SGAEE LIFE IN PARIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11046, 25 February 1898, Page 7

SGAEE LIFE IN PARIS.

Endless chapters have been written of the cafe life of Paris, as seen at night on the '• grand; boulevards of the north ■ side and " Saus Miab," as the Boulevard "Saint Michel is nicknamed, on the south side of the Seine. The glitter ana abandon and inebriation have been pictured by the greatest and weakest of writers as though that were the typical cafe life of the gay metropolis, and they so dismiss the matter 'as though there were nothing more to say, not recognising that this is but an incident of Parisian existence-Hbat • there, is. a quieter, finer, universal custom, which. has a vital, lasting influence upon the; character of all Franca, for it is foiled not only in Paris; but iti eveiy city and town in the land. ■' ' * . \'i

A few hundred men and women assembled nightly at half a dozen cafes on the Boulevard Saint Michel, within a distance of a few blocks. One or two similar resorts are near the western terminus of-the Boulevard Montpormesse, and | there are a few of lesser notoriety in and around the Rue de la Gaite, All are in urgent and uncanny cariosity, but it is the'conviction that Paris is not seen and' known until all. the loud theatres and dance halls, even the Boilier and Moulin Rouge, have been visited. Therefore it is that in these supremest of paradises of the immoral one may almost any evening see a representation of, the absolutely respeotabla. A few nights since, in those hours when, the abandonment is most' reckless, I stepped into Maxime's to make 3 passing study of the scene, and not the least - conspicuous party present was a little circle of Americans. One, a young woman whom I knew to be a devout worshipper at church, both here, and at home, was drinking wine, smoking a cigarette, and viewing the .whole wild .scene with, the eyes of a comfortable philosopher. As for the .cigarette, however, that is common. I was.one of a like:dinner party at a private house in the American colony the other evening where the hostess and every lady guest puffed their cigarettes with infinite zest as they sipped .their qoffee.V •:■'■'•■ "'-'''^ ••-■•-"■■''• f-'->:/ '. "■-■ ,''''v--: :■

. ii*m:twa'tbat; Dr: Parkhurst, irhoS Jiut been here for a few days, made the rounds of the danes halls and all-night cafes ; and I do. not doubt it, for; that ism part of his scheme for universal reform. '

I touch upon the character of these cafes to emphasise the fact that they are bat incident, and in no wily indicative of the wonderful cafe life of Paris, which is so prb-' found in its effect upon the temperament of the French. One might almost truthfully say that the French do not live at home, bat at the cafe, They sleep »t home, and the chief meals of the day may be eaten at home, bat the social life is at the cafe. If . there be an hour of. leisure during' the day it' is spent. at, the cafe. If a half or* a whole holiday be possible, family- or friends, parents and children, go to the parks' or make cheap little excursions to, the- suburbs, and the relaxation 'is heightened and perfected by a seat at the cafe, where all the small and large! ' gossip of the day is attacked from every point of; view with; as much energy and enthusiasm as though it were the deepest problem of universal science. The day's labours finished) all thought of work Is. put. aside until the morrow, and families of all classes go to the cafes. The evening is spent there, even until midnight or later. Social intercourse is of the liveliest and happiest character. Everyone, even the children, sips light wines or cordials or beer. Little social card games are played with extreme zest, but rarely for stakes involving more, than a found of drinks. There is little treating, excepting the head of the family, who, of ■ course, pays the whole score for wife.ot. children. ':..'.'■■....'..'.

. Almost;, invariably each person pays; for what he orders. Drnnkenness is a rarity, The least evidence of intoxication is hardly ever evident. That is*, confined almost wholly to the cifes pf-the fasti element,' and is there' seen only as the . night * wanes. The < myriad of cafes are social meeting places, and not. devoted to the practice of excesses. In pleasant weather the eating and drinking are almost, wholly done upon the sidewalk. There is no reproach against drinking.. It is for pleasing stimulation and increase, of social enjoyment, and not for intoxication.

■ No one can measure the effect of this universal social intercourse o£ the cafes.. For one thing, it makes the male club practically impossible. The. club, which is so important an institution in Great Britain and America, is here unknown. The cafe is the political, social, literary, and artistic salon. It is ttaa place where all measures are discussed. The interchange of opinion leads to a "general intelligence. -There is no c&ste. While a cafe is. selected according to the means, of tha patron, the working man in his blouse is perfectly welcome anywhere. The families whose homes .are cheerless may pass their leisure hours amid most pleasing companionship. The cafe' is really an annex to theii home, rent free. There truly "the caraH 'that infest the day fold their tents, like, the Arabs, and silently steal away."' That thai* life is one of the secrets of French vivacity, love of action, of grace, of form, of 'colour, can,hardly be argued against. It is th« mainspring of their content and enthusiasm, land gives access of thrift and industry, instead of corrupting-and impoverishing. .It has no part with the excesses of the garish spots of the boulevards. ;;■;,;

-Opponents of this view may point to the prevailing idea in regard to France that ita people are the most immoral and. vulgar iv the civilised world, but .that reputation is a fiction, it is gained simply because the vulgarity and immorality are flaunted upon tin surface of affairs. They are frank and open To say what they think is a characteristic.

One important departure in the drinking habits of the French cannot yet be analysed as to its results. The consumption of absinthe is vastly increasing. It is a pleasant but dangerous beverage, and the moralists look upon its greater popularity with some alarm. On the other band the consumption of beer has increased a thousandfold within the last 10 years. Ten years ago ;there was no French brewing of malt liqoors that was fit to drink. Now the consumption of beer is almost-as general as in Germany. Great French breweries are making excellent light and dark beers, and the beer of Bavaria,, the best of all beers, is found at nearly every prominent cafe. Some say that this' remarkable change is due to the inferior quality of French wines of late vintages. However that may be, it will be a curious study to note the effect of the revolution upon the French character.—Pittebnrg Dispatch. ! .■■•..■■

— The latest thing in street paving ig to pub a layer of expanded iron on the ground and spread t. Ujer of concrete over it, and then asphalt over the concrete, The idea is that the expanded iron prevents the pavement from inking, ,