Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-15

expensive sitting are scanty, and precau-
tons against fire not apparent The
spacious beauty of its staircase and corr-
doris make the promenade a distinct and
recognized feature of each performance. 1t
is typical of the civilization that L'Opera
should be the central landmark. All roads
lead to II. All the world passes ii at one
time or another. State and municipal build
ings are scattered and unheeded save for
their distinct and immediate functions. The
presiding structure of the place is temple
of song.
At the Folies Bergere pantomime is be-
ing done which has had considerable cell
ebrity. It takes as It's title the cry of the
cid clothes man. "'Chand Habits" for its
title. 1t is but portion of the evenings
bill and is worth seeing this evening
In each theater three men examine all
admission tickets. They sit in a row. like
judges. One Is a representative of the gov
eminent who is keeping account of the
revenue which every admission must pay
toward public charity.
The pantomime Is by that graceIess
literary scamp, Catulle Mendes; a fear
some but thrillingly effective creation. It's
chief parsonage is old friend Pierrot
Of Humpty Dumpty days But in what
a plight. He is revealed first hanging
to lamp post in an attempt at suicide,
and later as a murderer of the peddler
him, the peddler haunted Matthias in
The Bells" His ultimate internal doom
Is shown with much spectacular circum-
stance 1t is hard to leave poor old Pierrot.
once SO jolly, thus broiling for the amuse-
ment of Paris audience. One cannot help
wondering whether the Londoners who
come over In great numbers, even on week
end excursions, are not with the admira-
ton of the morgue, responsible for some
of the shockingness in these efforts to
amuse.
The Cabaret Meant is too celebrated an
example of the irreverently awful to be
sighted. Here the refreshments sold in
lieu of an admission fee are served amid
funereal surroundings In a dimly lighted
room by men with sepulchral voices and in
the attire of undertakers Later Illusions
are shown, the choicest of which makes
any member of the audience who has the
courage to go on the stage appear to be
slowly and hideously transformed into a
skeleton. The sympathzing comments of
the subjects friends are supposed to add to
the jollity of the occasion. Heaven and
He'll illusions of similar though less
terrifying character conducted by a lot of
sacrilegious reprobates who masquerade as
angels or imps and with genial familiarity
address every man who speaks English as
Charley"
An incalculable amount of energy and in
telligence is devoted to a cultivation of the
grotesquely horrible. Some of the thea tiers
make a speciality of one-act plays Four or
five will be given in a single evening. This
mas Deen salu. w men you see a four-act
play in America with weak first second and
fourth acts, but with a strong third act,
look for its origin in one of the minor Paris
theaters
X
1t is possible to visit many places in an
evening without hurry. for the theaters do
not open until $50 or o'c clock. and mid
night is but the early dawn of bouleyarde
gayety. Yet a time comes when one must
say good night, even in Paris
An invitation to come next day to Neully
sur Seine and see how two American news
paper men live in the French capital is
eagerly accepted. Mr.. Heilig shares spa
cious apartments-which present kaleido-
scope of literary confusion, Photographic in
dustry. dainty continental furnishings and
American athletic apparatus = with Mr..
Stoddard Dewey one of the representative
contributors to the New York press, whose
distinction in letters entities him to wear
the tiny but coveted red ribbon of the Lee
gion of Houor The book shelves are laden
with works In many languages.
1t was something more than dozen years
ago that Mr. Heilig gave up the practice of
law because OF the death of the friend as
sociate and patron In whose Office he was
engaged In Philadelphia. He had made a
special study of Insurance, branch of the
profession which has recently developed SO
much Importance. He was. even as 30
young man. recognized as an expert in
insurance matters but the love Of letters
was strong in him. A European pleasure
trip tempted his pen to description, The
Star being one OF his earliest literary cli-
ian and European life and events from an
American point Of view, and there are few
important publications In tho English lam
guaae, whistler newspapers or magazines