The Washington herald., 1922-09-23
Touring Europe,
Day BY Day
BY o. o. Mcintyre

I
Paris. Sept. 22.-Today Is my last
day in Paris. It is not easy to
leave the Parasites--the term Is
used advisedly after checking up
my travellers checks. Paris tugs
at the purse strings as well as the
heart strings. Someone has said:
"See Paris and dier' GIobe-trot-
ters long for II whether In faroff
Yukon or under the blaze of the
Southern cross.
In London one feels less the for
eigner. There Is a kinship there
that is not experienced In Paris.
Yet despite London's charm. its
beauty and traditions. 1t 10 Paris
that 1ulis one into 4 sense OF peace
and happiness. II II the gate in
the wall wherein one finds the
fountain Of youth.
London presents the glacial front.
Paris Is filmy. It loves and laughs
with the lightness OF its champagne
foam. 1t is as sketchy and super
ficiai to the stranger as the smiles
OF its courtesans. 1t is the ideal
spot to play. 1t is place to hide
cne's grief.
The war has left it's scars In
London and Paris but In Paris they
are not SO noticeable. This morn
ing at breakfast ] sat next to q
white-haired Frenchman who had
lost three sons in the war. You
think Paris Is gay" he said. What
you see 10 only the tlnsel that hides
a bleeding heart" And as h.
walked away an empty sleeve
flapped at his side. In his coat
lapel was red badge of courage,
1t Is bit gruesome but an Incl
dent on the Boulevard des Capu-
cines near the Cunard offices por-
trayed the spirit of Paris. There
was sudden clotting of traffic.
young grisette was caught In
the swirl. To while away a te-
dunn she cheekily applied powder
and rouge IN a mirror that faced
her. The mirror was encased in
the side of an empty hearse.
In the night haunts of pleasure
one sees young girls whose faces
bear the inexpressible wisdom of
ages. They wear Widows weeds
yet never widowed. Paris has
simply made the mourning gown
fashionable and wears It to its
pleasures.
The Parisian music hall Is more
stupid to the average American
than the music hall OF London. In
London one may at least catch the
drift of conversation. The music
hall is shining example Of the
French petty graft. One Is ex-
pected to tip the ticket seller, the
usher, the program girls. the hat
checker and carriage starter. And
IL one does not-he Is asked about
IL right out. The comedian in the
leading revue wears a blonde wig,
corset fitting coat and a ballet
skirt. The New York Winter Gar
den idea of runways down the
aisles into the audience prevails.
Each girl wears just about enough
clothes to dust off a flute and that
Is all And one of the little bits
OF merriment is to have her bare
ankles pinched by the Parisian
Johns as she runs along the ramps
France clings to its song hits In
every revue they are still singing
Mon Homme" to different words.
1t was popularized in America three
years ago.
Monday Is known as cleanup"
day In Paris. The museums and
art galleries open to the public are
closed for general cleaning. The
shopkeepers profit by this custom.
for the tourist spends his day in the
shops and he also gets his general
cleaning"
had my little joke on one Of the
n vi h,rfr A. LII
short spin I rendered a five franc
note and was given change. held
1t In my palm for him to take his
tip lie glowered and shelled out
another batch of change. The rascal
was holding out. So he got no tin.
He'll probably dash out now and hit
some innocent American In the pistol
pocket just for revenge