Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04

Xxi, Queen of Montparnasse. Born
Alice Prin, she rose from a 5O-cent-0-
week bakers helper to become the most
famous tcoman Of Paris
man really interesting Is his absolute sincerity
In the role. He is not playing the part for
mere commercial ends, Of attracting attention;
but like q boy denied reality he takes it out
In dreams. For IL years he has appeared al
ways in the identical costume He is always
dressed the same. This rope that hangs from
his bicycle, perhaps more than anything.
strikes you as proof of the actually to him for
his dream world.
So nowadays he bicycles around Montpar.
naSse. He has completed this real life picture.
The far plains of the West will never know
him; but he will die happy no doubt and Is
living happier and perhaps painting better pic
lures because Of this partial fulfllment.
4 AADEMOISELLE PRN, of all the folks In
wi this queer mad quarter, is the most
adorable of all the women.
In Alice Prin is summed up all the finest
attributes Of that personality to which the
world has given the name Bohemian
Mile. Prin sips her coffee slowly. Author,
actress, painter, ex-model, the friend Of every
great artistic figure in this quarter, the most
photographed woman in all MontparnaSse, she
Is known TO thousands. Yet If you were to
mention Alice Prin to them the name would
convey nothing. For to Paris in general her
name is Kid-Kiki, the soul of MontparnaSse,
q flaming gorgeous creature.
Even her 4-year-old long cruelty of struggle
upward from a 50-cents -a-week bakers maid,
to recognition in every field of art has still
left kindly personality. And though there
Is q lurking hint Of tragedy now in her eyes.
Ike hiO child nd
surprised at this her sympathy, her unfailing
helpfulnesS to others still has withstood too
many disappointments in her Arranging
friendships.
She deserves q whole volume, rather than
this brief recital She has, indeed, written her
own life in French; but there is no magic in
the English translation to give the true spirit
Of the writer. Thus the unimaginative Gus
toms inspectors in the United States at least
have barred the book for its too Latin frank
ness, an open reference to certain phases Of
life not being welcomed on these shores.
A T II, just shortly before the war, Kiki came
to Paris to take up life's battle. She went
to work in q book bindery, then boot factory.
then making ammunitionS. From this to q
bakery where she ran errands cleaned house.
made beds, handled -four But the bakers
lady fired her because she blackened her eye
brows with a burnt match.
While looking for work she met sculptor
WnO charmed WITH ner 1reSn country air, ASKED
her to pose. At first she was terribly embar-
raised. But gradually she became used to 1t.
The studio was near where she lived. Some
one told her mother her daughter stood naked
In front Of q man. The mother arrived uneX.
pectedly at the studio and discovered her.
Without q home, Kiki became an out-and-
out Bohemian. The rest Of the artistic quar-.
ter, little richer than she, took her to their
heart A mans hat q cape, shoes too large
for her she wore with q jaunty air, for her
heart was light and her health was good.
From posing in many studios she felt stir with
i'm her q desire to paint Men whose names
are now becoming well known around the world
gave her lessons.
And so step by step she progressed until, II
years after she had come to Paris as q little
Burgundian peasant without education or any
knowledge Of life, she is known as Kiki-queen
OF Montparnasse, and her friends are legion.