Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-06-26
:HiscelIaneoue.
FROM THE METROPOLITAN ron February.
THE MYSTERIOUS ENGIIsHMAN IN
FRANCE

| generate times. The outward man differed in
| nothing, but the change OF habits may be illus
| trated by the grand tourist Of 1850 offering a
| bag Of gold TO pretty merchandise in exchange
| Tor pair Of gloves; and traveller Of 1915 en-
! dcavoring TO get much merchandise as posi-
bio for five franc piece; trusting, for more at
tractiVe waresszto the gratitude excited by his
/ iberality, seconded by the basilisk influence
OF his most carnal eyes. Fifty years ago, few
| Englishmen OF moderate fortune ventured to the
continent for pleasure; while the very rich ones
fancied they were upholding the national charac-
| ter there by throwing away money, and suffer-
| ing themselves TO be pillaged and laughed at. OF
the small proportion Of wealthy people found a
nong the mass who now flock TO the continent,
scarcely any unconscious that the indiscTimi-
nate character for riches and prodigality former
| ly attached to the worshipper Of roast beef and
| game laws, is no longer 10 be maintained; and
/ the consequence OF this, has been reaction
| degrading the former excess was absurd
There now many inns at which the English
| are received with great mistrust, and actually
rejected il they attempt 10 make n bargain, as
they often do, before they alight. In a negotia-
tion from carriage window, a trading baronet
carried this system of lcsinoTie far, as 60 re-
main in his vehicle until the gates were opened
I in the morning, because the innkeeper demanded
thirty francs for supper, beds and breakfasts for
| the family. five in number, and two servants.
| The man Of eighteen thousand a year said it was
| SIX francs too much. MY dear-I ,ciA-NoT--
IT
| family would give ten francs for what | offer a
pound. And the poor wife and daughter could only
| doze, as well as cramped knees would let them,
over antcipations Of ''the beautiful things they
| expected to find without cheapening in the Rue
! Vvenne; while the hopeful he r. seated III frescO,
| kept his Imagination warmer than his knucklcs
| by arranging the "styfe'' in which he would
/, support a nymph Of the Academic Royals out Of
| his gains at the saloon.
| One specimen Of munifcent Englshman did,
! however, occur At, in 1914. This mystic
| rious original of two and twenty, took hand
! some house, Che had invincible objection to
departments brought with him carriages, and
| horses, and plate, and gave two hundred and
eighty pounds year to his (Parisian) cook.
| The house was considered as splendidly furnish
| ed by its owner, (the opulent Countess OF
| C, who quilted it with regret. she said,
! for the small matter of twenty thousand francs
| year, but the new occupant commenced making
| himself comfortable, by Competing from the gar
rets 10 the steps of the cellar, and wholly recon
struetng the coach house and stables These
/ arrangements completed, his habits of life mani
| tested themselves. He regularly rose at eight
O'Clock, breakfasted, looked TO his horses, and
directed the degree Of exercise they were TO
| have went out on foot, and commonly returned
at four O'Clock to solitary dinner, Of which, as
! well as Of the wines that accompanied it, he
! consumed but little He had Icge griliee at the
| theatre, to which he went almost every night Of
periormanca, and sometimes adjourned to a
limonadicf's. Tothc disappointment Of the fash
ionabies, he paid no visits; but those, who casu-
! ally addressed him, declared the original TO be
amiablc and well informcd; adding, that he spoke
} French with the smallest possible quantum OF
forsign accent The purchases he made, whether
| for his own use, or for presents TO his insular
| friends, were of the most costly description. and
| paid for on the instant of delivery, without any
severe criticism ON the amount charged. 1t soon
became known, that he gave away very large
sums in charity, but always after satisfying HIM
doc. md
notwithstanding the apparent isolation Of his
habits, he frequently sought out objects worthy
/ a higher reach of beneYolcnce,-In the latter
cases, the delcacy with which he covered his
| proceeding as conspicuous as the magnitude
| of relief afforded. and was always made known
| (if at alD by the recipients, in the first tnhlult
Of gratitude. In truth, the French feel an obli-
! cation conferred, more intensely than any other
pcople---for several days after On one occa-
! sion, however, the arrogance of purse power
! full Briton aid break out. He had subscribed
two thousand francs TO particular charity, and
the list was sent back TO him with the remark,
that as the nd-had only subscribed for
two thousand francs between them, it would not
1 consist with etiquette for an individual to Put
down his name singly for as large sum. Strik-
ing out his own name, he then substituted, after
| q number Of counts and barons at ten francs EACH
generals at two francs fifty centimes, aud great
manufacturers at twenty francs, "John Jones,
| Tom Biegs Bob Green, Jack Jebb, and Sam
StuDDg, Engush cODDIefs, enc lhCusaAu francs
| cach' and paid the amount Of the pseudony
nous subscription. This naturally gave offence
| 10 certain coterie, and perhaps led TO visit
that shortly ensued. The chief of the police
called to observe, that the existence OF an estab
lishment so little consonant with the secluded
habits Of its possessor, had naturally attFscted
the attention Of the authorities and, that he was
bound to require an explanation Of the motives
that had induced s'Monsieur' TO fix upon -
his residence: as some appearances seemed TO
warrant notion that he might not be the sirple
gartic,alier designated in his passports, and that
nothing was known Of the origin of the wealth
| by means of V hich he as gaining so much local
| influence.
The allocution took place at an open window;
(lor the functionary, though patiently listened
| TO, had not been invited TO sit,) and il did moi
| escape the observation Of the party addressed
! that there happened 10 be sundry gems a. artaes
loungng about the street, and that the buii belted
force, looked up occasionally at the house just
honored by an official visitor, as II they felt anN-
ious for his safety, or DESTROYS OF giving him q
| sereuade. The EnglishmRn answered more drlly
than was the custom, that he had settled at ----
because he thought he should like it-thst he
intended to stay there as long suited his pur-
pose-and that his object was by no means to
satisfy inpertinent curiosity about his fortune,
or the way in which he employed IT. Upon
this, the man Of authority prepared 10 make a
: step forward, which would have placed him on
the balcony, when something in the appearance
Of paper, extended toward him with a smile
that was half a sheer, seemed to enehain his
: lacnlties. A moment afterwards he read it, STAN
> mered, and withdrew, repeatedly bowling to the
back which was turned towards him.
On the following evening the principal func-
tionary of the place called TO express his regret
' AZ the misunderstanding" and nothing could
exceed the high consideration with which all the
= world of - treated man, whom its authority
had made sure of sending to Paris in irons, as al
r emissary or a spy of the most formidable kind
So remarkable parsonage could not be forgot
{ Ten. at least not in provincial town, howevel
c ronnlous: and when Napoleon returned from Elba
!, The notables agreed that the very fact Of hi
having had special protection from the Bourbon
l government, afforded strong presumption 0
IS his being hostile 10 the emperor's cause. Anothe
visit from the police, and infinitely more mena
: cino than the foTmer-for this time, the gcaS
S araleS were actually in the court yard and som
). of their mounted comrades patTolsd Che stree
or watched the back part Of the premises. a
arrest upon suspicion was intended, and the iene