Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-12
PARIS ON A SUNDAY OUTING
French Merrymakers at Suburban
Resort.
DANCING AT sCEAUx-ROBINsON
Dining in the TreetOps-Open All
CRfe-Cbantant-A Joke ON Cabby
Holiday Diversions of
the Crowd.

bVVfNeV Y NgAAH "a IT ~ VI NV hehAef 49,
Metro. the railroads and In automobiles
and other conveyances for an outing in
the suburbs. A fair proportion OF this
crowd went to Sceaux-R Robinson, which TO
the foreigners owes much of its attraction
TO the fact that the majority Of its pleasure
seekers are French.
Going by the Metro.Paris subway you
choke and gasp and choke and gasp in a
way that your countrymen never suffered
even In the early days Of New York's
underground, and when you think that
you are at YOU last gasp the train sud
denly shoots into the open and from that
moment to the end OF your Journey you
traverse a country that offers features Of
interest. There are the red and gray roofs
Of happy viIlagers-at least you assume
them to be happy, for those who salute the
train or watch II pass are either laughing
or exchanging friendly blows. Many Of
them are workmen. some In holiday attire,
others in clean blouses which reach TO the
knee and have a holiday stiffness.
Playground of idle Class.
There are many children here, which diff
ferentiates the suburbs from the city,
where the sight of a child is a novelty, and
at each stopping Of the train crowds get
on or off. Lovers are frankly Affectionate
and usually walk with their arms about
eaCn OtneT OF WIN ITW grip OI ldlklGu
fingers. There are American students with
sketch books and with French companions,
and there are families which include a
grandma holding a great-grandchild by
the hand, the intervening generations
escorting the pair and looking out for the
faitering steps of both with equal concern
and joyous merriment when either family
stumbles.
sceaux-R Robinson does not attract the
fashionable crowds on Saturday, when IT
is the rendezvous for wedding parties who
begin their honeymoon in it's wooded at
fractions, nor do they come on Sunday.
But II one desires to see Paris of the
middle classes and the workaday element
enjoying its weekly leisure you could not
do better than form one Of the crowd that
aseends the dusty slopes that lead from
the noisy station.
h IL Means to Louise.
In this crowd you will notice the Paris
mldinettes, the Louises, whom Charpentier
has made operatically famous. They have
been famous before in other ways and Will
continue TO furnish themes for song and
story. just as long as they continue to be
govd looking and chic. Where the Amer
lean shop girl would start for her day of
m~errymaking in a muslin or cotton gown
and return after the arduous chase of
plea sure as mueh rumpled as to frock as
she is to spirit, the midinette with a truer
sense Of economy has her fete gown of
some soft woollen material. which looks
as well when she starts for home as before
she accepted the invitation for her first
dance.
You need to see her dance In order to
appreciate the significance OF this com
pliment. II is an arduous pursuit when
you consider that her working hours have
been spent standing behind the counters
of shops or walking as model to and fro
in the firing round Of the showrooms and
her leisure hours have been spent in sew
ing, repairing. washing and arranging for
her weekly outing. with such few mo-
ments OF pleasure as she can snatch here
and there, eluding oftentlmes the watch
full parental eye. For It is not the only
fanclful Louise who has trouble with hei
family. II Is noted that a goodly number
Of the shopgirls having finished their dance
return to the family circle, while the mas
culine escort undergoes a scrutiny when h'
comes and goes which may imply e~xplana'
ton later on.
But out OF the range OF that watchful
ness Louise flaunts her plumage, dances
the twostep with the peculiar wiggly ad
deudum that the midlnettes adopt, a side
ways motion impossible to describe, and
seems never to tire. The orchestra in tn
frequent dancing halls that sprinkle tn
path OF the slope play with short interval
between the valses and reply good humor
edly to the frequent "Bts!' when the tim
is particularly well marked or the melod,
one OF close acquaintance. THE Merr'
Widow" waltz is the greatest favorite o
all, and from twenty or thirty platform
you hear its alluring notes.
SIT as Long ns You Like,
The floors OF the platforms are wei
polished and about them the lookersot
take their gurgling refreshments at hun
dreds OF little tables which are neve
empty. There is here. as in all Paris, tn
invariable rule that having once secure
a seat no time limit prevails. You ma
sip a glass OF mineral water, a cafe noil
and remain for a couple OF hours, No on
looks as II you had overstayed your wei
come. Neither the proprietor nor III
walters hover in your vicinity and fore
you by wireless demand TO order some
thing you do not want, a custom whic
prevails In some Anglo-Saxon cities an
summer resorts. Il
Here too come the midinettes, after III
dances, and with their swtethearts q
chance acauaintances IL not In compan
with their families. They usually call te
some innocuous liquid refreshment' Whle
Is sippd slowly until are heatu INC "PeN
bars OF the next waltz. when Louise swa
lows what remains fiercely, for nothihl
neither filtration nor feed nor drink
as important IN her scheme OF pleasure .
the movement OF the dance.
Occasionally a grandmother rises taA'
her charge, a boy or girl Of 8 years
whereabouts, and the two dance TO an a.
compartment Of handclapping.
After them a fashionable pair or quartz
look about as II apologizing for Il
Bohem'anism OF the act and whirl towai
the other whirling couples,
A couple OF American women leave the
party, attempt the wiggly twostep and 10
flat. while the French dancers smile.
A trio OF French artists come and sit
the table near your own. They are utter
obliyious OF the scene and their talk is Il
iarEon Of the schools. They might
American actors for any interest the
show outside OF their own profession
aolngs.
what They Said.
one OF them says, snd you tnterru
your watching Of a graceful midinette
ersen. her hat garlanded with tiny pir
rose garlands. her frock a dainty confe
ton hand embroidered, 10 listen.