Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-10-04
Visitor From U. S. Sought in
Vain for French Quarter.
Shops, Subways, Music, Drinks and
Even the Prize Fighter Were
American Made - Nothing
Novel was to Be Seen.

Paris.-"Say, where's the French
quarter of this town. anyway" asked
visitor from the west of a clerk in
one of the tourist agencies of Paris
recently.
You mean"
Exactly what say" said the
stranger. Il came all the way TO
Paris TO find something new, a change.
novelty, and all I've found is-say,
at breakfast yesterday morning
read an American paper. though it's
published here in Paris found
that the jockeys who won races here
the day before are named McGee
OCOnnor. O'Neili Sounds like a list
of Broadway traffic squad cops Can
you beat it?
The first thing l saw when
went out on the boulevards was the
sign American shoes Next door
was windowful of gaudy green and
yellow neckties and celluloid collars
ties no hayseed would wear and
celluloid collars like our motormen
discarded years ago. but all labeled
American Then a Camelot showed
a handful at me. It had a facsimile
of the stars and stripes and an 'ad'
for an American dentist
Il dropped into a store and asked
for gloves. Sure said the clerk
We have re gloves American. II
was hot day, and he added: And
ices ez Americana wezer. aussi,
n'est-ce-pas"
When l went back to the hotel
for lunch a maid brought in my laun-
dry. All. re glacage Americana she
said. lingering the collars. which had
been given shiny gloss. | didn't
wait to tell her no self-respecting
American laundry man would put on
such finish l saw mine If had.
4" is there a manicure in this neigh
borhood? / asked the clerk.
Mais, oui,' he answered Just
around the corner Is an American
Il was riding in the subway that
afternoon when some guy sized me
up and volunteered: You Americans
helped to build this line Finally /
reached one of the residence Sec
lions and thought l had found France
at last. Just then a hand organ
started to grind out "Hiawatha,"
which was made in Kansas City, /
think.
"A French friend of mine took me
driving in his motor car. BY the
u,a hn L.
lean made We nearly ran into a
trolley car and on its side l saw the
name of an American engineering
firm.
Il went to one of the summer gar
dens that advertises tango matinees.'
The orchestra played one piece of
tango music then struck up 'Alexan-
der's Ragtipie Band l beat 1t to
the accompaniment of Row. Row,
Row
by that time / thought had
earned a drink. Yes. saw that
American soda water sign but L
lodged into a cafe across the street
When | was seated a garcon came up
and asked: Grog American, M'seu?'
Il stopped In a florists shop to buy
some flowers for my wife, asked
for La France roses. Nothing do
ing. TheT gave me American Beau
ties. l happened to think just then
that that was mail day and had to
send a business letter, so ! hurried
back to the hotel and looked up the
stenographer. This is an American
typewriter she said. caressing the
machine
While ! was at dinner | tried to
figure out why Christopher Columbus
went to all the trouble of crossing
the ocean to discover America when
1t would have been so easy just to
run up to Paris. But I was desper- |
ate and l resolved they wouldn't fool |
me any more.
That night went to a music hall, !
one that they said was tres Partisan. |
Out came spieler to announce that |
$4,000 francs would be given any
man who could face a fighter for ten |
rounds in a combat de boxe. Then |
The lighter appeared. He was"