The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-04-03
FRENCH JANITORS
JUST LIKE OTHERS
Terror OF the HouSekeeperS
and Other Members of
Paris Families.
ALL FOOLS DAY ABROAD
WONDERFUL VEIL ARRANGE
MENT LATEST IN FASHION.

Especial Cable to Republican.)
Paris. April 2.-The janitOr question is as
serious TO housekeepers in Paris as y
those of any American city, and, truth to
tell, housewives here stand In as mortal
dread as do their sisters across the At
lantic. More particularly is this true o.
the janitress of concierge" (as she or her
male prototype IS called, for it Is she
who rules the roost," insofar as her Of
fetal office at residences. apartments
or other domiciles is concerned, as do
female servants so largely in France.
In proof of this let your eyes read and
your brain absorb the wording and intent
OF the following advertisement, which dp-
peared here in an English-printed daily
paper. What a world of meaning it con-
tains, coming as il does. like a vail from
some poor soul. who has experimental
with the French ianitress or other sery-
ant, and speaks from the depth Of her
heart:
AN ELDERLY LADY WISHES TO
find an active American or German
working hOusekeeper, competent and
willing to do any work. under 10; no
one who is afraid of cOncierges or
French servants need apply; must
speak French; verbal references in
dlspensable; write, giving references
in confidence and Wa ges required.
Rue d'Amsterdam.
Courage Necessary.
1t is indeed, a bold and courageous
woman; one sure OF herself and positive
III her ideas who is not afraid of the
concierge" no matter OF which sex, for
of all the institutions of France the con-
cierse is the most aWe-inspirfng Not
alc&e are they (fOr they usually exist
in the dual ouality-husband and wife,,
the guardians of your front door, but
likewise OF your peace of mind. In the
case of flats, or apartments" as they
are called in France, there is one general
entrance. Here is located the lodge or
rooms, where she or he. or both, live.
Sometimes they are located on the main
floor reached by a winding stairway. 1t is
thee they sit all day long. ready to an
nounee your visitors, receive your letters,
packages, bills, etc. As long as they are
young, and consequently more likely to
be gOod-natured, the conditions are not
so bad, but heaven help yOu if either be
old or troubled with rheumatism or some
similar ailment. for in that case their
tempers are likely to be not of the best.
Not only will the modifying silver coin be
necessary TO grease the wheels on fire.
quent occasions. but If your concierge
should be aroused from his or her sleep
late at night to let You in after q visit
10 the theatre or elsewhere, and no finan-
cial balm be imme diately forthcoming
look for further trouble and annoyance
and long wait in the rain some stormy
night, while the guardian of the portals
Of your residerce takes plenty of time to
open the front doors and give you en-
trance.
There is one "open sesame" however,
which sometimes works nearly as we'll a s
does a shining piece of money, and THAI
is a smile, not necessarily the "smiie that
won't come off" nor vet q smile OF the
Taft variety, but one that conveys q hint
OF good nature and apprecia ton. For
the matter of that, a smile goes a long
way throughout all Of France and in other
parts of the world, but over here they ex-
pect II, demand 1t and simply viii have it,
while an additional cheerful tone of voice
viii do much TO make ones path easier
in many directions. But IS not that
equally applicable to other countries?
All Fools Day.
April l. ''AH Fools Day. or Les pois-
sons dAvril," as It is termed, is one of
the most popular holidays in France. and
one in which both young and old of all
classes. from highest TO lowest, partioi-
pate. While supposedly of comparatively
recent origin, IL really dates from the
reign Of Charles *. in 1864. who issued
proclamation fixing January I as the first
day of the year, instead OF April I, which.
up TO that time. had been the accepted
time.
The custom of changing gifts contin-
ued, however, but those COnscrvatively
minded ones who protested against the
change took occasion to mark the event
by jokes and pranks. From the fact that
the sign of the zodiac for April is a fish
arose the term poisson Avrii" which
has been handed down from one genera
ton 20 another and applied TO all the
tOm-foOlery INDUCED in on April I in
other countries. Valentines, comic and
otherwise, which are sent on this day, in
stead of on February Il as in the
United States, almost invariably contain
the figure of a fish in one form or an
other
Picture exhibitions are the order of the
day Each week sees another opened.
Miles upon miles Of canvas are shown
and the end is not yet. Not until Nay
VIII the climax be resched in the two
salons, side by side in the Grand Palais
and which remains open until June. One
Of the most interesting art exhibitions to
be opened at the Chateau de BagateIIe
Is that OF the SOciete Rationale des
BeaIxs-Arts. one Of the foremost art as
sOclations in France. when a retrospect
i've exhibition OF child life. from 1883 to
1910, consisting of children's portraits and
toys. is to be held.
Fashion Notes.
The Parisienne, who feels her reputa-
ton in jeopardy if she dares no. follow
the latest hint of fashion, is at present
tat least during the morning. seen be-
hind a wonderful veil arrangement made
of heavy Chantiuy lace exactly like that
her grandmother wore except that ft IS
not so conveniently placed for IN oIden
Gays. when ''scuttle" bonnets were worn,
We're adjusted by means or a string and
could be thrown back at viii. MANY
women, who object 20 presenting the an
uesranee Of a tattOOed South Sea Island
er. are wearing tighter wells and of lar
ger mesh One sees many wells Of The
color of the hat worn. but as they are
rot in all cases becoming. black and
white wells promise TO continue IN fash
ion.
To put a vail on correctly seems sinnnIe
enough. yet in these days OF hinge hats
that, alas. threaten to increase rather !
than decrease in proportion) one must
possess almost an artists knowledge In
order to obtain the proper effect and aS-
lust with grace the enormous quantity of
yelling used nowadays by the women who
would be in fashion. While the veu
should be sufficiently ample to enveIon
the edge OF the hat there should moi he
any useless eneumbrance which is often
the reason Of a veil being in disorder.
How many women there are who e,
cite pity for the otherwise smart an
pearance thew might make IN a weil-eiit
gown, but which IS marred and made AL /
most Iudicrous by hat which wobhles /
painfully and Is thrown from one side 10
the other bv the movements Of the head I
the uncomfortable wearer having failed
10 anchor it at the proper angle hv s,1f /
long hairpins, while her badiv
Veil floats In the air because If I
not being Slffirianfi4- Dfnpo1 cbn -.