Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-08-05

, tent with the republic. and were
utterly devoted to it's defense of
France, in the war.
At present their regulation APP
pearance is in presenting brides of
great Partisan families with tradi-
tional baskets of fruits, flowers and
primeur vegetables the morning of
the wedding. An American family,
the Whitney-Hoffs (of Detroit and
Standard Oil, in Paris) enjoyed the
honor, some years ago, when Miss
Elaine espoused young Holland
banker.
They are best known as a powerful
corporation of rude women, noted for
strong language. What is less known
| is that they are individually rich. and
! true captains of commerce-hiding
hearts of romantic bravery under the
grlmed exterior of laborerS who rise
at am.
NoU cannot tell Dame Rapplet from
, L her toughest lady helper. Today,
! at slxty-seven, she is liable to turn
up any morning at the daybreak
! auctions watching the deals of her
/. lieutenants.
! Craving excitement, fifteen years
| ago, Dame Rapplet plunged peculiar
| ". Her husband held a few shares
! in a failing boulevard cafe-the big
gest one of Paris. Under pretext of
| saving $1,000 loss, she TRANQUILITY
bought up lease. goodwill and fix
| lures, including $4,000 worth of sill
verware, china and linen. and loaded
herself with $4,000 annual rent,
which had crushed the last three
| spectators.
Ignorant Of the cafe business with
vast market routine on her hands,
she donned her black silk dress three
afternoons per week and proceeded
| to run the Grand Cafe according to
her pleasure.
She lost money. 1t was nothing.
| The late Pat Sheedy offered her the
entire rent for the rotunda. She re-
| fused II. She tyranniZeS over walters.
but gives them their meals gratis.
! She has always maintained spies"
among them to bear tales of leak
| ages and abuses. She discharged
|
bad paper money to shove" on to
| strangers. Yet when Rodolpho got
caught receiving bets on the races
| for the clandestine commission ring
/ she fought the police up to the pre-
feet for him.
Great days for the Grand Cafe.
with a beautiful daughter at the
I cashiers desk (and known to have
200, 900 francs dotD many young
aristocrat hung around.
i 1t was in vain. because the dame
admires aristocratic liberality and
ruthlessness in outsiders, but prefers
a prudent chappie in the family!
| AT the wedding with Leduc, heir
(. to the biggest laundry on the river,
we saw some five husky lads whom
none could place. Were they of the
| family? Yes in a way. They were
!; FIVE market waits whom the dame
had brought up and started in bust
ness!
Now. she has sold her lease-end Of
the cafe to west Canadian railroads
| (who have bought the building) for
100000 francs, just to get her out
and gain ossession-double, for
| twelve years. the annual rent which
! had been deemed excessive!
/ x x y
THE Baroness de Vaughan, whom
i the late King of the Belgians
! married on his deathbed, had Sis
i ter Laura. who ran a humble fruit
stand in the Gobelins markets.
| To reporters. a few years before
the war, this sister, Laura, admitted
! frankly that, with rent. spoiled goods
and license, she gained something
like $3.50 per day; but she was ut
| terly ashamed of the morganatic
queen -dowager. her sister! Please"
:. she said, don't mention our relation
| in the markets
! Worthy creature! All the ladies
knew the details, and made it a point
Of honor not to know them! Shortly
after, Laura Delacroix received a
| proposition from a business agent.
| Friends offered her the franchise and
| fixtures of valuable fruit stand in
the Central markets. Il refuse!" said
sister Laura. Il will not touch such
money"
! "You think it comes from your
sister" said the agent. ''Tranquilize
yourself. You can accept with honor.
The offer is from nine ladies of the
markets. Moved by your proud 10y
atty to the commercial class, they in
vite you to become one Of them. The
slAhd. worth $4,000, iS Q gill Or loan.
just you please Conner
Now. Laura Delacroix is weI-or
dame. And the morEanatic queen,
her sister, has sunk to oblivion!
From 10 pm till morn, the coun-
try wagons enter Paris by all gates.
They pay twenty-four cents to sta
ton in the square, and must accept
the aid of sworn strong men to I'M
load. They are the only men who
count. around. the market