elin and the Huns had probably
decided that the game was not worth the candle.

Paris, therefore, freed from worry from this source, went its usual
way at night and crowds thronged the Montmartre district, the quarter
inhabited by the student and demi-monde class. Most of the theatres
were in that quarter, and, although the majority of the regular
playhouses were closed, the picture shows and music halls, such as
the "Folies Bergeres" were crowded nightly.

There were two performances a week in the Grand Opera House,
consisting of acts from different operas. The "Comedie Francaise" the
Government endowed theatre, still gave performances at regular
intervals, which in perfection of acting were, as always, unequalled
anywhere in the world.

The Opera Comique also gave grand opera on Sunday afternoons, and the
one performance that I was fortunate enough to see--Carmen--was the
most perfect production of grand opera that I have ever seen or heard.
From the standpoint of the critic I could find no flaw, and though
Carmen is not a favorite of mine, I revelled in the perfection of
staging, acting and singing of this performance. The street and mob
scenes were so realistic that one forgot that they were not real
street scenes; the acting of the singers was so fine that one was
carried away by it and forgot all about the wooden acting of grand
opera customary in America and England; and it was only when the
curtain finally rang down that one realized that the flawless
performance had been but a play.

The restaurants on the Rue des Italiens, near the Place de L'Opera in
the Montmartre district were thronged with people. The weather was
warm enough for the crowds to sit at the tables under the awnings in
front of cafes and sip their wine or coffee, and there I spent many a
half hour after my evening lesson in French, watching the crowds
surging up and down the broad sidewalk.

Men were scarce in Paris, particularly men of military age. A few
"Poilus" home on leave, and a number of Belgians, with a sprinking of
other soldiers, were the only evidences of war. The men seen were
practically all over the military age. It was the golden age for the
"has been"; the old man had again come into his own.

The girl of the demi-mondaine was having a hard time of it in Paris.
There was no travelling public such as usually thronged Paris in
search of pleasure and excitement and upon which she had been
accustomed to batten. She was ther