Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-15
PARIS FAR FROM
Being GAY PLACE
OF BEFORE WAR

ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence)
Paris, Nov 12.-Horse drawn cabs
have returned to the streets with the
progress of the war, but the outfits and
their drivers are not as picturesque
as they were in their heyday before
the motor car came. The drivers are
quieter now, they no longer crack their
whips loudly, and they accept five
cent gratuities with humble thanks.
All the younger taxi-cab drivers have
disappeared, having been called to take
their places in the army. Many of
them have been put into the supply
columns, which perform much excel
lent and sometimes dangerous service
in bringing up munitions and food to
the men in the trenches. Those taxi
cabs still in the city are driven by the
older men and by amateur chaffeurs,
who through the dislocation of busi-
ness in some professions, have been
thrown out of employment. One may
learn from his chaffeur that in normal
times he is a baritone of some renown
at leading opera house. or maybe
teacher of languages, or perhaps a pro-
fessor Of fencing esf
The Russian. British, Belgian and
French national anthems. form almost
the sole items in the repertory of the
itinerant singers who wander from
courtyard to courtyard of the Par
isian apartment houses. Every win
dow opens when the group, generally
composed of a quartet, sometimes of
quite passable voices, starts it's music,
and sometimes the occupants of the
apartments. especially in the working
class quarters, join in the singing.
Other parties of musicians take their
stand on the corners of streets where
they sing topical songs of the heroism
Of the allied soldiers. The interest of
the populace in these ballads is enor-
nous. for nearly every one of the by
ISLANDERS has a brother, son, father or
other relative at the front, and all
buy, at the price of two cents. copies
of the words and often join in the re-
frain. s-t
The flower girls, with their sweet
violets' direct from the Riviera, which
have never looked fresher nor more
dainty. appear to have increased in
number, perhaps because they are
more noticeable owing to the smaller
crowds of pedestrians on the streets.
in France, is next to impossible at this
period. The ancient bootblacks some
times women, leisurely wipe off some
of the mud and then lay on a cover
ing of the poorest kind of backing.
after which the polishing brush and
cloth are applied without energy. leav-
ing the footwear In a state of miser-
able dullness, at charge in excess of
that paid in any city of the United
States. sat d
''Harlequins'' are sought for at the.
central markets by increasing
numbers of the outeasts of Paris every
morning at any early hour. The 'har-
lequins' are composed of what is left
from the meals in the leading restaur-
ants, and the name is derived from
the varigated assortment of small
pieces of meat, poultry and delicacies
set out on plates and sold at prices
ranging from two to five cents.
The adoption by the French of the
fashion of pipe-smoking and the enrol
ment of most of the male population
in the army have dealt a hard blow
at the gatherer OF cigarette ends and
cigar stumps, who for years was such
a well-known figure about the terraces
of the boulevard cafes The amount
of discarded mites of tobacco he picks
up has generally decreased, and the
newspaper boys who look to him to
sell them for two cents a package of
the dried and rolled-up refuse, of
which they were the chief purchasers,
now obtain a smaller quantity for
their money.