Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-26
PARIS is A DIFFERENT CITY
Reservist Home from Front Finds
Himself Like a Tourist Visit
ing for First Time.
SURPRISED AT NUMBER HOME

Correspondence OF the Associated Press)
PARIS. sept. THE reservist home for
the first time after a year at the front
realizes less the change In himself than
the transformation OF his Paris lie has
acquired his new color gradually and has
built up his hitherto unknown muscles
almost imperceptibly. The blase Partisan,
who left for the front soft and palid.
with STOPPING shoulder and spiritless eve.
indifferently interested in life, comes back
not only strengthened, but frightened:
his mind has been reopened to impress
sions. The little revolutions that have
transformed Paris. gradually. break upon
him all at once; he Is more Ike a tourist
visiting the French capital for the first
time than a man who knows, or knew,
his boulevards by heart.
II Is a curious spectacle to see the re-
servists swarming into the court OF the
Care du Nord like children full OF picnic
enthusiasm. They seem to discover some
thing new everywhere first Of all it is
the civilian that gets their curious atten-
ton. There lie first the surprise OF the
man from the trenches that SO many men
were left at home; then there is uncon-
cealed amusement at the gravity with
which the leas treasured Of the noncom-
batants read the official communiqiie and
calculate TIE chances OF being safe In
Paris another winter. The absence OF
motor buses, the reduced number Of auto
mobiles and decreased facilities for
transportation inspire all sorts Of quips
and jibes at the 'civils;" as for himself
the reservist has increased his stock OF
resourcefulness. A year ago he would
have fumed when unable to find cab;
today he trots off to the subway. salts
fled and amused to think that the "civiis'
must be devilishly annoyed.
When he sits down on the terrace of a
cafe he amuses himself by ordering pro-
hibition drinks and pokes fun at the old
boulcvardler at his side who takes his
substitute for absinthe with a grimace.
Having lost the habit of a soft bed
until or o'clock in the morning, he
has discovered a new Paris-the Paris of
the early hours-that goes cityward from
O'Clock on and is rarely sRn at it's
best by those find it only when sub
merged by the hustle of the later hours.
The ordinary sewing woman. with pricked
ana stained finger ends, comes first; a
little later the smart class of mlliners'
ihONtlS anu sedfnhtTesSeH, the ShODgirlS.
stenographers, terminating with the man
nequins and foreladies, the aristocracy of
the great fur and dressmaking establish
ments
Levels Conditions.
war has reduced the number and lev
eled conditions; the procession is stll
charming, but with new features. II Is
long line Of white and black. No Grape
mere for their mourning is democratic:
rich bereavement alone may wear the
aristocratc weeds, Those that work con.
tent themselves with black skirt and lit
tie jacket with white collarette. This
little world that files past in the early
hours is witness OF the tribute Paris has
paid to the ''patrie" Conversations vary
little. One has letter. another is
anxious because she hasn't one. Those
In black talk without bitterness, without
sign OF revolt against what they en-
dure. Formerly most of them en- route
deVoured stories published by the morn
ing papers. Now they are plunged into
the official communiaues from different