Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-16
BABEL OF TONGUES
IS HEARD IN PARIS
French Capital Is Now Melting
Pot of Ages, Richie
Asserts.
MANY NATI0NALlTIES MIXING
Men From East and West
Gather as Peace Par
ley Continues.
MANY Municipalities MIXING
nY MonEuT M:ELLEs nIrcu1E

ny ROBERT WELLEs nITCHIE
PARIS. Fec. ia delightful comedy
occurred near noon one day recently
on The Champs Elysces when all the
broad. beautiful avenue was roa ring
WIN traffic. Aud in this incident Ia y
the spggestion for This story.
y long string OF British camion.,
sp!ashed with the chalk mud Of the
battle line w-s grunplins and snort
ing up the avenue, in iJs midst moss
monstrous appearing thing Of ctnvae.
ior all the world, like "A i.ia2I.iii-ti shoe,
boz on wheels The mystery was fully
twenty feet long. ten feet h!gh and
broad in propori.on Ana as Il ;run-
died, trailing after :, canton. lis can.
cas- sides waved and qu!vered. but did
den within.
suddenly. without warning. ono OF
the tres neatly detached Itself from
the off hind Wheel, rolled !azily out
l'o the midst o! traffic and nearly.
wrecked speeding tax!cab. There
was shout from the cockncy driver
OF the following canton md the Grip
pied mystery trally came 10 A halt
s:hea rakisiiy At an angle Several!
cannon drivers ciambered down from
their nigh perchcs and for many min
uses there was chorus OF high win
ing curses in the curious English nose
gathered. and one Paris gam!n. more
daring than the rest. managed 10 p:;
Apart the rear curtain and peek in lie
shriilcd his aurpfise
WHAT THE GAMIN SAW
Well ne might The wrecked .ncu-
-~sier was British .rny travelling
theater-sta row OF footl!Ehts. cur
tain and wings complete Sucb n CON
TSption as used 10 wander from res;
camp TO rc+St camp behind tho British
zines and serve As q medium fe- ;he
demonstration OF amateur soldier tall
rn', and. Incidentally. az a blessed dis
traction for hattie-wcary men For
az us cunoerso'ncne the thing WIS
neatly put together sad complete even
II no
stage.
Hero was the added elcnlen: OF the
ErosesGue in the incident: not twenty
Ieet away from where The travelling
lheater was temporarily wrecked a
lunch and Judy show. was going fui!
blast 20 ihc delight OF scores OF chill
aTe1 seated on roIght benches before
the classic sage. While mechanics
tinEered with the GRANT tire :: dozen
OF SO Tommica from the o;he. can.ons
enrolled over 20 enjoy the antics OF
tr,nch Mt Punch. They laughed as
loudly as the youngsters when Punch
Giipned ihc Kaiser over the head with
wondereh for minute why this
creakdo"n OF the travelling thcater
and the performance OF the age-oid
drama OF Mr.. Punch nearby should
strike me somehow as signifGant. ana
then know. Here was the latest
,hinE in theaters mot or-drawn. clee.
tric-iiShtcd. collapsibic scenery and
a!l--come TO grief before the single
survival OF nc oldest OF al drama
Very modern We're me; on the same
street.
MELTING POr nf AGES
Is cliN OF riIpS TODAY
Yes, this incident "aS indeed <yn-
lea o: Paris 81 the moment when from
The East has, come Representatives, OF
Inc old. old "Iter o: ;h.ass-of the
HSotn ne, iDc xaSns N,I ~ S arars
West IN settlement OF the greatest
agony ever visited upon Garth. Paris
.-.if = 4, i.
ference u Ike some great crossroads
where all raths met ana All manner
OF woyfarcgs unu themselves brought
together Ia . .tranEe conpany. Never
before hav" Tia" oi1 East ana the New
NeSt found themselves in such = re
nlnrkahlo c"mc!aEc.
This morning ~ near The Arc dc
Iriom!R,hc: wher" the great sweep OF
Inc iIyss"S Snrca~s useH MO the
ing fun Htitsh officers uniform
hNt retaininE ~" great sw;phihrs Of
there; They sroke rnrc English ,rhe
The Indians conii not understand. \
Portuguese captain tried {" intervene.
but his English was no more under
standable. The Sikhs looked around
for assistance.
NJ, up s,enIrGi a r"ady-faest. stock:
Canada oT his cap. saluIed d' s,!tily his rs
five dark Skinned superiors. chartered
voluhie French for . minute with tho
Row to reach their dcs: lh.tion in
speech that was true American.
EAST AND WEST SMOKE
AMERICAN CIGARETTES
touch between East and West: Yes
terday j went TO :. moving picture
thsse spas%oss S, 'G itrs look ms i sa
Arabs with their white burnouses
about their shoulders who have played
such valorous part i'll the French
them were two american douGhboys.
All five were smoking cigarettes. Said
one OF the two Americans to his pal:
These poor ginncys next to me are
smoking the lcavin's from breakfast
food faotory Gee, but the smell is
Well" loosen up" challenged the
other. 'Iland EN- over a Hump"
The first Doughboy dug down under
his blouse and pulled out a package
OF the army's favorite smoke: this he
passed to the nearest spahi,
Feed yourself TO real smoke
amigo" he beloved in the manner all
Americans ans , assume when when trying to
Mike the Bite. next door"
The big man from the desert looked
surprised for an instant, but he could
not misunderst and the prOffered pack
age of precious American cigarettes
He took the packet, made salaaming
movement with his right hand and
white teeth flashed through his curly
beard. Thereafter five Humps" in
stead Of only two were clouding the
surface OF the silver screen.
BABEL OF TONGUES IS
HEARD IN MANY CAFES
Enter any OF the boulevard cafes or
popular--and tremendously high priced
RESTAURANTS when all Paris is at its
dinner after z o'clock. and there you'll
find all the journeymen workers from
the Babel monument enjoying their
case.
The prcdominating satoriai tone is
military. to be sure. for technically
war still exists, and Paris is TILED
with soldiers. Here is n group of
Polish soldiers in their horizon blue.
patterned after the French, but with
the distinguishing caps resembling
tho square mortarboard Of collegiate
dignity. Next table to them is occu-