Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-31

the thick-crowded center Of the dance floor
even, where i've deep the tourists OF all ma
tons pushed and ,eibowed the Parisians In
frantic effort to view Mini atte-en-r air
and Demi-Siphon, La Goulue, the Eiffel-
Tower, Ia Tourterelle, la Sirene, Cigarette
and Byzantine and twenty others romping
through the great quadrille.
And this was all. There was the Sit
Around, the Walk Around and the Dance.
But from these elements a hundred combi-
nations still survive in every tourists men,
Org, 30 that when he learns that the Moulin
Rouge has closed its doors he will heave a
sentimental sigh and straightway begin
composing "reminiscences.
An old-Timer.
So did the older-time frequenters Of the
Mabille, which our fathers knew and which
closed its doors In the last days Of the
empire Of Napoleon III. Such an old-timer
10 the curious character called Valentine
the Boneless." presumably because Of his
one-time suppleness IN the quadrille. All
tourists have seen Valentine, snooth-faced
and lantern-jawed. in his eternal frock coat
and high hat. with his eternal unlighted
cigar fixed at an angle Of some 45 degrees
Valentine had tough look. You could
duplicte him on the Bowery. But he had
not tough heart; and many q fine Lady
has asked Valentine to dance her" in his
time.
Everything ends" said tovalentine the
last night Of the old year. He was prom
enading in melancholy way through the
great crowd attracted by the wish to boast
1t had assisted at the last night Of 'the
Moulin
And everything begins again." he an
swered. after all, what difference does 1t
make that the eccentric quadrille should
die out? I am no longer Valentine. but M.
Renaudin, horse dealer In a small way in
the rue Coquilliere. rent to messieurs the
officers whom / meet on horseback of
morning in the Bots, and they return my
salute. 1 am no more proud for that. am
used to such politeness. When was chief
Of the dance, at Mabille, princes. dukes and
amba ssadors disputed who should offer me
glass Of champagne and ask me courte-
ously: Monsieur Valentin, please waltz my
lady for me-
"Sure." we replied, not wishing to con-
trary the old fellow. Tell US about the
Mabille Gardens!
They Will Return.
zone night the greatest beauty Paris ever
knew, Louise daley. came and took my
arm. She danced with me six dances in
! succession. The superb creature! A few
weeks after that she died! Here, Grand
Dieu. do these girls of today even know
how to dance? All. 1t was different again
in the time of the exposition of 1889. Then
there was a galaxy of talent-La Goulue,
Rayon-dOr, Demi-Siphon, Mini Pattern
Fair. They made the eccentric quadrilIe,
which, mind you, was scarce more Cor less)
than the can-can or chahut revived from
the still older days of the Mabille! They
are gone; and the quadrille goes with them.
But 1T will return-with others
"When?"
"Oh. some day. Paris Is tired Of the old
names, the old faces, and Of an establish
ment that has lasted fifteen years. It Is a
long time for anything to last"
Paris is tired of them! Note that nothing
is said Of the tourist. The tourist was not
tired of the Moulin Rouge. Never was
there more successful season than that Of
the summer Of 1900, during the late exposi-
ton. But the great expositions come so far
apart. And Paris goes on always This
consideration shows the tourist his own
on the subject
without the tourists grass would grow in
the Partisan streets!" exclaimed one Of the
party.
Moulin Rouge doors open!' was the answer
that squelched him.
Everybody Went.
Yet with what unanimity did the tourists
flock to this particular establishment! A
shipload of Americans would break up and
part at Havre on landing. Hundreds of
new friendships made in the weeks passage
seemed on the point Of dissolving ''Shall
we ever meet again?" friend asked of
friend.
Two nights later they would meet at the
Moulin Rouge,
"You here? And your "Why look!
There's Mr.. Brown and Amy! IT just
passed the Smith boys, escorting Susie
Grimes and Katy Robinson! "And there's
old Mrs. Watkins with her husband, who
can scarcely walk for his gout!'
1 shall not soon forget the adventure of
some distant cousins of my own. Two little
girls just out of boarding school, two little
cousins of each other, seventeen and eigh-
teen years of age, were brought across the
water on a summer tour by the father and
mother Of one Of them. These parents were
past middle age and of homely style; they
called each other Mother" and ''Father."
The first night in Paris I took Father for