Bohemian Paris of To-day: Second EditionMorrow, W. C.
History
Bohemian Paris of To-day: Second Edition
Morrow, W. C.
Bohemianism; Paris (France) -- Social life and customs
Into this vehicle they placed a rickety old divan and a very much
dilapidated mattress; then came half a sack of coal, a tiny, rusty,
round studio stove with interminable yards of battered and soot-filled
pipe, a pine table, two rush-bottomed chairs, and a big box filled with
clattering dishes, kettles, pots, and pans. On top of this came a thick
roll of dusty, faded, threadbare hangings and rugs, and the meagre
wardrobes of the artist and the grisette; then a number of hat-boxes,
after which Mademoiselle looked with great solicitude. Last of all
came bulky portfolios filled with the artist's work, a large number of
canvases that were mostly studies of Mademoiselle au naturel, with
such accessories as easel, paint-boxes, and the like, and the linen and
bedding.
The fat old concierge stood grumbling near by, for the ropes were being
tied over the load, and she was anxiously waiting for her _dernier
adieu_, or parting tip, that it is the custom to give upon surrendering
the key. But tips are sometimes hard to give, and Bohemian etiquette
does not regard them with general favor. After the load had been made
snug, the artist approached the concierge, doffed his cap, bowed low,
and then in a most impressively ceremonious manner handed her the key,
avowed that it broke his heart to leave her, and commended her to God.
That was all. There seems to be a special providence attending upon
the vocabulary of concierges in their hour of need. The shrill,
condemnatory, interminable vocalization of this concierge's wrath
indicated specific abilities of exceptional power.
But the artist paid no attention. He hung his coat and "plug" hat on
the inverted table-leg, got between the shafts, hitched himself in the
harness, and sailed out of the court, his friends swarming around and
assisting him to drag the toppling cart away. And this they did with a
mighty will, yelling and singing with a vigor that wholly obliterated
the concierge's noise. The little grisette closed the procession,
bearing in one hand a lamp and in the other a fragile bust. And so the
merry party started, possibly for the other end of Paris,--the greater
the distance the more the fun. They all knew that when the voiture had
been unloaded and all had fallen to and assisted the young couple in
straightening out their new home, there would be a jolly celebration in
the nearest _café_ at the moving artist's expense.
So the start was made fairly and smoothly; but the enthusiasm of the
crowd was so high and the little vehicle was so top-heavy, that at the
end of the passage the comedy seemed about to merge into a tragedy. It
was announced to all the court in the shrill voice of the concierge,
who exultingly screamed,--"The stove has fallen out! and the coal! The
things are falling all over the street! Oh, you villain!"
To the movers themselves it was merely an incident that added to the fun
and zest of the enterprise.
[Illustration: 0326]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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