New-York tribune., 1922-12-31

their species the world over. The Wieheu
little lady Of Montmartre, the doweried
Girl Of bourgeois family, the little stenog-
rapher whose pitifuI salary is eked out oy
an "ami." or the aristocratic grande dame
-each. no matter what her position IN
life. is marked in varying degree by ''a'
vague and indefnable quality that we on
this side Of the ocean call charm.
| learned a great deal about this charm
thing during the year and half ! lived
in Paris. and think can dispel Tor my
readers the mysticism that surrounds the
word In the first place. while charm IS a
subtle quality. it is by no means mys'eri-
Gus gift Of God-like genius, for Instance
II Is. with divers nuances, combination
Of personality, individuality and sophisu'
cation.
Il may be also described as a pot-pourri
Of mild vices and redeeming virtues
using both words as they are arbitrarily
applied in America, an application that Is
not valid. since Anglo-Saxon values can
not be used in judging a Latin civilization
lust as we are apt to consider certain
pbases Of the Frenchman's life, that ne
finds emincntly desirable, as vices, so ne
may think that our Puritan virtues are
futile. unnatural, and even hypocritical
and vicious.
II is not for us, with our values based
upon graceful illusions and ideals, 10 label
the Frenchmans values, which are part
Of philosophy Of life based upon disillu-
sionment and sophstication. Let me say
in passing that this disillusionment IS not
nearly as depressing as Our illusions. IL
lusions can always be, and usually are,
disappointed. Disillusionment leads one to
make the most Of life, and, not expecting
too mach, ono is often surprised by getting
more out Of it than was ever anticipated
All these things, and more, I learned
from the French girls ] met in Paris.
Each Of these, no matter how bad" had
some redeeming "goodness,' or, no matter
how "virtuous," was just human enough,
lust natural enough. and perhaps just
wicked enough TO be real and interest
ing,
There was Lucette. known as "The
Rat" a little knockabout girl, who haunt
ed the Cafe du Dome in the Latin Quar-
ter. v4mping American males with her
phrase or two Of English-or rather
American-picked up from a sailor or
Sammy during the war. She was coarse
girl Of about eighteen, not specially at
tractive and dressed in 'h& nd-me-outs"
from a sister little more fortunate than
herself, Of whom shall write anon. She
had spindle legs and arms. The latter, in
spite Of their thinness, were rarely
adorned with sleeves, and sometimes her
legs were no more clothed than hei' arms.
She had heavy mouth that infinite layers
Of rouge made heavier, and bright eyes
trimmed with black. that always twinkled
with fun, except on the few occasions
when l saw them tear-flled. She affected
a Buster Brown haircut, with n great
green ribbon bow winging away from one
side. This was, no doubt, an effort to make
Der look doll-like. And what a strange,
warped, bedraggled little doll she was!
Yes! Lucette was warped and vulgar
and thoroughly immoral, and she was on
the streets and footloose because she
chose to be, yet she had many friends
ready 10 defend her from those who did
not see in her what they saw-her sense
Of humor Awry and twisted though she
was, there were many ready 10 tolerate