New-York tribune., 1901-05-05
THE "FEEVE O'CLOCK"
FRENCH ATTEMPTS TO INITIATE
SACRED ENGLISH CUSTOM-THE "GOU-
TER" AND THE PATISSERIE


o'clockerOns quatre heures ct deme.'' SO
says the beautiful Parisienne to the mother
cousin or aunt who is up from the country Tor
few days. And then the two ladies get into
the carriage to explore the wonders of the Rue
de la Paix, and end with the "feeve o'clock at
SeraphinS where tea, toast and marvellous
cakes are exchanged for sums beyond all pro-
portion to the size of the repast. But except for
the new word in her dictionary. France owes
little TO England in the way of afternoon tea.
Here in Paris, where every one dimes late,
to > D. has for years been the hour of monde
script retreShment, and bereft of its cOncoml-
tant Indian tea the "feeve o'clock is only the
old 'Sonter" maSqueradng in go ahead circles
in foreign dress.
1t is curious to mark the gradual transition
from English afternoon tea TO the gOdter-which
Larousse guilty herein of the sole anachronism
to be found in his admirable dictionary describes
as ''leger repas qu'on fait entire le diner ct le
souper.' In the triangle between the Louvre
the Opera and the Place de la COncorde hud-
died together many tea shops. They are things
of recent growth and something of a sub
urban air, but at any they provide real tea
not the straw and warm water of the cafes
and real bread and butter and the only objec
ton To them is their terrible abundance of An
glaises"-nOt in the least to be confounded with
tnSllShWomen, though unfortunately they
the only type of our sisters that get into the
French illustrated papers.
halfway house between afternoon tea and
the gouter, between England and France. comes
Seraphin's, rightly so called. Here one sees
the most beautifully dressed women in the
world refreshing nature after shopping. There
Is a curious sense of mixture in the air.
The meal is called tea. and indeed. real
tea is provided to drink. But there is a
Frenchfed about the whole business;
one is not the least deceived To the history
of the woud-be English bread and butter; many
little sandwiches are eaten which are delicious
mouthfuls. but not sandwiches; and though the
ladies have learned To hold their cups and bal
ance their food very prettily on the edge of
saucers. one doubts if they are altogether en-
joying themselves. Besides. they stand about
they eat and drink, which, of course, no Eng
ilsh woman. except the pourer out. ever does.
If you have the honor of knowing any of Sc
raphins clients you Will see how much happier
they chez elles'' drinking made with n
boiled water, frequently serving coffee alone
without the parent alternative. and spreading
little CO table napkins on their knees
further march into French land brings us to
the families where England is only known as
the birthplace of Sir Dickens and the country
which was defeated at the battle of BOuvines
Here the hostess herself brings her visitor
enough on Frenchmans knee, but it makes an
Englishman intensely wretched. He has not yet
learned To drink in the presence of ladies: he
only understands sherry when there is ma
hogany table to stretch his legs under: finally.
an empty teacup looks all right anywhere about
the drawing room. but an empty wine glass
never. not even the manteIpieCe. With pos
Sibly the addition of the most cTumb producing
biscuit extant. this glass of sherry forms the
"gouter' Of high life. and ''ltger repaS'' enough
it is. Heaven knows for the child of race that
looks To range among twenty different plates Of
cake at = O'Clock. The young of a French house
hold take "A far more satisfying meal See them
in the Tuileries Gardens in gathering autumn.
when the lights up the long Hat clouds
beyond Passy and the lie des Cygnes'' with red
ami gold The 'nounouS'' in their long. flowing
CtoakS and quilted caps in gaudy streamerS call
, their charges about them Then bread and
chocolate served out To the. bigger children.
while the timer ones. still in arms, imbibe deeply
at natures founs. All this naturally reminds
the Engiishman that dejeuner took place a long
while But fortunately il is never far in
Paris To- of those beautiful combination
boula' Serie- -patisseries, and here may take
his "souter' in real French middle life style.
The great staring window is cut down the centre
by the door; on the one side displayed the
indigestion. on the other innumerable breads. -
from the stodsy pain noir'' and gritty pain
de mtnage" to the dainty torpedo shaped bread
of two sous. or the Succuent and buttery ''crOiS-
SAINT This end of the shop is for cheapness
and solidity in they rush. the customers one
after another. the "CaliCOt' from the hOSier :
! next door. the lawyers clerk from the second
floor flat opposite the "blanchisSeuSe' or the
little milliner. going hatesS her errands.
Each chooses "croissant' from the window
and stick of chocolate from the glass jar on
the shelf filings down the necessary cOppers. and
ruSheS out, always in a hurry. like the whole of
the nation. AT the other end proceedings are
more leiSurely. We choose what We please and
eat without any ones regarding. Sometimes.
perhaps, select tartet and then of the
shop girls offers a plate knife and spoon.
one cuts the tart up with the spoon and puts il
in his mouth with the knife.
There is Il beautiful "patisserie' in street
close by the OdeOn. Pleasant memories hang
about the shop of Saturday rambles in winter
time with a strange Bohemian creature who
used to maintain that the % franc meal ''prX
fiXe" in the Palais Royal the best dinner
attainable in the world. One took the "bateau