Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
should have as little of the institution
about 1t as possible.s
The RuIea

should nave as little of the institution
about it as possible.s
The Rules.
Still" ventured. hthere must be rules 90
Yes. there are rules, replied Miss Acly,
"but they are rules-that a well-bred girl
would observe naturally. without being
obliged to read them.
THE house closes FOR the night at 1870
Permission to enterglateE than that must
be obtained from the difTctress''
l think it would be affaetation to pretend
that the girls a,wayssgo Fl bed at haf-past
10; l remember one ahgel-faced young
thing who stayed out long after that hour
on Grand Prix night. She told the direct
ress she was going to be with some cousins
On the other hand; 1t would be absurd to
a tt tnat the cur is az cast-iron protec-
ton to the American girl in Paris, in her
reputation. her finances and her artistic
education. This year, as last year, its an
nual salon. exposing thesbest work Of its
vorab'y-with the croutes of the boys ="
association, whose stronghold for attract
Ing attention to itself is a mendicant min
strel show. With all the money-running
into the thousands of dolars-thus raised
1.-The boys" furnish no tea-nor vet beer-to
anybody. asked Miss Acly If the picture
SHOWS, which are gratis and by invitation,
result in anything like serious sales.
should say they do" she answered.
"One-third, at least of these paintings will
be disposed of before the closing of our
salon. and not to philanthropists either.
consider 1t not the least of our good works
that we afford to the girls this chance of
showing what they have done. When
girl begins to sell pictures she becomes
another creature. The effect is exceedingly
happy"
Next year I suppose they will naturally
make great effort?"
ooh, next year! Next year! Don't speak
to me of next year," walled the sweet-faced
superintendent. You are always coming
back to that nightmare. Have I not told
you that we have the gravest misgivings
for next year? What can we say to the
girls who come to us and for whom we can
not possibly find room? What is to hap
short Of money Who shall protect the
weak and tempted? This Girls Club Of
ours is full today. Already there are more
American students in the Latin quarter
than I have ever known before. Every
mail brings to me letters of inquiry. Every
week some girl comes in to make arrange
mentS for some friend at home"
''Well, you can't blame them for wanting
to begin their Paris studies in such an at
tractive year as that of the exposition, can
you?"
Certainly, I can blame them!' flashed
the mild-mannered woman in a sudden glow
of indignation. why. how can they expect
to work well in such hurly-burly? To my
certain knowledge any number of girls ac-
tually have been waiting for the exposition
year Lots of others are hurryfng up for it,
students who could profit by another year
or more at home. No; there will be a rush,
and what will come of it l much misdoubt.''
So / took leave of Miss Acly and a SUBJ
ject delicate to discuss in all it's bearings.
How many Of our girls have come abroad
with high resolutions to make Shipwrecks
that are best forgotten! How many have
returned, but changed. so changed, The
cynic song of the London music halls was
ringing in tOh Flo she's
same, you KNOW
Pitiable Tale.
And the dark picture Of one girl who
persisted here-through no fault of her own,
through no temptation-rose as that of an
accusing angel. threatening the callous col
ony. Sne starved to death. This girl,
whose case raised a one days stir in the
colony, had come abroad to study ilustrat-
ing, and too early she was forced to try
newspaper work to exc out her resources.
A few initial successes, Joined to the neces-
sity of being somewhat in the swim to OBJ
tain copy, justified her in taking room
at the big Hotel Continental. She paid only
81 cents day for 1t, by the month, poor
little room at the top of the house; but it
gave to her an address, an appearance of
prosperity and an opportunity to see some
of the fashions. When things got worse
she was too proud to let anybody know it,
until time came when the o'clock teas,
in which the colony doth so abound. became
the most important functions of her day.
The poor thing actually tried to live on
teas. Perhaps it caused mild wonder, now
and then, to see her eating sandwiches and
cakes with such relish. asking third cup
Of chocolate, and slipping, mayhap, a stray
bun into her little reticule. But nobody in
the whole rich colony felt called on to make
a Sherlock Holmes analysis of those eccen-
tricites. 1t would not have been kind or
courteous. You may ask why she did not
order up meal now and then from the
al ant x,.l,a ,lo folt
too weak to go out tea hunting. She did
not dare, because she feared that her room
bill might come up with 1t. Then came a
week when the tea gtvers missed her. 1T
is heartbreaking,' they whmpered when
they learned the truth. How could we
know? Why didn't she confide in some
one!" A hundred women would have
helped her-rather than see her starve be-
fore their eyes.
They found her dead in her little man
sard room Somebody paid the Hotel Con-
tinentafs bill-two months rent. They
gave to the starved body a fine funeral
from the Church of the Avenue de rAma
The whole colony came out for her, and the
floral tributes were exquisite.
STERLING HELLO.