Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-03-13

school French might even serve to get
him to Versailles and back again
without serious mishap or extraordi-
nary expenditure But nearly all
American visitors, both male and fe-
male. desire for once in their lives to
witness the far-famed near-naughti-
ness OF Paris at first hand, and that
ID where the guide comes In.
Versailles, the Bots de Boulogne, the
Louvre, dinner at the Cafe de Paris.
followed by q night at the Folies Ber-
gere, might suit small minority Of
the American visitors, and a few Of
the women folk, after cheap glove
hunting trip, day in the dressmak-
ing establishments In the Rue de la
Paix and grenadine at one Of the
marble topped tables along the Boule-
ward des Italiens, feel that they have
seen oil that Is fit to see Of Paris.
Not SO, however. with the great ma
jority. Male, and female alike clamor
for the Moulin Rouge, the Bal Tara
rim, the Abbaye, Maxim's, the Tavern
Of the Red ASS, the Rat Mort and
other resorts of lesser repute. They
seek to comb the narrow streets OF
the Latin Quarter that they may see
Bohemia with their own eyes, They
are anxious to buy wine at the Dome
for models who sometimes pose: they
do not rest until they have visited the
Bal Butler, famous on five continents.
Hence the guide-for 1t is an easier
matter for multi-millionaire to get
by st. Peter than for an mustered"
stranger to find some of these estab-
lishments.
When an obliging young man offers
TO show you around town without any
expense to yourself. what is more nat
ural than for you to accept such
kind offer.
Having accepted the gratuitous Of
fer Of the American guide, you map
out a tour for the afternoon and eve
ming, we will say. Singularly enough,
your guide Is not satisfied with the
first cocher who cracks his whip and
solicits your patronage-he needs
must go down the line and pick out
a certain driver.
"This feller's on the level with his
charges" the guide explains as you
drive on. Il know him for square
cocher. Some Of the others would
most likely drive you on into some
side street where the 7Apaches would
hold you up and split with him"
Having arrived at your destination
by a more or less circuitous route. you
pay the driver a sum which seems
cheap when compared with drive
Of the same length in the States, and
yet it is usually twice or three times
the amount of the legal fare. You
notice that the guide seems to be
very friendly with the driver and that
when you dismiss the cabby he shakes
hands with the guide. Indeed, this
handshaking continues throughout the
entire evening, for no matter where
you stop to drink or eat or gaze the
proprietors always shake hands with
the guide-invariably at the moment
you take your leave. +
It seems quite unnecessary to add
that from the moment you enter re-
sort careful account is kept OF your
expenditures, and at the moment of
your leavetaking a commission vary
ing from rs per cent. to SO per cent.
passes from one palm to another. It
is usually SO per cent. In the resorts
which appeal to the inner man. as
well as at the show places and caba-
rets Of Montmartre.
Even should you venture into a
place where your guide Is personally
unknown to the management he still
obtains his commission, for when you
enter his first move Is to whisper to
the proprietor or manager these four
! magic words: "Je suis linterprete."
The commission is added to the price,
and rare indeed are the shops or re-
| sorts which do not make 1t worth
while" for the man who accompanies
| you. r
Indeed. some of these self-styled
"interpreter.guides" have been resi-
dents of Paris for such short space
that their French vocabulary is prac-
tically limited to those four words.
| In the early hours Of the morning,
after the guide has shaken hands
with the last cocher In front OF your
hotel, you thank your companion for
his kindness in helping you to pass an
enjoyable evening. You may even
take pity on him on account Of the
dull state of his business and surrep,
titiously slip half-louis into his re-
ceptive palm. He will not object. He
| has spent twelve hours, more or less.
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