The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24
BOWERY TRAPS IN PARIS.
NUGTO Halls LAMENT THE ABSENCE
OF AMERICANS.

ELECTROMAGNETIC anu WlCkeu OnIy IN PTtCNn
The Artistic CRbRreth Oh Montmartre,
PARIS, July cot all the Partisan industries
that have suffered this summer from the ton.
dency OF Americans to remain on their own
shores that which has reached the lowest levol
Of depression is the music ball and cafe Chez
tant business, which has long been known n
derive its chief support from Anglo-Saxon, and
particularly American. visitors. Frenchmen do
not 60 to the superhcially naughty places Of
this character because. In the case Of provin.
cials. they are too prudent with their money,
and, in the case Of Parislats, they hold them.
selves to DO too sophisticated. They do not
think much. consequently Of the Americana
and English who are takAp in by such estab.
lishments. They think them rustic.
Any one who has looked through the French
mans spectacles IL not inSlined to Judge him
too harshly for this opinion. and the longer he
looks the moro lenient he becomes. There are
q number Of music halls in Paris. like the Folies
BerEeres and the Scala, which are very much
the same a. the music halls in other big cities,
with the exception that the prices are higher
and the entertainment less in quantity and
quality; but the great masR ~ them. Including
several that are better ku1wn than TIE two
mentioned. arc merely isk5 affairs. like the
Bowery institutions OF the g>od old days
The distinguishing characteristic OF tbs Paris
music hail Ia Shs reputation II has for what IN
called "wlckednoss." tho tuost saocesaful are
those wEtch have succeeded In making stran-
gers believe that they ard deylltsh 10 an az
frtghtinR degree. This Ia itde, OF course, to n
great extent In most thtlgal that concern Paris.
The Paristans swell out thsr broasts with pride
when you admit that you SLEEVE they are all
Mephistos Ia disguise; thdy like you to think
that. al & they like to think IL themselves. In
rare Instances they may sudlesd IN convincing
themselves, at least tompdrartly. that such 10
the case; but as a general thing the Partisan
knows that he is a rather harmless, II theatre
cal. Chap. No city seve Nkples, probnbly, can
equal Paris In cruelty. IN h~,tsphemy and in the
commences Of penal crime. but v'hen It
comes to the sort Of thing L. thineH whioh the
French gather under the lheed Of wicked
ness" Paris sinks 20 o~bscurty IN thu superior
Light OF London. OF Vienna. Lnj even Chicago.
Tho wickedness which tbs Eeuohman puts
forth as one of thesattraetiots OF TITS tree-and.
easy places Of amusement a very tnwdry and
palpable imitation otit. rtE also dismal. The
man who con persuade hfHsaK 70 be gay or
even diverted by spending an evening ct the
Moulin Rouge or the Casi.o de Paris must be
very young or very grilsleea OK very drunk,
even then the Job is difioult he need not be
depraved. IN his tastes sven for he will ind
nothing at either place that Is anything moro
shocking than the vllEarity which he may read
In his morning newspaper o or breakfast or
see in the public strSets and parks,
For q reason which Is best Known to its press
agent the most notorious placi Of amusement
In Paris Ia the Moulin Rouge. 9'hs entertain
ment there uncoils It's drear length from 8
O'Clock in the evening until J o'clock In the
morning. the first half being made up Of the
usual programme Of a third clrss cafe chantant
and the second of a ball. the dancers Of which
are almost entirely professional high-kickers
from the neighborinK %purlieus Of Montmartre.
The dancing is In no sense artistic. The
women. who rejoice in slang mines. are usually
well along in years they do not scceed In being
very wicked on the 40 cents a light or tho free
beer which the management allows them by way
OF compensation. After a MAJ has watched
these dancers for an hour or so he has merely
a visual sensation OF the interningled frowsy
heads and very thin legs. and tat Is all. That
is the complete entertainment OF the Moulin
Rouge. The Moulin de la Galett. on the Butte.
is exactly the same thing, excet on o lower
scale. The Bal Bullier-the las relic Of the
students dances-is infinitely rore tiresome.
Even Frenchmen admit that thaphase OF Pari-
sian life is extinct. There used p be grisettes;
now there are none.
The places which attract the gratest number
Of foreigners are those in the Cbmps Elysees.
like the Ambassadors and the Rrloge. This
comes largely from their Capitalization. but
it is also due to the fact that they're supposed
to be the most respectable. The ntertainment
Is the same old mixture of highkicking and
suggestive songs. but the surroundings are
more tasteful, and the patrons ot 30 likely to
be pickpockets. 1t Is these placS which have
felt the absence Of American natronDCe the
most, and they have had to pur p big Stu Of
Entrance Free" in order . keep them
going. The entrance is r0ay free, put
the exit is not; these Eaisilu man.
a0nra have peVfyA1 tHn old wary mao
tice Of squeezing ygu after Wy ara sure
Of you. You go IN. There are Il signs t,lling
the price OF drinks. II you drip into d seat
near the do, every glass Of Der you drink
there costs 20. las ypp efterwarTfnd cut ust
80 cents. H. urice gets higher 'e NEARER the
front you G. ulyil. IN the first ~ Of sejtta, tho
price Of beer is il2n. All this you discover
only when it f. time 70 pay. "a the Champs
Elysees resQr'5 AaT5 found IN, :tsm protta-
BILE. fornon ami "i,senses eyelranted to visit
one OF thes p.acht % seconq tir my how
few years az" ,gts vas begeal rhelr dignity
to mingle with The students in 4 ATTN Quar-
ter any lor2sr and removed ourselves and
their few LODGINGS 70 MontaE'fe, " great
number OF .iRp"s peculiar % tht nave sprung
up on, the hopes Of the htli. T!s, places are
usually gIeay9d under the mar II caba.es
the deafuHcc, Chat NOR 81 'R"5da ~ sails. At
present Their arr dnZens Of tErr slch ns the
AlS1 E tpsS a6 Ske Q sFs lfI,ts. il t'ssi9s' :RRs
N~octambules. aud many otho' Win names
equally fantastic. They have bAg tataAlisled
wholly b. me boheul iaDs, " are male up
mostly Of po,r and unknown d. and poe5s:
like. Stei o.. &anrof, al Niletys. The
auditoriuW mo Of these cGbrF's are decorated
with muI y r4intnss OF wiqrons eccentriolty
executed nl. the various Innhe 4 OF the Mont
martre ,confrateInity Eery es'ort Is msds 10
accomplish the bizarre an tho dacadant, OnS
Of the cGbdrets pictures III, IN flaming red
lights. diabolic,l music. erfor1ned, on kettle
drums. and walters dreEid as lewis; apothsr
is fitted up 70 reIresep heavsn. with elouus
made OF lhassee Of whit eott4r with dazzling
99anScse aS w " s WtM ysi igFS c,5 NV t ie w nHS are
wings in the Ruise oiInRels still another is
decorated With sEelo'Gs and 7Eu,lR. tho tables
are In the form u cOns, ana tho waters are
dressed ia IMMORAL lournerf, 70 the Dohe-
miap OF Paris all tn appeal. very attractive,
but to most people Smacks merely Of excess
sive foolishness.
The prices in t,se places are all very high.