South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-14

Where are we going now?" asked
Helen eagerly, for they were doing
Montmartre tonight.
Might as well take in the Rat
Mort next. But thatn probably be
fake. too. We're 20 years too late
none of these joints are what they
used 10 be"
1T had been drilling when they
came in and now il was raining hard.
Helen drew her white skirts close as
they climbed the steep, wet steps To
the street.
AS there was no cab i'm sight, they
had no choice but TO walk, and Helen
trudged along holding her skirts with
one hand and with the other clinginG
TO WaTren's arm.
There was something weirdly fas-
cinating in wandering through these
dark narrow streets on a rainy night.
The small. dimly lit shops and black
alleyways had an air of sinister mys-
terry.
Farther on, the RAT Mort" shone
out as the only one brightly lit spot
in this dingy neighborhood. But
when they reached the place, they
found none of the life and gayety
the lights had led them to expect.
1t was a regular restaurant, with a
space cleared for dancing. But there
were only a few people there, and the
walters were standing idly around.
The rainy night had discouraged the
sightseers.
This is too dead for us" and War
rem shook his head at the waiter who
ran forward TO seat them. Come on.
let's do some exploring. I've bunch
that well find something around here
yet worth seeing"
AS they went out Warren hailed a
passing cab. bundled Helen into it and
told the man TO drive around Mont
martre.
Through the rain blurred cab win
dows the streets looked black and de-
serted. At length a group of flashing
lights shown out in the darkness
ahead, and Warren called to the man
to draw up.
''You wait here while I investi-
Warren disappeared through the gilt
teFing doorway. over which flashed
cafe Royal" in green and red let
ters.
In a few moments he came out.
Wen take a chance on that. Some
ing's doing in there all right"
Even from the sidewalk Helen
could hear the music and shrieks of
laughter Inside the scene was be-
wildering.
The long crowded room was ablaZe
with lights. Dancing girls in snort
ballet skirts We're whisking about in
the small space left for dancing. The
tables were arranged along the walls.
as at Maxim's, but here the noise and
hilarity were unlike anything they
had seen.
The dinners were throwing con-
fetti. singing. cheering and the air
was thick with smoke and heavy with
the Odor OF champagne. There seemed
not a vacant place, but fat, red
faced Frenchman in tight-fitting even
ing clothes. evidently the proprietor
found them two seats near the or
chestra
"Wil We have 10 order cham
payne? ," demurred Helen, who strong
~ objected to paying a high price for
wine that she really disliked.
That's all right here. They're Civ
ing you something for your money.
Pretty gay, eh?' as a girl in a red
spangled skirt frisked by. her skirts
so stiff and short that they brushed
a match safe from their table.
The man who was sitting next 10
Helen had his arm around the pretty
French girl with him. Another girl
had tied her pink chiffon hat with its
velvet streamers on the head OF her
black mustached escort.
Helen was not sure that she want
ed 10 stay. She felt just little nerv-
Gus. and gayety was bit too loud