Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-03

ors waited on his pleasure. Some OF its
old dignity remains. The Cardinals at
inosphere is almost that of the old white
cafe. though the bourse men who whs-
per together at $50 pm never discuss
questions of the day aloud.
OF all this famous end the cafe Richie
is the one high. modern building.
should say the new Cafe Richie. When
an American insurance company rebuilt
and enlarged it, eight years ago, ii did
not seem high or ornate TO American tour
lists; but ParisianS-from street boys up
studied the broken sky line in kind OF
dumb worry, and back-number boule-
Nardiers had reserves as to it's decora-
ton. The bride was almost too beautiful.
They are getting used to it.
When the Equitable Life Company put up
the imposing pile which Parisians call
the Tiffany building in the Capucires
continuation of the" boulevard. the mu-
nicipal architects compromised on making
them cut off two stories from the plans
on the edges overlooking the Place de
FOpera. The modification is obvious.
Nevertheless. the AmericaniZed Hotel de
Bade. now rising on the edge OF the
ruthless demolitions that cut a new side
street through the old Theatre des Nou-
veautes deties the sacred sky line bravely.
When l first arrived in Paris / lunched
with awe in the old Cafe Richie, where
Dumas and Rossini had gone into the
kitchen and prepared their wonderful
dishes. Murger had his crowd here in
the later days. when literary success had
torn MIN from bohemia. ne table of
Musset and George Sands was still shown.
BalZac died owing a terrific bill Up to
1894 they still gave, for 90 cents SIM
pie, refined lunch-old art bestowed on
perfect raw material-such as you need
seek today only at Voisins or Paillard's.
The public taste was already going to-
ward the Flemish braSserieS. In the long
hall of faded white and gold they served
us that fifty-cent fixed price expert
ment at a loss 1 am convinced, with the
discreet urbanity, silent dizziness. friend
ly understanding rather felt than shown
inherited from serving all the wits. men
of .etters. artists statesmen and nigh
world snor.s of Europe from 1890 to 10 ~,
at very different prices. Well, 1t passed.
The present Cafe Richie gives you lunch
of beautiful freScoeS, magnificent wood
carving flowers, cut glass, silver, car
pets with a two-inch pile, severe young
walters who look you square in the eye,
and a duke in blue and brass buttons to
open the door
The Mason Doree, at the next corner
west, and the Cafe de Paris and Tar
tonis side by side at the next corner
west of it, have entirely disappeared. or
their old fame, nothing remains but their
buildings in Paris and their names.
adopted by restaurants In many cities
(Frascatfs, just across the dividing line
of the Cafe Cardinals corner, also has
numerous names akes) The Naison poi2e
is now a subpost Office. The Cafe de
Paris has a worthy successor in the Ave-
nue. of the Opera: rich Americans in Paris
go there to see life, gayety being the bill
of fare. In word its elegant clientele
of actresses. professional beauties and
Young society folk feel bound in honor to
be gay in return for their bills being
marked down half
You mad to urIng your own gayety to
the Maison Doree. In my early Paris
days-which were its last ate there,
too; and my only pleasure, apart from
the divine cookery, was to dream In the
nearly empty old parlor-like rooms into
which it was divided; heavy dark red
silken hangings, dull gliding on carved
panels, mahogany furniture. ancient cut
glass and wood fires in empire chimney
places.
Under the empire its top floor was one