A PARIS ORGIE.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume VI, Issue 60, 22 July 1897, Page 2

A PARIS ORGIE.

STUDENTS’ REVELS IN THE GAY CITY. During a recent visit to Paris, I was privileged to be present at Le Bal d’Etudiants, which forms one of the most extraordinary festivities in that fair and frivolous city. Those who did not purchase fancy raiment managed to conceive or contrive some sort of covering, and the more it departed from the garb of Adam the more wildly eccentric it was. Ordinary “ evening dress ” was ruled inadmissible, and anyone who donned it merely a butt for ridicule.

The whole of the pretty models who frequent the ateliers were invited, and every latitude in dress allowed the figurantes ; so their fair fingers were busy, and they made good use of their opportunities. The rendezvous was the Cafe d’Harcourt, whence a start was to be made in a body about midnight. At eleven o’clock the English and American students left their clubs for the Cafe, arrayed in the most extraordinary make-ups, followed by laughing, cheering, and excited crowds. The Cafe d’Harcourt wts ablaze with lights and brilliant colours,hundreds of coloured lamps and lanterns alternating with the electric light ; while inside and out a roaring trade was done among the revellers, who whiled away tho brief “ wait ” by uproariously singing the songs of the atelier.

At midnight the signal to start was given, and immediately a rush was made for the long line of cabs in waiting. Some half-dozen students would crowd iuto one, three or four more mounting the roof, and others rode on the backs of the cab horses. When each cab had its full complement of roysterers, it was driven off at frantic speed for Moutmare, the scene of the revels. Almost all the cabs were strung with coloured lanterns, which lent a picturesque effect to the long procession. The girls were “ squeezed ” into them without much care for the crumpling of costumes; aud during a block en route one of the pretty French models was executing some kind of grotesque dance on the roof of the cab next our own Songs of various nationalities wete sung, the American students giving “ John Brown's Body” with great gusto, and the lightest of music-hall ditties rang through the air. Over the river, away through the great Court of the Louvre, up the Rue Richelieu to the Boulevard des Italiens, dashed the vehicles, all other traffic giving way, and people standing in groups agape with wonder. Then up the steep slope of the Montmare to the scene of the carnival. There was a huge crowd at the entrance to the Elysee Montmare, which it took the gendarmes all their time to control. The scene of the orgies was brilliant with illuminations, and at the top of the staircase stood a large stall, where massiers were placed to identity the students, and to prevent the admission of outsiders. They were very scantily robed—chiefly with ornaments their draperies being as primitive as in the backwoods. Anyone out in “ costume ” was uot allowed to pass, and had to retire to some neighbouring cafe to disrobe and borrow some sort ot makeup, even towels beiug pressed into service. The brilliance of the ballroom was beyond description, as dazzling as a dream of fairyland. Thousands of revellers were masquerading in the most extraordinary aud unconventional attire, but it was at once the most effective and artistic scene I ever saw. It is perhaps only artists who can produce such a spectacle; and, amid all its artistic abandon and voluptuousness, the tout ensemble was admirable in its way. There was literally no restraint and no limitations in the Hall of Liberty that night. Everyone present was allowed the most liberal license ot inclination, and the girls were as chic, as be-

; ;viVCljiix£;‘aud »•** piqusiite~usf t* ar ia: ennear know how to be. Tho masquers were of the maddest aud merriest, reptesenting gods of the Greek mythology, Roman gladiators, cannibals, Indians, and savages. Home were arrayed almost in the simplicity of nature, or in bathing costumes, as acrobats and clowns, or like a drygoods store. One strapping student had simply painted himself green, aud, apart from colour, was like Adam beforo the fall. As for the girls, they were indescribable ; although lew words are necessary to describe some of the costumes, for they wore as little as possible, although no nude revellers were permitted by the police to pass the doors at the opening. Gossamer robes aud thin gauze tights prevailed, and as the night waxed and waned the surveillance was of the slightest.

The great feature of the evening, however, was the “ Graud March,” or triumphal tour of the queen round the saloon. An enormous fan, at least twenty feet in span, emblazoned with artistic designs and flowers, was brought in, and “Suzanne,” a beautiful artist’s model, who was selected as queen of the night, was placed upon a small platform in the centre of the fan. A long pink gauze veil wreathed around her person was the ouly drapery she wore. When duly " enthroned,” there were uproarious cheers, and toasts to her health and happiness. Then half-a-dozen of the most stalwart students in negligee dress, bore the fan and its burden of beauty around the ball-room, all the masqueraders falling in behind. The electric lights were turned out suddenly and some two dozen calcium lights were turned upon the fan, focussing the living centrepiece, while a couple of thousand coloured lanterns were carried by “ her majesty’s ” subjects. Some of the girls sat astride the necks of their male partners, in the procession, and one fairy-like figure balanced herself upon her kuight’s head,steadied of course by his arms During the long night’s revels four other beauties were “ crowned ” on the fan,and carried through the throng. But perhaps the principal feature at this “ Julian Bal ” was the dancing of the girls, who seemed carried away with the excitement of the scene. A circle of students, some ten deep, was formed on the floor, with the most agile dancers in the centre. Then the wildest high-kicking and most grotesque dancing commenced. Highkicking is peculiarly the forte of French girls. To see them tip hats with their toes, or send hea.l-gear spinning with their heels.on the night in question, was a caution for the sitters or bystanders. Suddenly they would spring up into the air, and come down oil the floor with their

legs apart, then up again immediately, with a quickness aud grace any professional dauseuse might envy. At 3 a.rn supper was announced, and,warmed by generous wine, he girls grew more reckless for riotous fun and frolic than before. They literally “ let themselves go ” without restraint, as the Parisienne does on such occasions. When the rollicking request was well through, they jumped on the tables and indulged in all kinds of dances and capers, kicking off globes arid decanters, aud oven the wine-glasses out of the hands of those who held them aloft. They were wild with delight, and amid it all there was an atmosphere of pure fun and the maddest extravaganza. It was such a scene as no merely 4 artificial ” ballet divertissement could rival. It was “ electric ” in vitality, spontaneous and real enough in all conscience. Then little by little the scene became more spiritless, and the langourous revellers donned their wraps,and,sated with the veriest excess of enjoyment, flitted away into the morning light. At seven o’clock the torreut of 41 life ’’ at the Elysee had subsided, and the great hall was deserted. The most successful “ Julian Bal ” that had ever been given in the gay city was over, and the giddy throng had “ paired,” or departed disconsolate, like myself, to dream, for some time at least,over one of the most vivid saturnalias I had ever seen.