The St. Louis Republic., 1902-10-05
BY MARIE ARMSTRONG.

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPURI.Ic
Many a 81; Louis girl. no doubt, con-
templates a trip to Paris. The objects could
be legion. But the moving consideration
would certainly be in this catogory: Either
a desire for gowns. desire to go just 20
be going. or desire for further education.
whether 1t be mere finish or. what IS
more probable. in the line OF the arts.
She that can 20 Tor gowns. 10 get one
glimpse OF the ultra fashionable 20 come
back and shine in tollettes and by rep-r-
ioire OF experiences-she has money she
that can 70 just 10 be going. that Eats Just
20 be gadding-she has money IL - need
less 10 say that money oils the wheels IN
Paris as elsewhere Paris Is an ineNhaustible
vortex for the spenders; any amount can
be DISPOSED OF with ease. Tho cash Viii
smooth n way over all difficulties OF liv-
inE. eliminate hariships; but the American
girl with limited sum. though she may
have ambitions and purposes, must meet
a different proposition.
With restricted finances living IN Paris
Is something OF n problem; tho. Is. the ad-
fusting process IS accompanied with Jolts.
10 say the least. Unless an American girl
drift into affinity with French customs
through the American colonS. complete dis
gust may be the end of n brief stay.
II is extremely discouraging FOR instance.
20 bump direct against the French national
conviction that bathing IS not al all 4
necessity. and TO find that n you battle daily
IL will Be quite an Item OF expense In my
bosrding, establishment. for instance. should
] wish To battle at home instead of going
TO the headquarters OF a bath-providing
company. I gave orders 10 that effect and
soon a sort OF steam engine was trundled
over Everybody In the neighbovhOOd
knew just what was up The engine part
was needed TO heat the water. and a bath
tub was provided. since no such thing Is
80 Ns.rr aaF-..r
house
Ny CONSERVATION when I first saw the
steam engine arriving shortly after I had
announced an intention TO bathe, may Be
conceived. The first impulse was TO -e-
treat hurTiedly TO my native heath. where
one needed not To be so conspicuous and be
cleanly.
Yea. one can easily get disguised.
But 81 r. impOssible 10 live very nicely. :
very comfortably. TO have a good time. 10
sandy IL you have aim. 10 absorb II the
perpose is vague. to gain thorough
deFstanding CT the language. the people.
-thSir manners. on a moderate annual sum
Tho ''hardships' are always met with. Of
course. Yet IL is easy 10 call them that
from this side OF the ''brine'-I think that's
good slang. though I'm afraid I've lost most
or that Part OF the English vocabulary
sbroad-but hardships like them become
part OF the daily life and pass unnoticed.
Besides there is much 10 compensate.
nine invader OF Paris Either she must
live in the fashionable quarter. or in the
students quarter. The two sections are .
on opposite sides Of town, and In one yCnf
are cut OF from the other In the fash
ionabls quarter it costs more in money and
conventionality. In the students quarter
you are in a town sufficient unto itself.
where everybody knows one another. where
are thousands OF young men and women
working in the colleges OF studios
An exception are the students OF music.
The cOnservatories are over In the fash
ionabIe district. and. TO be near their work
the musicians live IN this section. Also.
those visitors abroad who expect. with no
distinct object In view. 20 make a consider
able stay-say six months or a year-may
be found chiefly IN this "sweller'' region.
The expense need not be ~ eXorbitant-
Good boarding houses are numerous. where
Cne cal live comfortably and well
should say that the minimum cost IN this
district would be 500 "A year.
The American Girls Club. as the name
would indicate. is the safest refuge for the
American gil who mas just landed IN
Paris; Is In search OF a home, and has
only shady or no notion or the language.
She wiz nnd kith and kin there also a most
pleasant place 10 live. The prices range
between 81 and $50 a day for accommoda-
tions really very fair. The daily programme
is. as a rule. work in one OF the studios or
colleges, generally from o'clock in the
morning till 4 or 5 in the afternoon. At
o'clock there's tea AZ the club. at which
the members assemble 70 chat Of things In
general.
Ny only objection TO the club lay in the
fact that English chiefly was spoken m H.
! aspired TO French and thought French
boarding house the place 20 board. My
first experience in French establishment