Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-26

Pr0ntin8 by tho advertisement OF the
profit and. IL possible. greater ex-
cesses.
"Joint" Run by Americans.
One OF these places. just outside
the city gates. is practically run by
n nrac,iSa1Ix. "a and Is patronized BY
Is for members only. One becomes
member by giving the doorkeeper
s4o. stepping inside, one Becs a
stages OF intoxication: men who are
generates.
The champagne flows freely. The
OF every habituc Anybody dauccs
With anybody; None bother with tho
tango as danced by the wild Argen-
tine yauqueros OF the pampas is tho
feature Of the establishment. Young
girls ss, are always sure to find men
ward dawn tho dilapidated crowd
by tho sneers of true Parisians. who.
come. TO dislike rich foreigners. most
OF whom are Americans.
n, lois Meredith. Of New York. at
meS' here nHd %ho hs
described by Tristan Bernard, author
Of The Little Cafe" as the incest
girl who has ever played my plays"
serVations. said:
Louis Merediths Warnings.
1T is difficult to explain the ex-
traordinary feeling of the French
people toward the Americans, but
unauestionably the frequent criticism
prudence and levity they display
while visiting Paris. From personal
experience / can say that 1t Is a
matter % wonder that the American
men allow so many OF their women
folks to stay here months alone or
rot escorted by men of their own
families.
IL Is not so much the French sur
roundings. but the idea OF Paris, that
SO many American women have.
one must be really wise to the
Danger Of Paris to escape its lure.
Wine flows freely. and because 1t does
not taste as strong as the whisky
and the gin that were drunk in tho
united States before prohibition, the
american women think that they can
drink drink 1t with impunity. But they
their consciousness. altered their
View point and so distorted their sense
OF proportion that sound and proper
Judgment Is impossible. A girl in that
venture.
Nothing less than a most extraor-
binary sumptuous opium den, such as
ono might dream of after reading
arabian Nights brought me back to
the reality of life soon after my ar
rival here two years ago.
After a gay supper at which we
danced. the party went by automo-
PIE pies TO a magnificent house in the
Ilch residential quarter First we
oroFc through tho beautiful surround
ing garden.
In m Oriental Den.
Once l stepped in the house, not
inc ordinary drawing-room, but a
Iu1uriocs Oriental setting. there was
thick cloud OF smoke, strongly
scented. Women and men. attired in
aien name, mannarin robes lay pell-mell and
apparently unconscious over richly
colored carpets. while silent Chinese
knelt by them, performing mysterious
ceremonies
Others were working at the little
trays, preparing the pipes which the
men and women smoked. The strong
smell got me by the throat. very
and hurried home. Tho next day
Sarah Bernhard, who is my guardian,
told me that l had seen an opium den
couldn't tell her where II was
promised that / would never let my
SELF be led to such a place again. And
1 never VIII But 1t is not surprising
to hear that women lose their sense Of
worse In such a setting. But certain
~ the responsibility Is not theirs.
Madame Spinelli, known as the
most daring dresser In Europe, and
enc OF the most daring OF the come
School for Chickens)'. confirmed the
Judgment of others that Paris is a
dangerous place for American wom-