The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-12-20

old boulevardS so essentially Partisan.
Facing the aggressive stores, which
occupy a whole block, one can still
see a picturesque corner distinctly
reminiscent of old Paris; the angle
of the dark old Rue de la Lunc. where
still exists famous pastry shop, "A
In Renommee de in BriOChe," in which
for more than century, PariSians
have eaten the famous cake. The
GymnaSe theater. few steps farther
down. was built in the early part of
the last century and is still one of
the most fashionable theaters of
Paris.
From the famous CarrefOur des
| EcraseS, situated at the point where
the boulevard crosses at right angles
! the Rue and FaubOurg MOntmartre,
/ the Rue de Richelieu and the Rue
| DrouOt. there extends sort of ncu-
/ trail Zone-the boulevard Montmartre
/ which one might almost define as
/ the veStihule 70 the Boulevard deS
! ItalienS II was here in the Passage
| deS PanOramas. that, in 1917. the eX-
pertinent Of lighting Paris by gas was
! first attempted.
The Rue de Richelieu marks the
! beginning of the true boulevard, which
! privileged region spans the Place de
! rOpera 70 the Madeleine church. On
the crowded sidewalks, rather OBJ
Structed by the terraces of innumer-
able cafes. one meets call kinds and
conditions of men" in that most demo-
cratic of all cOnglOmeratiOnS-and
that most banal-a Partisan crowd.
Another Famed Thoroughfare.
The Boulevard DIES ItalienS was the
center of the brilliant, scandalOus life
of the late empire and early '3Os.
There used to assemble at TortOnfs
at the MaiSon dOr-now transformed
into a post office-at the Cafe de
| Paris, those French handles who
brought such laboriOus care to the
imitation of the eXtravaganceS of their
English models; at the corner of the
Rue LafIitte was situated the Cafe
Hardig. the meeting place of the agi'
tators ut the fall of the assignats and
which is celebrated as having been
the first Partisan cafe where luncheOns
were served "a In fOurchette," that is
where meat was served. The Cafe
Anglais on the opposite side of the
boulevard was the most fashionable
restaurant of the second empire. II
was demolished recently, and Paris
sighed at the disappearance of anoth
or of its favOrite hauntS. The Pa
yilion de Hanovre. facing the Vaude
vile theater, now shelters the shop OF
prosperous silversmith: but it /,
of noble origin, having formerly be
lonced to the duke of Richelieu, wh'
had. so runs the legend. built it witt
the product of the golden and silver
loureIs he obtained by hook or by
crook during the EIanoverian war
Hence the nickname which has eve
since remained attached to the beau
tiful and luxurious building.
The boulevard deS Capucines. which
starts from the Vaudeville and spans
the Place de rOpera, is always eX
tremeIv animated with its numerous
hotels. clubs and shops. 1t belongs il
some sort to history, for ii was from
the garden of the Capucines (whicl
has disappeared long since) that th'
first pistol shot which TRANSFORMED
the riot of 1S4S into regular revO
, luton was fired.
Professions and corteges of al
kinds. both civil and military. peace
, ful threatening or triumphant, hav
through the centuries passed dow
. the bouletards, stamping history lilt
, the very foOtway they followed. Bu
surely. the old avenues never vii
messed a more solemn or symbollca
scene than the parade of the allie
: troops. which. on the 18th of July
I preceded by their glorious. tattere
+ banners. marched down the boult
5 wards toward the Place de la Re
e publique.