Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-21
PARIS OF BALKANS
People of Bucharest Are Proud
of Their City.
BOTH GAY AND WICKED
Country Backward, But Capital Is
Strictly Up-to-Date.
KING CAROL NO FIGUREHEAD
Takes Active Part in Government of
His People-His sympathies
Are German.
KING CAROL NO FIGUREHEAD
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS

BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The good people of Bucharest take
great pride in their city and they call it
THE Paris of the Balkans" So far as
gayety and glamour and sin and wicked
ness are concerned, the term applies. 1t
might be said also that the extravaganza
Of everybody who has money to spend,
the exorbitant prices that are imposed
upon strangers for everything they eat
and drink and do, the giddy costumes
and conduct Of the feminine patrons of
the cafes and the gay crowds that per-
wade the streets from the time the lamps
are lighted until they are extinguished,
are all quite up to the Paris standard.
Men of experience assert that Bucharest
is a wickeder city than Budapest, and
that is saying q good deal.
Every stranger is surprised to find such
handsome residences, such luxurious
and such fine mercantile houses and
business blocks in the capital of SO
primitive country as Roumania, and
there is striking contrast between the
city and the country life in that little
kingdom. Outside of the larger cities
the peasants cling tenaciousy to their
ancient customs and costumes and habits
Of life. No country in Europe, unless it
be Dalmatia, has SO much of what artists
call local COLOR
Peasants in National Dress.
see crowds Of peasants, both men and
women, wearing the national dress, which
is artistic and attractive. In Bucharest,
however, the women wear Paris gowns
and Paris hats and the hobble skirt is
city Of Europe. The extravaganza Of the
people is seen on every block. The cafes
are numerous and they are always
crowded; the public vehicles are smarter
than any you see in London or Paris or
New York; and they are drawn by mag
nificent Russian horses. black as ebony.
with long flowing names and tails. The
coachmen wear a gay livery-a long tunic
of velvet, generally blue. or black, and
heavily embroidered with gold brad
They belong to a dissenting religious sect
called the skoptski, which is prescribed
by the orthodox Greek church. But the
cab charges are quite as high as they
are in New York, and twice as high as
they are in Berlin. 1t is asserted tina,
there are more automobiles in Bukhares,
than in any other Europeon city in pro.
portion to the population. and there arc
| taxicabs galore.
The hotels are as fine as any in Europe
and their charges are higher than those
of Paris or New York. Everything is
French-French cooks, French walters
French bills of fare. and French charges
A friend who came straight to Bucharest
from Monte Carlo. and occupied similar
rooms at the most expensive Of the
hotels at both places. asserts that the
charges at Bucharest were Is to % PEI
cent higher than at Monte Carlo.
One is surprised at the number of jew
elry stores, and the gorgeous displays OF
which are pointed out as evidence Of the
extravaganza of the people; and 1t goes
without saying that merchants would not
offer such things for sale unless there
was demand for them. We did not
have an opportunity to see the women OF
Bucharest in full dress, but from the
toilets displayed at the cafes and at other
public places, one can infer what might
be seen indoors on occasions of display.
Famous for Their Beauty.
The Roumanian women are famous for
| their dress ano for their good looks. II
has been said that they combine the
beauty Of the Magyar. the grace Of the
Viennese, the style of the Parisenne, and
the passion Of the Neapolitan. They are
said to be brilliant conversationalists also
Most women of the upper class are edu.
Gated at home by French governesses
who do not contribute so much to their
Intellectual as to their social attractions
AS one broad-minded gentleman put It,
| THE Roumanian girl is natural fiirt.
She can't help 1t, and her French gov
erness adds refinement to the art. and
makes her self-contdent to recklessness.'
1t is not fair to Judge women or mer
upon a short acquaintance. and. although
the stranger who visits Bucharest for {
few days must necessarily carry away
an impression Of frivolity and extrava
gance. I am very sure there must be al
undercurrent of earnestness and goodness.
where there is so much froth.
The cafes are always open and ont
would think that the people Of Buchares
never go to bed. The population Is abou
the same as that of Washington. bu
there are ten times as many street lamps
twenty times as many restaurants ant
cafes and twice as many theaters. Tn,
gambling houses are wide open, and it l,
| said that very high stakes prevail. TIL,
| Roumanians are a nation Of gamblers
| and many Russians go to Bucharest t.
play. They find much to attract then
| in other respects, and perhaps the repu
tation of the city has been injured b,
visitors from other lands.
| In Bucharest one can hear genuine
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