The Washington times., 1904-12-25
No Counterpart Here of
Old Quarter Latin
in Paris.
An Atmosphere of Staid
Responsibility in
the Cafes.
Patrons of the Chinese
Places Not Same as
Elsewhere.

lrr r AS Washington a Bohemia p
IL was asked a few weeks ago
by one of the new arrivals
in the official set of the
Capital The young woman who sought
the information is the wife of q MEM
Der Of the Corps Diplomatique. who has
recently been accredited to the United
States. She comes from one of the gay
est capitals Of Europe, that boasts
thoroughly delightful quarter where
members of the most exclusive sets
may venture with entire propriety into
an atmosphere of ART and letters in
which. during passing hour, the days
work is forgotten anG conventionalities
yield to unconcerned enjoyment.
She will not find 1t in this city. And
is it not a pity that in cosmopolitan
Washington there is nothing to take
the place of the old Quarter Latin in
Paris, or even the New York Be-
bemia? Would it not be a pleasant
change to have at least one cozy little
restaurant that would make up in the
excellence of its menu Tor its rough
furnishings ard easy-going service?
place where one might lean back in
cane chair after a delicious supper and
hear the strains of a stringed orchestra,
with a cigar or pipe to induce phlio-
sophie mood. and watch passing in and
out an orderly patronage. but one made
up from the highest and lowest Of the
city life.
In Other Cities.
They have it in San Francisco. There
ere parts OF the Chinatown in that city
where you will find cafes patronized by
persons Of the highest reSpectability and
social standing. New Orleans has her
French and Spanish quartet, where all
classes meet without annoyance to the
members of either. AT the old Victor 8
on any evening could be found promi-
nent men about town enjoying supper
in the company of their wives. The
fact that at the very next table might
be seated parties that numbered women
who might not be presented to them, did
not r,ar the serenity of the New Or
leans rnatrons- One can dine at Victor's
and not know his neighbors at the ad-
joining table.
There is a little city in the South.
scarcely a tentn the size of washington,
that boasts such quarter There are
restaurants with saw-dust floors where
suppers are cooked more tempting than
the combined efforts of a dozen expen-
sive hotels could product The ceiling
is obscured from view by the blue smoke
of a dozen Havanas. Even the walters
puff leisurely on big, black cigars, as
they accept your order, with muir
INJURED. Isl, senior" From balcony
overhead mandolins and guitars mingle
their tones in soft Spanish love songs
for this is the Cuban quarter of an
American city.
Ii is not that Washington has no de-
sire for Bohemia. The desire is well
evidenced in the almost pathetic efforts
that are constantly apparent to break
away from rigid formalitv and monoto-
nol1s routine At their best, the enter
tainrnents of the official set are likely
to be rcpetitions of what the partici.
panrs hive gone through SO often that
what is supposed 10 be pleasure becomes
wearisone duty. II may cause tbs
phiiosephicaIly inclined regret to hear
a dtbutante declare before the end ol
her first season that she is thoroughly
bored, but it seldom occasions surprise
In Search of Eldorado.
last season some of the more high
soirfted and rather reckless Of the young
set undertook search for Bohemia
AT several of the large dances small
parties. entirely unchaperoned, it mus
he confessed decamped from the ball
,oorns and started On tours of inyestiga
tson. They were in search of an Edo
rado that did not exist In their wilt
nltlnge into the realms Of unconven
fionalfty the best program that suggest
ed itself to them was to take in th'
last half of a performance given in {