The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-12-22
The Frenchman Confounded.

In the EngllSn language tncrc arc
so many words which have multi-
plicity of meanings that it is rendered
peculiarly difficult for the student or
the emiyrant to acquire. As an illus
tration the following experience of a
French gentleman, who had settled in
this country, is given, as near as posi-
bic, in his own words:
Vel, sarc, ven re grand Napoleon
vas sent to re island Of st. Helena. |
made a resolution to come to zis com-
try so l went aboard one vapor ship
and made voyage from layrc. l
Wished yer moche to learn re Inglish
language, and l studied &c convcrsa-
tons dat | hear very attentive. One
day ze captain call to &c lectlc boy,
and he say, Bring me &c glass l
take gaard of Eat, it was telescope.
Yer vel, l links to myself, glass is a
telescope.
Vel, &c ship make rout many days,
and presently l hear two Of &c com
panic speak by zemsclves of one yer
pretty lady, who was our companion
&c voyage and one says to &c ozcr,
she is yer handsome, but she consults
her glass to moche." All, | thought
to myself, Jc comprchends what you
say ; she is one philosophairc, and re-
CARDS moche wis her telescope. All,
pauvre miserable, l was all wrong ,
her glass meant her mirror ,and | plung-
ed myself into &c grand contemplation,
at so many things express zemsclves
by one word.
Yer well, We arrive at Boston and |
am lodged in ze hotel, near to &c hotel,
near to &c hour Of dinner, and | take
to myself moche chagrin, zat 1 was
not shave zat day and prezentiment
one gentlemen say to me, yer polite,
'Snir, viz you take you glass y Zen |
was yer enrage, and l say to him,
Mill tonneres, sare, vat you mean ?
Zen he present me some champagne,
and | find that glass means verrc.
All, sare, was plunged in zc profound
desespoir, for find zat all re days, &c
same words mean things yer different
and | resolv ze next times to take
guard what | do.
Vel, never mind, l 90 to re tcatcr tc
see re tragedy, and near to me zerC
stops two petit maitres VINO talk vel
mochc. Presentimcnt &c one says tC
&c ozairc, Jacques, lend me yonr glass
es.' Zen | have TO myself mochC
pleasantly, to zink zat re petit maitrC
caray mirror in his pocket; but, zarc
| find Eat re glasses means &c lunclls
what &c old people call &c spectacles
Vel, zis is very droll.
Zc next day l walk at re most quicl
to zee &c cite, and | saw a pauyrc in.
FAINT crying in &c street, and say to hin
yer sweetly, what is re mattairc, lcetlC
boy, are you sick But re lcetlC
rogue answer me in a tone yer mea!
cholie, "I've broke re glass" Nor
dieux, links |, We shall see if re pet
enfant carries spectaclcs in his pocket
But it was all anozair zing, and ! finC
Eat glass means vitre, such as We put il
re window.
Zen | go to suppair, and vile al
re people eat very moshe, | watch u
conversation again, as | am accustom
BY and bye / see on re table, vat nov
find you call ice-cream, and | spcal
yer polite to a gentleman, and | say t.
him, "Saire will you make pass t.
rue glass, if you please 2" All,
was wrong anozalr time, for &c gentle
man hand me Won wine glass. All q
peoples mock zemselves at me, and
felt yer shameface. So | resolved t,
impose silence on myself, and / ca
my leetle piece of hen without sayins
a word.
BY and by l find L must talk. s.
/ speak oft, and say to anozaire gen
tlemen, 'Zis hen is no well roast. 'Ah,
said he, you have not studied Glass.
1t was too mocbc, saire ; was enrag
again, and say, 'Saire, | am not Vol
petit maitrc, or Won young lady, zat
should all &c day study my glass; All
vat laughtaire was yer, yer wrong
for 'Glass'isz re name of you gran cook
! All, saire, tell me vot shall | do in SC
mochc difficulte? l fear myself, zat
shall make some gran four pas, for a
zese words mean so many zings."
E@- An author of love story, i