The Pariahs Of Paris

Eight in the vfry heart "f París, in the Kuc dc Lyonnais, and nexi door to -.'ie chuivh of St. Medard, the visitor who has eowrage enoagh fco see sncli a sight mny ünd a lodging-house and resi;iui-:i'ii frequented and patronized by the terlahs of Paris. The sombre building, eovered with smoke, and begrimati without and wiihin, lias no ig lacard. lis owner has not christened his botise with aaj ighsoutirting ñama to qualify the word "hotei" andthe lantern whieh hangs out at the tirst Booralonê iudicatea that lodgingmay be hut) within. The winlows (3 ïhe ground floor are closed, and liic panes have been careftilly whitéwashed to save cuvtains. Now and then a tnp ' omes slonching down the stivet. puahs with bis siiouldw i the greasy door, and enters. ïh4 hesitating woáderer, who casts bis eje ip n the lantern and uhuddeni wheu lic, i'eaehea the door as Si all hope wi.iv abandoned, hus, perhaps, seen better day !í:; demeanor contrasta strai ; ly with that of the next corner, who hai hin . mds in his pocket, jiaglingtSii few coppers which will enablfl him to .rit and' drink. OS wel) as oblain a I)im'. All gurts and oonditionsof men H )í iva, to the Rué dea Lyonnais. The-.ace v.;s a reputatioi) lor cheapncssj and poret,y v-v.'s men strangé and compantous, so 1 h;tt the fastiiioi-s must ]ut all their Snerfeeln their pockets vvhen they 8n4 that their ideas are not counter-balanoed by a certain sura of money snfficieut to enable them to maintam their repütatiou. low the man who has just gone in, who looks lik.; a student of the Kaoul Kie-anlt school, and who eairied a bundlé of manuscript under liis ann, as if he liad been taking copieus notos at sosne lecture, or had beeu copyiugsome data i'rom the well-thumbud folios in the public libraries. The door, w'hen pnshed open, leada to a passage, the Hoor of which is caked with dirt. In fnont are t.hestairs, and alantern hangs on dark days at the turn so as to prevent the lodgers from breaking their l&nbs. On the left of the door is the restiuirant. with its low ceiling, dirty Boor and reen tables, while m indeseribHiiniinr of damp straw, old clothes, ete., pervades the place. Honesty does not appear to be a prominent trait in the cnaracter of the customers of thia establishment. The pewter platter, which are used to protectthefood servcd from any contact with the tables, are attached to the wood with thin but stout ehains, iorthe proprietor knows that the merest tritie bas some value in the eyes of a man whose cravings and stomacb cause him to rise agaiust his neighbor, take what belongs to him, and tind some custotaerforthe stolen property. Benehes, Avorn and StSHDed with nse, are t'.'.e only seats provided, and the luxury of kuives and foi-ks is unknown. Tmn, every oustomer carries l'is own knife. and kiiow . luiw to use it in a pinch, while more than one has been arrested. by the poliee, dragged from bis lair, his hands and finger-nails hearing traces of the btoodshed he has eoinmitíed. Forks are quite superfluQUS where fingers can be used, and then meat is not eold in the restaurant. Portions of vegetables fried uii in some nameless fat had tor a penay, wliüe the boin'ilon, or broth, which has some ■ v , ca ■ ..i F v -■-- ''-- - - ■ appearan.ee, is sold for about half that sum. Contrary to fhe custom prevailing m other osta'blishiiients of tliis description, wino, coffee, nor brandy, is sold here. The only beverae the cnstomers can obtain is what the proprietor has been pleased to denominate "beer," made without hops, by the owner of the place in some dark cellar, and sold for two penee a quart- a price which effect.ually provenís any grumblin. Bread is ronerally brought into the lionse by tlie cuatomer, who can bnv old crusts and leaviugs from the reskiurants íor three halí-peuce a pouud.