The sun., 1908-03-22
FIVE O'CLOCK TEA IN PARIS
WITH GOOD GRACE THE FRENCH
EONAN DOES HER DUTY,

IL
Americana, PFivOlOus Tea for Paris.
PANS, March i2.-By nature the Partisan
lS not tea drinker. II by patient Nppllca-
ton she acquires the habit II is only because
she wishes to follow the fashion. Al the
moment II one desires to be in the swim
one must consume large quantities Of team
public places.
30 the FrenohwOman makes a beWitch-
ing little grimace, drops three humps Of
sugar into her CUP when no one is looking
and then gulps down its contents after the
manner OF a necessary but very nasty
medicine, Left to her own inclnahons,
she would infinitely prefer . siroP-but
what would you' II IL fashionable,
Although the FIVE O'Clock. as the French
call II, has only lately become afashibnable
mania. II has always been possible 70 OBJ
tain a serious cup Of tea In Paris II one
knew whore TO look for H.
There Is an English book shop which has
catered for many years to the demands OF
the travelling Br1tisher. In the little low
ceilinged tea room may be found on Thurs
day afternoons nearly all tho young English
girls who are attending school in Paris.
In parties Of four and six they gather about
the tables devouring wedges Of plum cake
and drinking cup after cup Of tea.
1t is a perfectly proper place for the
young person, and on this the one holiday
! Of the week Il echoes TO the sound Of decor
ously suppressed laughter as the school,
girls chatter together Of the delights Of the
Paris which they may not see.
Further down the street Is another serious
tea shop. Here the tea is excellent, tho
gloom intense and the service exeorable.
Sitting in the Stuhy gray brown rooms
the English visitors sip their China tea
and dream Of their beloved and foggy
London. The patronage is Ominently re-
spectacle but frlmpy in appearance,
Hardly dozen steps away u one Of the
most successful tea shops in Paris. Here
we have the frivolous cup Of tea in its per-
fectlon.
Il tastes not unlike mild infnaion Of hay,
but fashion having Sst its seal upon this
shop, every afternoon at . O'Clock may be
seen a line Of motors. private carriages and
cabs moving slowly toward It's gayiy lighted
entrance Tables are reserved for special
patrons, and to be seen sitting regularly
In favorlte corner OF the room which
opens on the street is TO be recognized
at once as a person Of some social impor-
tance.
IL is the meeting place OF the American
colony, besides being the resort of the
occasional shopper from London. The
Duchess OF Marlborough is a frequent
visitor and may be seen here chatting with
her friends whenever she Ia In Paris.
In the late spring and early autumn the
American colonies OF Rome and Florence
foreRather here, and at half past o'clock
the tables are packed 30 closely that move
ment Is impossible. There are Of course
French patrons and some few OF other
nations but the clientele is principally
American, and amid the babel Of many
tongues the English language reigns tri-
umphant
The great place for tea ia OF course tho
Hotel Ritz. Here at O'Clock may be found
smart men and women from every city In
the world seated in the long corridor
sippinR their tea or chocolate and discuss
ing the last bit OF international scandal,
Princes, diplomats and millionaires chat
amioably together while they surrep-
,itiously watch the entrance pf some new
beauty who sweeps languidly down the
sandwiches toast and dainty little cakes.
In the summer the tables are moved out
into the garden. among the flowers. No
prettier sight could be imagined than the
little garden on an afternoon in May, with
the ilckering sunshine, the gayly striped
umbrellas shading the tables and the
beautiful gowns OF the women, who move
about from group to group, displaying
10 advantage the latest creations OF Paquln,
Callot, Doucet and the lesser lights OF the
dressmaking armament.
Tea at the Ritz ia quite a formal affair.
One does not run in az casually as one
would into tea shop. Tho table is usually
engaged in advance, the party carefully
chosen, and some thought expended on
ones toilet. It is perhaps unnecessary
10 say that everything Is expensive here,
but the service Ia perfect. the company
amusing, and for these things one is ex-
pected to pay. "
Not far away is an attractive place which
began its existence In a very modest little
way on tho Boulevard Haussmann. The
tea was so excellent, the toast 80 crisp aud
hot that the clever young Englishwoman
who managed IL soon gathered about her
a most desirable clientele. Her ambitions
finally brought her 10 the exclusive Place
VGHuvihs.
IL was a courageous venture, the rents
being exorbitant, but her efforts have been
crowned with success. Every table ia
occupied at the tee hour, and here one
finds crowds Of swell women. The fur
nishings are artistic, the silver and china
exquisite, the nooks invite Irritation, What
more could a Frenchwoman demand?
From the nodding yellow flowers on the
window Lodges TO the distant corners Of
the quiet rooms upstairs an air OF elegance
and repose hangs over all. No rushing,
no crowding; everything moves silently
and serenely here
In the Rue de Rivoli you find the most
cosmopolitan tea place In Paris. Here
are gathered together every afternoon all
nations and all stations The pTim clergy
mans wife from Oshkosh ru lbs elbows
with Lola from the Varieties. Armed with
plates and forks they jostle each other
about as they search madly for cakes,
The crowd Is sunocating, the heat in
tense, hut through the revolving door
pours ever a ceaSeless tide Of perfumed
humanity. The cakes have worldwide
reputation. Although tea Ia perhaps the
most popular drink here, coffee and ices are
also greatly In demand. There are more
men TO he seen here than in any other tea
place In Paris, probably because the stage
and other beauties are known 10 frequent
this typioally French cake shop,
Tea Is served in all the Leading hotels Of
Paris. One Of them provides music during
the afternoon and the rooms are always
crowded. The class OF patrons il veiy
mixed and II is considered scarcely proper
for a woman TO be seen there unaccom-
panied, although this would not apply to
tourists but only 10 residents Of the city.
The music is excellent, and the gathering
on q Sunday afternoon after the races is
one which Is full Of life and color. But il
is not place for the yong girl.