The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-16
GIRL ARTISTS IN PARIS.
4 WARNING FROM WOMEN WHO HAZE
TRIED THE LIE

INC annual eNOuue OF XIII sLuuenJS DOunu
for Paris art schools has begun. Tho number
Of American girls In the art classes OF Paris
has for years been very large. but this year
the entries are larger than ever. and the mar
row streets Of the quarter where they live will
be swarmIng with the strange young women
whom the French at first greeted with horror.
but now accept a. we'll meaning, IL unintelll-
Ribls.
There is a delightful side to student life in
what the girls insist upon calling the Latin
Quarter. though most Of the art colony lies
quite outside Of the quarter made famous by
Merger. The happy-Eo-lucky quality OF the
life. the freedom from conventional demands
and restraints. the fellowship Of the students.
the picturesque Paris settings. the undenlable
art atmosphere-all these things appeal to the
American girl with her Independent spirit. her
enthusiasm. and her hunger for new expert
ences. She enjoys the life. Whether It is good
for her is another story.
Reams of description have been lavished
upon the charms Of the girl art students life In
Paris. The casual visitor sees the girls club
on a gala night, and meets interesting people
there. She sees some OF the most attractive
rooms, drinks tea In a few studios. listens to
enthusiastic talk in which famous names are
as thick as blaokberries In August. and goes
away thinking there Is no reverse side to tho
picture. II she Is a newspaper correspondent.
she is apt to write a rose-colored account that
makes every girl who reads 1t yearn to devote
herself to art-and Paris. II she doesn't write.
she talks. which answers the same purpose.
But any sensible woman who will spend q
few months among the girl students and study
the life will find the rose color fading and will
lose some Of her enthusiasm over the miscalled
bohemianism in whose name so many absurdi-
ties are committed. In an uptown studio, a
few nights ago. two women artists discussed
student life in Paris. and q Philistine who has
no art in her soul. but has lived in Paris. lis
tened and was surprised to find the elect airing
her own private opinions. Both Of the women
studied in Paris for years. Both have been de-
cidedly successful; and yet they bewailed the
increase in the number OF American girls
among the Paris students.
Il will go out Of my way at any time TO see a
young girl who Is planning to study in Paris
said the painter. Unless the case is an I'M
usual one. always say don't and II l can talk
her out OF the idea / feel that I've done q good
thing. There was . time when one had to 60
to Paris for good instruction. That isn't 30
now. II q girl e1hausts the advantages here
and shows unQuSstionable taleut and AN bition.
she should. by all means. 60 over and study in
the French schools but 1t Is absurd for every
girl who experiments with art to go TO Paris.
It's all right to take risks and make sacrifices
in the cause Of genius but ninety out OF a hun
dred girls who are studying in Paris have no
talent, will never devote themselves seriously
art quarter than a baby has in a green goose
berry patch. Isometimes wonder whether all
the mothers Of Paris art students are insane, or
merely uniformed"
THE majority Of them haven't any ideas about
the life" said the architect, wagEing her head
solemnly. Girls never write anything but the
Jolly side Of things in their home letters. I
didn't. Did your"
The painter smiled. "ofcourse not. That's
Just it. The fascination of the thing makes up
for the discomfort. but 1t can't prevent the nat
ural results OF the discomfort. II q girl is in
earnest about her. work she keeps out Of real
mischief: but the chances are. she demoraliEos
her health r.. and d,,S euitiyetes z style Of life and
II she Is going on with her art. and will make
It a successful life work. her eccentricities will
be, overlooked or pardoned: but where one girl
hing; They waste thsir time, injure thsir
ciples. get into slatternly habits, and come
back, unified for homo and society and not
fitted ior anything else. They are spoiled for
conventional life. and are no comfort to their
Hear. heart What's it all about nyw ?"
asked 2 pan Tor whom the architect had Just
/ was juSt i%nsisting that girl art students in
f. aF%h hStT 'n the mater ero WITH SRiS' t their T heaith ?
They seemed lively when 1 was over there p
gaid,tho man. settling himself back among the
The young woman, whose forte is early Eng
lish architectuEe. looked at him with fine scorn.
hot when the little iron stove is BOOMING. or
cold as retrigerators when the FIRE is out 2. Did
you AVE. have xSi + room y especially heated and
Wei. neither did I. and / had a cold on my
Some OF the girls live comfortably with their
families or in lrst-clasS boarding houses or
fhesSS1' S T6e majority Of tfey girls Ell / tn @Ts l iiReSGhf Il
cheerless rooms at the club or in nasty SMELL
Ing studios. or u dirty little boarding houses or
some pots and kettles, and got up in a cold
room. started q are and scrambled together
and dinner wherever things we're cheapest.
and at any hour that, suited them, and when
they were hard up. v.1E was most 9t the time,
dos. irtIrhsf1ily Oysrhssfead.. ii Tor the sake s'o Of
the nude model. and they went out from
around In sluah and rain and sIeet. AN man IlDt can
% SG taHt p sSTt g f ta!n 4; WHEN wi e f ffhi Sfn Tb aG 4, #
idiot I was. l wonder I'm not dead aud I'd
give anything | h%aysEe1cept what l know
splendid strsnst6 and Vitality I Wa sE%G o. J Tat
look at the girls over there. in our time. who
TUX uOWu 4 Sdh cOuHI uOLenS OF
them for you. and 1t wasn't work that did It,
but lack OF common sense"
There was a nice. Jolly lot OF girls in tho
quarter" said the man. feebly.
country can turn out; Some OF them came
health. and though only = few went far wrong
morally. / don't believe many OF them were as
nice when they came home as when they vent.
fyaSnt"
well. / mean this. My idealS-outside OF art
were not, so high. Ny principals were not so
sorts Of things that I could have hated before |
left home. / called 1t being liberal. and thought
had been narrow before; but II l had a
The woman who paints flshed a chatting dish
out from under the dIven and busted II with a
corner OF the tablecloth. Then ahe brought
some beer IN from the w%indoYsln. and stir-
had arabbit under way-ssho Joined the con-
VersAtion.
years" she said. waving the chatting dish Iadle
at the man, Now tell me honestly: Would you
want your little sister to 20 over there alone. to
He blew smoke rings t~houghtfully for a few
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