The Washington herald., 1922-05-19
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NEV YORK, May 1s.-The inti-
mate French cafe that blooms in
the marble magnifiicence Of the de
luxe apartment house is . far cry
from the old rFench table d'hote
with its so cent red ink" dinner
and easy intimacy. The new is
only for the plethoric purse-the
old was for pauper and aristocrat.
The new is a hideaway for hus-
bands and wives on the loose. who
fear the glare of the supper clubs.
There Is no music. The telephone
Is banned and the lights shed Q
feeble glow. At the door one may
scan the patrons Through an oval
glass before entering. Forewarned
Is forearmed in these haunts.
Picard or JOSEF Is discreet. He
knows his clientele and he knows
the below-stairs gossip of the rich.
II he turns regular patrons away
discreetly they understand. So
much so that the next day he may
receive a good sized check for
averting an embarrassing moment.
It is a jaded crowd-riding pleas
ure with whip and spur. The sin
stained and world weary. in an at
mosphere pungent with the elusive
scents OF Araby. seeking illusions
laughter and finding fancy's tears.
In corner sits fop with the owl
ish stare OF tn monocled. A gos-
sip weakly hints he was horse
whipped by an irate Long Island
husband.
A foot-light flame with a dag
zling audacity banging from gleam>
ing shoulders enters with a white
haired cynic who has divorced three
wives in a row. And has a fourth.
She seems to say: 'T don't wans
to worry any wives but must
be amused" There is languor In
her throat. So she reads La Vie
plative smoke rings.
At another table sits a girl or'-
three years out Of a Topeka FIVE
and-ten-cent store, who by the
magic OF New York's alchemy has
been transmitted from an automatic
devotee TO a tenant in a most select
hotel. She has discarded Broadway
surface cars for platinum lined linn
cuisines manned by day and night
chauffeurs. And she cannot sing.
dance or act.
Even the entrances suggest the
liaison. From curb to door-fair
weather or fouls an awning
panoplied runway. The naughty
doorman II asked II so-and-so Is
dining there will invariably answer
mo"
Two legless men on roller plat
forms were propelling themselves
hurriedly by handstrokes to the
pavement along Thirty-fourth
street at a busy shopping hour. In
lodging the crowds they suddenly
collided. They exchanged apologies
and propelled themselves alongside
a store window where they talked
for a full half-hour and instead or
departing in opposite directions
they rolled away together.
Agnes Repplier was addressing
the English Speaking Union at the
humblest citizens Of other nations
possess the glories OF their litera-
lures. whereas the American and
EnRllSn pTOleldrldls are lHulllctchi
to the best that has been written in
their native tongues.
One of the audience decided upon
a little experiment after the meet
ing. He saw a man at peanut
stand and thinking he must be
italian spoke to him pleasant in his
native tongue. The peanut vender
looked gravely at the stranger ana
said: IT am not Italian. I am a
Greek"
"Oh." said the stranger. And do
you read the plays of Euripides?"
81 read them" said the Greek.
But I prefer Aeschylus."
Broadway novelty shops. during
the hold-up carnival, are having a
big sale of imitation revolvers.
They sell for a dollar and cannot
be distinguished from the real
thing a few feet away.