OUR PARIS LETTER

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 82, 5 April 1924, Page 13

OUR PARIS LETTER

BACK TO "TAILS"

WAR ON THE DINNER JACKET

(rEOS OUE OWN OOREESK«n)EKT.J. PARIS, stu February.

The war declared on tlie dinner jacket in modish male circles on both sides of the Channel has been carried to the coulisses of the Paris Opera. It is to be tabooed in favour of the complete reinstatement of "tails," and there-is considerable discussion as to correct wear and a little effervescence among the- elect who have tto right to penetrate behind the scenes. The white bow and the black cravat of generous dimensions favoured by -the • ueaux of the Second Empire each has its partisans. Again, shall the glossy, tile or the crush hat be regulation wear.' If the scintillating .silk, shall it be worn straight or back on"the cars? If the Gibus, shall it be hugged under the arm or held fully extended? Then there is the question of the waistcoat—full opening of v-shape, pique or silk; moire or plain? Pitfalls always abound iff waistcoat selection. Obviously the pro-, blem is many-sided. But one thing is clear; the dint'er jacket, ojr "smoking," opening or v-shape, pbqtfe or "silk; moire neglige. The right'to wander behind thescenes or to the foyer de la danse is the privilege of male subscribers (people, who rent boxes or. stalls permanently), :but,it is barred to women subscribers. Why I Perhaps it is a concession to ancient custom, perhaps to domestic felicity. .The late Shah of Persia is an historic exampleof a frequenter of.the coulisses who stubbornly refused to' conform to /the full evening dress rule which -was then in force, and in deference to his royal rank he was allowed .to wear a dinner jacket.

IRRESISTIBLE TROUSERS.

A Parisian, returning home from a holiday in Normandy, took a night train from Caen, and, having a couchette,' or sleeping-berth, in a first-class carriage, he not unnaturally removed his trousers before going to bed. When he woke this indispensable- garjnent had vanished. Under cover of an- overcoatj he reached the luggage room at the Gare Saint-Laz-are, and obtained another pair -of trousers from one of his trunks. Inquiries showed that the missing pair, which wera quite new, had tempted'the'guard, who' could not resist taking them.j The guard, who made a full confession, has been allowed to remain at "large, he being the father: of a large family.

GOLD FROM HELIUM.

Dr. .E.- P. Roger, writing in the Matin. :predic'tsHhat in a period which-may he from two to ten years,' science \ will discover how to manufacture gold. It is already, recognised, he says, that heliunV can be made with radium,; and it'is certain that one of these days'helium wiU serve to make-gold.' -These questions have i_ not reached. the stage of actual practice, but in theory they are absolute, and the theories are sure to be put into effect one.of these days. •. • - /-• FIGHT FOR-A WIFE. ; ■

A Paris Judge will soon be called upon to exercise the wisdom of Solomon." A Levantine naqjed-. Bazan arrived in Paristo find a woman he had always regarded as his wife "married"- to a compatriot. Bazan asked the other to hand her over, ! but No. 2 told him he was legally married to the .woman according to the laws of his country—a simple ceremony, since it consists.of appearing before':four cot religionists and getting them to make out a marriage certificate. Bazan wag'abTe' to show , that a priest of the Greek Church had blessed his union, and he also had regulation-marriage lines, but Nq'.'2 refused-to surrender the woman. She herself was not.helpful. l She declined to make a choice, and said she would take the husband the Paris Courts gave her !■■ And this is how the matter stands.'

BABY SKYSCRAPERS.

_ Acting presumably under the influence of the fact that building land is-scarce, the. city authorities have just passed plans for two blocks of flats which will" he baby skyscrapers. The idea appears to be commendable; if tho ground area of the city is inadequate the piling,.pf one house on top of another should- solve ■ the difficulty. * Land prices .automatically become reasonable, too, 'if it is permissible ,'to add a few stories beyond tlm number . that, has- been customary hitherto. The two "near-skyscrapers" are to be erected oh the Ruedes Vignes and the Rue dcs Mareniers-in-Passy, and will have eight and nine respectively. It may reasonably be assumed that they will be the- forerunners of other giant tenements. .-":'. •.: "

HIS WISH < FULFILLED.

