South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-02
Madame de Saint Point
Writes of the "ArtificiaL
Paradises" of the Gay
French Capital Which Are
NoW Dark and Deserted---
By Nine. de Saint Point,

n EFORE the war Paris was overrun
X with establishments which / may
politely term artificial Para
discs"
The war has put an end to all that, but
first / win tell you of the strange condi-
tions that existed.
Paris was. Of course, above all places
the centre of cosmopolitan luxury, where
the people OF an countries, whether idle
or hard workers in quest Of relaxation,
came 20 seek mental distraction or lib
erty in their pleasures. 1t thus became
the chosen resort Of seekers after the
impossible.
In Europe, where ambition is limited
and where one ia contented with a very
small fortune. hosts Of idlers, possessors
OF comfortable incomes. asked for ano-
dynes. for surroundings that would create
the Illusion OF luxurtes that we're mate
rally inaccessible to them. To these
people were added many artists who
wished TO create chimerRs on the wings OF
which they might launch their creations.
Mystics. who have no longer any faith
IN their religion. but who have preserved
the love of the mysterious and the
strange, of penumbras and OF strange per
fumes; women who need something TO
make them forget the pleasures" TO
which they have been addicted: the dis
Contented ones OF life. who are hurt by
stern realities; those who are too weary
OF living to attach themselves to creative
work-all these formed the inner circle
of initiates around whom the curiosity
mongers OF the entire world came TO
group themselves.
The desire 10 escape from ordinary
life Is universal and eternal. Every civ
ilization. every race. has sought and
found the artificial Paradise" which an
swered best the needs of its soul.
In the immense Asiatic continent opium
has assisted the taste for metaphysical
dissertation OF the yellow race and its
horror of action.
Hasheesh has stimulated the sumptu-
Gus imagination of the Hindoos.
Europe and America have alcohol and
tobacco which they introduce, alas
among the people they pretend to civilize.
Paris has brought together all the
poisons OF the different countries and
added to them its Own-morphine, heroin,
ether and cocaine
Each OF these products was enjoyed In
Paris amidst special surroundings ar
ranged with all the refinements possible
10 give Il it's greatest effect
We had an idea of what was TO happen
IN earlier generations. In the days OF the
poet Baudelaire, who wrote The Flow
ers of Evil" The hasheesh orgies In the
old mansion OF the Pimodan family, re
ferred to By Theophne Gautier in his
famous preface TO The Flowers Of EVIL
helped to create the satanic legend OF
the poet who was only a great poet, sad
and painstricken. OF whom Victor Hugo
wrote. He has created new shudder.
Il was at this period. also, that Thomas
de Quincy became the analyst and the
ecststic singer OF what he called Divine
Opium"
These polsOns. which we sometimes
call divine" because they open a door
upon the Infinite may be divided into
two classes. the Supplying and the ex-
citing. according as they cause insenSi-
bility or sharpen sensibility.
In the class OF those that stupety are
morphine, heroin and cocaine.
In the class OF stimulants are hasheesh,
alcohol and tobacco
As for ether and opium, they may belong
70 one or the other class. according TO
the users, the quantity taken and the de-
gree OF intoxicatiOn.
According 10 his temperament. the
paradisiac aspiraht has only an en-
barrassment OF choice. The only precau-
ton necessary. n he wishes TO obtain the
fullest enjoyment possible, is not TO mix
the drugs, because they neutralize one
another.
Cocaine furnishes the much Desired
paradise OF the poor little women who
frequent the cabarets Of Montmartre.
Foreigners only find in them a frivolous
carelessness. a good -humored and witty
gracefulness. All that is only an ap-
pearance which these women know how
20 affect and 10 impress on others. Their
life ia not gay and their hazardous eX-
periences not always fortunate. Dancing
and laughter do not always come easy
20 them Coco as they call II, is be-
loved by them inasmuch as IL helps them
20 veil the realities always present. A
cloud OF insensibility created by the
coco" places Itself between them and
those realities. They are then charming
automata, with their disgusts and their
miseries overcome and they create illu-
sion without suffering from IL too much.
For these reasons the coco" has
created innumerable adopts in these cir
Giles Ether Is in use among the more
fortunate sisters OF those OF Montmartre,
among demi-mOndaines. and among our
intellectual and artistic classes. both
mel and women.
Many OF our demi-mondaines who are
addicted 10 ether began the practise by