Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-09-18

~ whose UIuSy pO1 u c4I 10 ScRS1@y
~ overlooked in its decadence..
In this section, too If you
search long and faithfully or are lucky
at the start, you will find another OF
! the hanging signs over ancient tav'
erns. It is a bunch of grapes, gilded
/ and worn away, suspended over the
sidewalk on an ornamental iron brack-
| ct
These are survivals from a time
| long forgotten, but modern Paris has
/ delightful parallels. Nor are they en-
/ tirely devoid Of historic interest OF
! their own, for the cafe on the Place
de la Bastile known as "The Cannon
of the Bastile" has historic associa-
! tons surely. Even the great tin can
non which surmounts its glass covered
red terrace is the replica of one used
by the pOpulace in storming the Bas-
! tile, and the waiter will assure you
the original stood on this very spot.
Across the broad square is another
! cafe, with a soldier trumpeter at pa
rade painted life size on a sheet Of
tin. 1t is less romantic in connection,
but the cafe beneath it is dingy and
replete with suggestions at least Of
revolutions.
And speaking Of revolutions, what
can tell a more romantic history than
the washerwoman's signs of Paris?
Painted on tin and crudely finished,
to be sure, still they are nothing less
than the tricolor of France, the stand
ard Of the republic. What a story 1t
is that the national ensign, as jealous
iy guarded as the stars and stripes,
should serve as trade sign for the
Eaundries! But remember the story
of the revolution and the meetings in
laundry shops at night and remember
Nine. Sans Gene, the washerwoman
who become princess-was it not?
In Paris one can never pass under
that stiff tin draped flag, usually sadly
faded, and glance at the toiling wom-
en- inside the windows without remem-
bering the pranks of the royal laun-
dress and understanding the flag.
The fashion of hanging signs in
Paris depends largely on the quarter
of the city, and in some proud sections
there are no tin flags over the laun-
dries and no strips Of red cloth swung
to the breeze at each end Of the dye
shops. But in no single section Of
the capital is missing the sign of the
BARRIERS.
Partisan ideas of mercantile adver-
Using go back to the middle ages,
when there were no show windows
and no reading public and the height
Of progressiveness was expressed in
a golden symbol of the tradesmen
hung outside the house wherein he
lived and traded.
In Paris Busy Center.
The hanging shop sign has a cold
efficiency about it after all. 1t tells
all that needs to be known. 1t serves
another purpose also-the preserva-
tion of the atmosphere of the pictur-
esque
In the old streets you can find many
Of the ancient signs yet and some mod
ern examples besides. The really old
signs are few and fer between, but
walks in the historic quarters bring
you to them and warm your heart with
their sight.
You are sure to hunt first for the
old tavern signs, which you hope to
find still swinging over dingy cafes,
and if you are lucky you will find half
a dozen in all Paris. Over in the Ma
rails, the aristocratic quarter of two
centuries ago, you will find most of
those left. At one little corner, for in
stance, is the sign of THE Armed
Man crudely executed in cast iron,
the man in full armor sitting astride
cannon of historic type About him
twist iron vines and leaves, giving
him true artistic company in his un-
firing invitation to you to come and
drink the excellent wine within
Nearer the heart OF things and swept
by the currents Of the busiest center
Of Paris, the Halles, or public markets,
smother sign you can find easily,
hoLgh it, too, is fiat against the tran