The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-06-23


Fascinating Phases of the Eghte
Side of French Capital Are HiddeI
in Secret Quarters.
MANY of the most fascinating AM
interesting phases of the lighter sid'
of Paris are hidden either in secre
ouarters well off the beaten track
else deep down in the native rocl
of the gay city itself, and it is only
by luck that the stranger is able tc
ferret them out.
Such are the meeting places, the
dancing halls, caveaux, or cabarets
of the Apaches, the notorious Grim
inals of Paris; though long before
they have been discovered-which
probably happens nearer dawn than
dusk-their denizens have been en-
countered in the open street.
In Gay MOntmatre.
Imagine early night in gay Mont
matre. Lights innumerable CLEAN
on either side and places of amuse-
ment announce their character by
the strains of dance music or sing
ing or conversation which emerge
from them. Crowds of merry, chat
tering Parisians throng the center
walk between the plane trees. And
down the center of this, arm-in-arm
Everybody instinctively making
way-singing a chorus with good
swing and Tilt, marches a party OF
Young men. They are not rowdy, i'll
hammered or aggressive, nor nave
they a ruf1ianly appearance, but
seem. on the contrary, handsome,
clean and we'll dressed, with only
certain air of daredevil recklessness
to indicate that they are Apaches.
There is, perhaps, another indica-
ton. They are all, in a paradox
cally variegated way, dressed alike.
Each has a felt hat of different shape,
poised at a different angle; each is
darby clothed, and each wears
broad. colored-usually red-scarf
around his waist, with an accompan1-
ment of bright yellow boots. They
all smoke cigarettes. Passing on,
you meet more of the same ilk, only
hurrying along quietly in couples as
upon some set purpose, talking
rapidly.
The majority of people-foreign-
ers, at any rate-completely mistake
the Apache. He is not criminal in
the common sense, nor is he man
of low character. Rather in his
leisure aspects a gay, merry fellow
full of laughter and jest, fond of
dancing, knowing no fear, an apostle
of revenge, the knife and the pistol,
but not a wanton user of these
things. Behind this there are stormy
passions which, turning to cold blood,
occasionally transform him into a
cruel and callous murderer.
The commonest way of discovering
his haunts is to make acquaintance
with some well versed Partisan in
the bonhomie of a crowd. Armed
with an obscure address, you seek
long in the narrow byways of Mont
matre. But finally in the small hours
upon some small and dingy safe cast
ing it's bright beam across the dark
ness of the street. Probably a gem
darme is standing outside. Asking
for the caveaux, you are led down a
steep, winding, narrow staircase,
very damp and rimy, being hewn out
of the solid rock.
A Strange Company.
At the bottom a stone passage
turns sharp to the right and energies
upon round, high rock walled cave,
full of people, laughter, conversation
and tobacco smoke. This chamber is
pIentifulIy lighted with gas flares
projecting from the walls, while
chairs and long wooden tables, all
occupied, cover the floor, which is
Uttered with sawdust. In one corner
stands a shabby, ricketty looking
piano, with a banjo leaning against
it.
1t is a strange company assembled