Mme. Carbaut, a. fortune-teller, carrying on, business in.the Rue dv Pre Saint-Gervais, was visited ok Tuesday by a well-dressed man, whom she took to be a new client. Assuming that the case was one of unrequited, love, she offered him a piece "of sugar, over which, she said,1 she had. cast a spell so that, if he atn it, the' object of his affections, would be sure to 'treat him well/ He replied that he was not'in love":. She thereupon concluded ' that he wanted, to know whether his enterprises would be crowned with success, and, producing a pack o£ cards, she requested him, to think of something. He did.so,; and she exclaimed, '.'Monsieur,' you are bdrn under a lucky star! Your wish is certain to ba fulfilled." "I have no dbnbfc about it," replied the visitor; "I am the police commissary, and jny. idea is to arrest yoa. You will please come to the station with me." -■ '■';'.

THE ZEALOUS POLICEMAN.

. There is a policeman in .Paris whose zeal in the interpretation of his duty should earn him promotion, 'provided he does not exercise it-so strictly as he did the other evening. A fire broke out in the Rue- Boissiere, and with commend, able . promptitude' firemen were soon speeding to the scene of the blaze.; At lie com.Tr of the Avenue Kleber and the Rne Boissiere the engine was focused by the eagle eye'of the: policeman. His hand shot up, and he called on it to halt. With' a swish and la-grunt the rashing vehicle came to a standstill and a fireman jumped down. "What's the matter?" he asked hurriedly; The policeman pointed to the headlight of the engine. . "Your lamp ..has gone out," he explained. ,' DROWNED AFTER DEFYING LAW.

After .having given his dog a-bath' in the Seine close to the Pont dcs Arts, Jean Petet, a market'porter, decided to refresh himself also! He, accordingly took.off -his-.clothes and dived into the river. . He had. no sooner risen to the Rurfaco than he heard the voice of a . policeman ordering him to come out at once. . Knowing that he was liable to be summoned' for bathing without proper attire. Petet resolved at any rite to finish his swim, but he had only made a'fewmore strokes when he was'seen to throwup his arms and sink. He had either been taken ill or attacked by cramp. A boat-wan obtained as soon, as possible, but there was no sign of the unlucky swimmer. His body was found under a pontoon about an hour later

WHAT HELD UP THE OMNIBUS?.

Scene: An omnibus, bound for the Porte ds Versailles. As usual, so late ai night, an invasion of homeward-bound

theatregoers .takes; place, in. the .Place da ia. Bourso, A man who jumps on after the fatal word, "Complei !" is uttered, is thrust o2 the step, by the conductor. A etout passenger on.'the platform remonstrates with the conductor.' who retoris vigorously. .. The . discussion warms ixpt and the conductor is called a todrte. It is difficult to say why an apparently, hai-mless word, originally applied.to" a lund of raised; pie, should have acquired the meaning, of "idiot,"" but that, "at any rate, is.-what the conductor understands, and it annoys, him extremely. At the Palais Royal, he calk.a policeman fiud complains of the stout man, adding "I can't make him. shut up!': \'&B. the °Js?'.. passengers •; on '.the -. platform-; gixe their views simultaneously. The poKcemari listens'.judicially.Tdnd" remarks Ah""a£ if every, passenger is .going .to teach Uhe conductor his duty, there will be no end to it. After fully ten-;minutes v"debate, during which".the insidei passengers: amuse themselves by shouting,1, -.Cordon,' Vil | vous plait! ' and inquiring whether they are to be kept -out all "night,'the stoot man on the platform' gives, the poKce--jmanhis card, arid the omnibus at last goes on. ■.:;.■■■.. ..-..., ... „.,:..„ '. r .