French Copying Many Yankee Notions

1910

By Harold F. Tracey

When in Paris lately I ran across so many Yankee notions and devices that I concluded the capital of La Belle France and New York City would be very much like twins after the lapse of a few more years.

They have American dentists, American saloons, where all kinds of mixed drinks of the sort we are used to are served; skating rinks, Luna park shows, shops where one can buy shoes from the Massachusetts factories, and hundreds of other products of the States.

You can see the fair dames of France wearing the long veils which the daughters of Uncle Sam introduced after motoring became fashionable and the Parisiennes have actually adopted the big handbags that only American women formerly carried on their shopping expeditions and by which their nationality was easily proclaimed.

I also saw in many stores roll top desks, adding machines and cash registers bought in this country and in my hotel in Paris was a mammoth self-playing piano which was branded U.S.A.