Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-03
Paris Still Gay in Summer,
Though Society Has Fled
'ecial Correspondence Of The Star.

PARIS. June IA, 1910.
A the close Of the Grand Prix
~ race meeting all fashionable Paris
. makes hasty exit from town. for
the sea son" is over. Society is off to
the mountains. the cures" and the sea-
side.
The city of gayety assumes an entire
~ different aspect. The bourgeoisie
and the little tradesmen with their
FAMILIES take possession of the city.
springing from winter obscurity into
dominant power. The boulevards. with
t>heir double rows Of trees and immense
spaces between the walk and the curb,
are promptly turned into seaside
beach the mothers pavilion being the
benches which are placed at such regu-
lar intervals all over Paris.
Luncheon over, the mothers put clea n
frocks on their children, provide them
with shovelS and pals and depart for
those city beaches Unselfishness seems to
De the prevailing trait of these wives Of
the humber class, for generally they
increase their little circle by gathering up
the children OF less fortunate mothers,
whose duties wall not permit the after
Moons outing.
A dreamer is apt to fall into serious
difficulty by his lack of observation
These little bands Of diggers often sue
coed in burrowing down in the earth
until some OF the holes really are a men,
ace TO limbs and nerves. notwithstanding
which the children are never corrected
by mother or guardian. and the police
men PASS by in apparent admiration OF
little urchins. Privacy. II understood. is
not practfced. All the duties of the
nursery are performed unhesitatingly in
these open-air retreats. and 1t is only
MI
ever shows any signs OF surprise
Another favorite pastime for the stay
at-home Partisan is the weekly attend
ance at the band concert in his quarter
Each quarter has its own band concert
which takes place twice a week either in
some garden or In q square where q
permanent stand has been erected The
tradespeople never think of leaving their
ira excursion presents itself such as a
trip on the Seine. to ST. Cloud or
Sevres. or all-day outings in the suburbs.
The invariable price of seats at these.
open-air concerts is > cents, or IL one
wishes TO indulge In the luxury of an
armchair cents is demanded from each
patron Hardly necessary expenditure
! If comfort is desired. for the armchairs
are the same simple, hard iron or wood
! en- chairs. with the sole addition of
curved arms on each side.
On pleasant afternoons these seats al
! ways are filled. To a stranger ii is d
| sight worthy of study There is the
I usual couple who get into a most ami
/ mated conversation just as soCn as the
J band begins its first note. Then there Is
the man with the dog, which persists in
! deafening barks whenever the applause
! breaks forth and the ubiquitous child
/ that whines or keeps up An incessant
volley of questions TO the annoyance OF
! every body i'll the vicinity.
1t Ia here that the observer perceiveS
| that industry is ruling quality in
! the women of France They too, i'm
prove the musical hour at the gardens.
knitting receives the closest attention.
and one is lost in Amusement at the
the continuous movement of the lips
as the counts" are faithfully kept
| Even the dressmaker is there at work
| One would hardly think band concert
| d fitting place for cutting out garments.
| But it is sight often met with. The
| bag Of mending is sometimes seen rest
| ing on the laps OF the elder women.
now different now is the appearance of
with society" to the horror and dis
may of the punctilious waiter. The
butcher, the baker and the candleStlck
maker are there with their country cous-
ins-and their name is legion-appropIi-
ating with the greatest familiarity the
| most desirable seats at the most prom
lnent tables.
This is the season, too when England
and America furnish Paris with hordes
Of sightseers-generally people who have
| joined tourists parties and are always
| in a mad rush to absorb many OF the
| beauties OF the great French capital as
possible in short trip OF perhaps three
| days.
These focks with their shepherds af-
| ford continual amusement to the little
| bourgeoisie and form one of the attrac-
| tons for the country relative.