The Ordway new era., 1911-07-21

~ iris preparing for opera in
Paris have got to be comfort.
an attic" They laughed glee.
fully as they told 1t. two
bouncing American girls from Kansas
and Alabama. high-hearted. ambitious.
bubbling with the Joy Of life. yet
keyed down to the specialists clear
seeing intent by two or three years
study in the French capital. They
have learned the need of money In
lyric Paris. Their experience Is valu-
able to dreaming home girls.
1T has cost me all OF $l.4O0 year
to cultivate my voice in Paris: and l
live cheaply in an attic apartment
with charwoman at cents per hour
to do the heavy work." affirmed the
Kansas young woman. while the Ala
bama girl has spent nearly $1,000 a
year-"including very few new
gowns!" Both have tried every way
OF living in Paris-to arrive at the
mansard apartment and the charwom.
an
'All OF which brings US to $1,000
for four years voice preparation and
the comfort" that must characterize
them. OF course there are profession
ais and semi-professionals who run to
Paris and do great deal OF work in
six months. We are not dealing with
them. Even the failures for lack OF
time and money go back to America
and earn better pay singing In church
es and teaching on the strength Of
their Paris training. We have nothing
to do with them either.
"One year lived on $780," mused
the southerner. II was taking only
two singing lessons per week from -
(here she named a famous name).
paid IS per half-hour lesson in a class
OF three other girls.
Il was living in a pension boarding
house for francs per day-$42 per
month. That had to be paid regular
ly. The rest took as regularly as
the money would permit. There we're
two singing lessons per week at IS
each; two French diction lessons per
week with a coach. at 81 each: two
mise-en.scen (acting) lssons at 81
apiece: and 81 once week with a
German. learning Schumann and Schu-
bert lieds! 1t would have brought me
TO $500 per year without cab fares.
opera. theater. laundry. clothing,
books. postage. hats. shoes. soap. mu-
sic, textbooks. rubber shoes. quinine.
poor! had to cut out some OF the
lessons.
TOO many people to bother you In a
pension boarding house: too much
time lost talking: too much second
class society. People are all the
time going of to see the Paris sights.
It is annoying to be asked and have
to always refuse. In the evenings
they ask you to sing. You never do,
but you hate to refuse again."
Again. there are too many con-
genial people at the American girls
clubs. The girls clubs of Paris have
the disadvantages of a great pension.
only more so. They are immensely
more luxurious and honey. They pre-
sent great advantages. They are
clean. smart, art-furnished, with
steam heat. baths. afternoon teas. H.
braries, Information bureaux. free
medical attendance. entertainments.
charming society--and all for IS or
Sc per week!
But we quit them. 1t was too con-
genial, too agreeable. Instead of hur-
rying to my room to work. would
stop in the salons. chatting with the
girls.
From girls clubs to light house
keeping, in Paris. is. thus a natural
evolution. Two tiny rooms and bi-
jou kitchen. There is scarce space for
tea table and piano. That chintz-
covered divan is my bed. My compan-
ions room, not having the piano. con-
tains our mutual dressing table. OBJ
serve how the wall slants as It goes
up. 1t is the mansard and makes the
rooms rather warm. at times. in sum-
mer: but the evenings are always cool
and we do not have the excessive heat
Of America In Paris"
Cost Of Living.
with the charwoman three times
week to clean up. It costs us about $50
per month, 325 apiece. including gas,