was twisted into a very clever
imIitation Of a y oining neckcloth. The
effect was satisfactory 10 all concerned,
sndthe student departed for the dinner in
high feather. t.tfe
But unfortunately for appearances
and especially FOR the poor student, rs the
dinner progressed he forgot that i'm his
shirtlcss' condition IL was important to
keep his coat closely buttoncd, and in an