At the Bal

Tuesday, February 14th., Rue de Calais, Paris. 

I went to the new Bal Tabarin last night. I think it is the only ball in Paris that is open every night. I saw the famous "La Gouloue" there perched on a high chair at the bar; a round, vulgar, rather merry face, looking more like a bonne than a dancer and a dompteuse des lions. 

Louise Weber (1866 – 1929) , born in Alsace-Lorraine, was a French can-can dancer who performed under the stage name of La Goulue ("the glutton"). She also was referred to as the Queen of Montmartre. Having achieved both fame and fortune, in 1895 Weber decided to part company with the Moulin Rouge and strike out on her own. She invested a considerable amount of money into a show that travelled the country as part of a large fair; but her fans who had lined up to buy tickets at the Moulin Rouge did not take to the new setting, and her business venture turned into a dismal failure. Following the closure of her show, La Goulue disappeared from the public eye. Suffering from depression, she drank heavily and dissipated the small fortune she had accrued while dancing.

With an expenditure of 7 francs on drinks with another ex-dancer, I learned something about the life of the paid dancers in public balls. They get four francs a night, "et elles peuvent trouver de bons amis", said the ex-dancer, whose younger sister, a fine big girl with a clear complexion, was dancing the quadrille realiste on the floor. This sister I was told made 5,000 francs besides her pay as a dancer during the short season at the Jardin de Paris last year.

For more on the Bal Tabarin see 'A Paris night'

A Paris night

Monday, May 1st., Les Sablons.


On Saturday I dined with Martin at the Restaurant Italien and then we went to Buffalo Bill. Most lugubrious, for besides bad weather there was bad lighting and little to see. We left almost at once and went to the Bal Tabarin in "the ball of the models of the two salons."

Buffalo Bill Cody (1846 - 1917) was a buffalo hunter, Indian fighter, scout and showman. After a varied career on the American West, Buffalo Bill created a travelling show called "Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World". The show featured displays of horsemanship by American Indians. Sitting Bull and other famous American Indians from the Old West appeared in the show, as well as other notable personalities such as Wild Bill Hickock and Annie Oakley. In 1905 Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West show visited the glittering capital of France.

Bal Tabarin was the name of a cabaret located at 36, rue Victor-Massé in the 9th arrondissement, Paris, France. It was opened in 1904 by the composer and orchestra leader Auguste Bosc (1868-1945) and was an immediate success.

Towards midnight there was a colossal crowd. Indeed I have never seen such a sight at a ball. A group of middle-aged married men on the loose like boys were near to us, and also a group of American girls in charge of a man. When the defile began it was impossible to move on the ground floor; the air was full of serpentins, and the band was deafening. The cocottes were perhaps not worthy of the occasion.

I left Martin there at 1.30, after having drunk more champagne than was absolutely necessary to sustain life. I got to Les Sablons at 12.30, dead.