Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-28

to show what his men could do. he led
them In solid square down a side street,
where the noise of the trumpet and their
marching slowly died away.
who IL that k4a?" one OF our party
asked the cafe waiter. Every one knows
every one in Saint-Germain
A Young Napoleon.
He's great ISN'T hep" laughed the wait
er. You have seen a young Napoleon.
He is the son of little shoemaker in the
back street around the corner. yet he is
the unquestioned leader of all the small
boys in the town. At o'clock this morn
ing ne led an attack on the BOYS of the
eastern suburb and routed them with such
ferocity that / imagined he and sl his
troops would be locked up in dark rooms
at home for the rest of the day. But now
they are out again, Oh, yes, he is a young
Napoleon
In the center of Paris, where life is more
ordered and less free, the children have
much of their independence day play mark
ed out for them by their elders. In con-
venient open places special apparatus for
the purpose is prepared. There are wheel
barrow races. sack races. slow races and
ordinary foot races. There is the game of
the smoke-blackened frying pan 1t is sus-
pended by string, and piece Of money is
stuck to its CRIME, to be detached by the
teeth or such boys as are not afraid to get
their noses blackened. There is the other
game Of the basin OF -four set on a table
In the midst of the open square. Into the
Hour piece of money Is dropped, and the
game Is for the boys to find 1t with their
teeth. In another spot creased pole is
set up. with a ham or a string OF sausage
or little bright-colored purse full of silver
pieces at its top.
This is a great deal already for small
in, Ian fp I-a1
on regularly as the perquisite OF their ell
ders. Much of the noisy Celebrating of
our boys at home Is here. in Paris made
up to them by the spectacle of grown-ups
having fun. This is particularly true of the
night of the Fourteenth of July. when one
OF the most extraordinary spectacles of the
year in Paris may be observed In all sec
lions of the city.
Dancing in the Open.
This is the dancing in the open streets.
1t Is impossible to exaggerate its popularity
and its extent 1t is a great and stable in
stitution. For the grown-up folk who do
not tire themselves out in the afternoon by
watching In the crowd and sweltering heat
the great review of the troops al Long
champs, dancing In the Paris streets at
night makes their true celebration OF the
day. For even those who feel themselves
too dignifed and socially well placed 10
dance make it a point to loiter in the streets
ana watch the 10eTrkIndkInR.
The arrangements for the dancing in the
streets of Paris are made by the municipal
ity itself. Each division of each ward has
its committee, and the great work OF each
committee is to build a band stand In the
largest open space available. string 1T and
all the square around with colored lanterns
and secure a band. For this one night all
the bands and orchestras of Paris have
their choice of good engagements.
Therefore as soon as dusk falls on the
capital all Paris is transformed into a mon
ster ball the most curious in all the world.
1t is a monster ball, composed Of 800
smaller balls. with all the dancing in the
open streets. Cabs cannot penetrate these
open places. The crowd would tear the
drivers from their boxes. | have seen such
impudent Cables dancing-much against
their will-for an hour at a time while
their poor horses rested, much surprised to
get a taste of Independence day them
solves.
The dancers are any one who pleases.
Their quality depends upon the quarter of
the city. They are never of the higher
classes: in these quarters it is aristocratic
servants, mingling with the smaller shop
keepers and their employees. who monopo-
lie the balls. In the thick manufacturing
and commercial centers almost the whole
population dances, and for one night the
distinction between clerk and employer
maid and mistress, is abolished.
The First Couples.
The couples step into the middle of the
street. The band plays a quadrille. | saw
a hump-backed young man, wonderfully &C
tive, once take for his willing partner quite
a pretty girl, who looked like a successful
miIIiner. A fine fellow. with curled hair
and a red necktie. took great, fat mama,
also very active. A thin youth, looking ILL.,
grabbed girl dressed in pale blue. and an
old man, slightly tipsy. led out with cere-
mony an old maid in black, who seemed to
| he helmpI with much honor
1t was the beginning of the dance. These
pioneers encouraged others Soon the
squares were so numerous That dancers
bumped against each other. The girls
screamed and the men called to each other.
laughing. The hump-backed danced a pas
seul. The girl dressed in blue lost her hat.
Go on, music, The comets blared, the bass
horns snorted and the piccolo shrieked like
a soul in torment. Stop! An omnibus came
laundering down upon them, the one
hicle that makes its way in Paris on this
Independence night, and the dancers melted
into the crowd of spectators on the curb
stone.
Cafes Do Big Trade.
Around the open place there always are
cafes and wine shops. wonderfully deco
rated, doing a tremendous trade. The ex-
PLANTATION is that their proprietors contrib
ute large sums to the music and street
lighting and in compensation have the
pla cling of the band stands. There is GER
tainly more drinking on this day than any
other. Just as it is not the feast day of
aristocrats so it is the great day of all
workers. They are hardy, honest people
and to drink wine and be noisy is their
luxury. Therefore it is very greatly to
their credit that the dancing in the streets
is never marred by tipsy Quarrels.
Late into the night the orchestras keep
playing. Late into the night the young and
old folk foot it on the asphalt The corner