The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1911-08-24


III Paris have got to be comfort
- able. THAT is why we live in
VA an attic" They laughed glee-
fully as they told II, 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 81, 400 year
to cultivate my voice in Paris; and |
live cheaply in an attic apartment
with a 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
gownsl" 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 professions
ais and semi-professionals who run to
Paris and do a 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. Il was taking only
two singing lessons per week from -
| there she named a famous name).
paid IS per half-hour lesson in a class
OF three other girls.
Il was living in pension boarding
house for Z francs per day-$42 per
month. That had to be paid regular
ly. The rest / took as regularly as
the money would permit There were
two singing lessons per week at SO
each; two French diction lessons pei
week with a coach, at 81 each; two
mise-en-scen (acting) lssons at s:
apiece; and 81 once a week with 9
German. learning Schumann and Schu
bert lieds! II would have brought me
to $1,000 per year without cab fares
opera, theater. laundry, clothing
books, postage. hats, shoes. soap, mu
sic. textbooks. rubber shoes, quinine
headache powders or pennies for the
poor! had to cut out some OF the
lessons.
Too many people to bother you in {
pension boarding house; too muct
time lost talking; too much second
class society. People are all the
time going of to see the Paris sights
II is annoying to be asked and hav,
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 hav,
the disadvantages OF a great pension
only more so. They are immensel,
more luxurious and honey. They pre-
sent great advantages. They ar,
clean, smart, art-furnished. will
steam heat, baths. afternoon teas, II
braries. information bureaux. fire.,
medical attendance, entertainments
charming society-and all for IS O.
So per week!
But we quit them. II was too con
genial. too agreeable. Instead OF hur
rying to my room to work. woul,
stop in the salons. chatting with tn,
girls.
From girls clubs to light house
keeping. in Paris. is, thus a natura
evolution. Two tiny rooms and a bI
jou kitchen. There = scarce space 10
tea table and That chintz
covered divan is l. d. My compar
ions room. not having the piano, cor
tains our mutual dressing table. OF
serve how the wall slants as 1t goe
up. 1t is the mansard and makes tn
rooms rather warm, at times, In sum
mer; but the evenings are always coo
and we do not have the excessive hea
of America In Paris"
Cost Of Living.
with the charwoman three times
week to clean up. II costs us about IS
per month, s25 apiece. including gas