Gilpin observer., 1913-10-02
PAR!s NOT FOREIGN
Visitor From U. S. Sought in
Vain for French Quarter.
Shops, eubways, 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
a visitor from the west of clerk in
one Of the tourist agencies of Paris
recently.
You mean"
Exactly what I say" said the
stranger II came all the way to
Paris to find something new. a change
iovelty. and all I've found is-say,
at breakfast yesterday morning
read an American paper. though it's
published here in Paris. 1 found
that the jockeys who won races here
the day before are named MCGEE,
O'Connor, O'Neill. Sounds like list
of Broadway traffic squad cops Can
you beat it?
''The first thing I saw when
went out on the boulevards was the
sign American Shoes Next door
was a windowful of gaudy green and
yellow neckties and celluloid collars
tiles no hayseed would wear and
celluloid collars like our motormen
discarded years ago. but all labeled
American Then Camelot showed
handbill at me. 1t 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 1t
was a hot day. and he added: And
zees ez Americana wezer. aussi
n'est-cepas?
When l went back to the hotel
for lunch a maid brought in my laun.
dry. All. ze glacage Americana. she
said. lingering the collars. which had
been given q shiny gloss. didn't
wait to tell her no self-respecting
American laundry man would put on
such finish / saw mine II had
is there a manicure in this neigh.
borhoodT l asked the clerk.
Mails. 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 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
way. he said. this machine is Amer
lean made We nearly ran into o
trolley car and on its side saw the
name Of an American engineering
firm.
II went to one Of the summer gar
dens that advertised tango matinees.
The orchestra played one piece OF
tango music then struck up 'Alexan
der's Ragtime Band beat It te
the accompaniment of Row. Row
Row.
by that time thought had
earned a drink. Yes. I saw thai
American soda water sign but J
lodged into a cafe across the street
When was seated a garcon came W
and asked: 'Grog American. M'seu?
II stopped in a florists shop to buy
some flowers for my wife. asked
for La France roses. Nothing do
ing They gave me American Beau
ties. I happened to think just ther
that that was mail day and / had tc
send business letter. SO hurried
back to the hotel and looked up the
stenographer. This is an American
typewriter she said, caressing the
machine.
while I was at dinner ! tried to
figure out why christopher Columbus
went to all the trouble of crossing
the ocean to discover America. wher
It would have been SO easy just te
run up to Paris. But l was desper
ate and I resolved they wouldn't fooi
me any more.
That night went to music hail
one that they said was tres Parisian
Out came a spieler to announce that
$4,000 francs would be given any
man who could face a fighter for ten
rounds in q combat de boxe. Thes
tho fighter appeared. He was"
George Carpentierr asked the
clerk.
Not on your life! Jack Johnson!
That was the finishing touch. II was
me to the hotel then in a hurry. In
my room tried to figure out wha:
that one day in this great foreign
city had cost me-"
And you found?"
II found that that blasted cochsi
had slipped me an American quarter
instead Of = franc piece"
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