Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-18

the week an American we called the Doc
tor was found to have the greatest num-
Der to his discredt. AS fine he bought
the table some two dozen individual but
ter dishes. a hint to emphasize the but
ter at lunch time"
did the landlady take the hint?' asked
Hardly! The next day at dinner she
served our ice cream to us in those little
individual butter dishesr'
Consulting In the closet boxes called their
bed rooms, the three girls decided to at
tempt triangular housekeeping. No Latin
Quarter Illusions divided them. They felt
they would prefer the life of new, clean,
airy, shady Paris in the section called
American. between the Arc de Triomphe
and the Place de la Concorde, that stretches
northward from the river
Each of the three girls has about 50
day to spend for her living.
At first they began to walk the streets
which they would like to live on, study
ing the signs OF TO Let. Furnished" 1t
is the regulation way for most Parisians
consecrated by long usage All the streets
are made up of apartment houses of cream
colored stone from five to seven stories
high, with regular and even monumental
fronts. AS soon as an apartment Is va
Gated a sign of ITO Let is put up at the
great front door by the concierge or jani-
tor Thus there are Apartments" Great
Apartments" Bachelors Apartments and
mere Rooms" all Furnished" or unfur-
nished. Newly Decorated" "Ornamented
with great mirrors" with elevator" Cor
withouD. with electrical connections" Cor
withouD, with bath Cor without).
When the thing sounded likely. the girls
poked their heads inside the janitor's small
door inside the great street entrance, ask
ing: Your apartment to let. How many
bed rooms? What price," What f1oor?"
is 1t on the street,
And the janitor would answer. with long
habit: Fourth floor, left 1000 francs (per
year, on the street" or "On the court'-as
might be.
rs it furnished?"
Then the janitod would snort Indignantly:
Can you not read? The sign says apart
ment." not FURNISHED"
They found lots of furnished places. regu-
larry dirty, with old carpets and rickety
furniture. They found expensive flats, lux
uriously fitted up for wealthy couples and
young men. They found all kinds Of things
they did not want. Therefore, they applied
to agent.
There are dozens of these agents. one
third of them being Englishmen, who have
lived many years In Paris. From one such
at the corner of the Rue Daunou and the
Rue Volney-just around from Henry 8 bar
they obtained a satisfying List" of such
furnished flats as they desired. They knew
In a vague way that the house agent would
get his commission from their landlord
should they take one Of them; but COMPARE
son with previous experience proved that
the service was worth all 1t cost Working
through the list c9nscientiously they hit
upon a professional Observation-Disclosures
and-renter, and on the spot took one of his
apartments In the Rue Marbeuf, which NAV
be compared to 10th street just Off 9Th ave
nue. New York.
This party. bwho does nothing else: has
taken a dozen or naore unfurnished apart-
ments, fitted them mp with second hand
things that look like new, and charges
his subtenarts just about double the rent
he himself pays For 400 francs a month
$50 the girls found themselves In sec
ond-fioor front apartment with ante-saIon
Darlor, dining room, three bed rooms kjtch
en- and bath room, fully and Handsomely
furnished to the very crockery and glass
ware yes, and to the very kitchen
utensils! AS for it's style and tone. a Iadv
in society might live and receive in it.
AS there are three girls, the $50 ner
month comes to something less than a dol
lar day apiece for them.
Wanted an Inventory,
Before moving in the girls insisted on an
inventory. Here the house agents clerk
was found Invaluable. His charge of 81 in
cluded minute examination of each ar
ticle of furniture. crockery, glassware and
utensils, the checking off of the Items in
their inventory: and when they move out
he will do 1t again.
The experience was novel; and little cal
culat to Impress them with their land
moved in the clerk inventory in hand
handled tested and minutely insnectsS
every piece of furniture.
'The leg Of this armchair Is weak" he
said and he and the landlord noted the
fact.
IT say, there is a stain on this portiere at
the bottom!" he said; and they noted 1t.
Not a scratch on the furniture escaned
his eye and pencil. Curtains were in
spected. wall hanshgs scanned. plates were