The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-26
For the National Era.
BE LII SMITH ABROAD.
No. XII.

| For the National Era.
BELL SMITH ABROAD.
No. XII
THE ARCHBISHOP'S COOK.
| DEAR FRIEND: We have been invited to the
palace. We have been invited to all the pal
aces. ought to give these facts in separate
letters so that you would have space to breathe,
and time to recover from the astonishment
know we do not deserve this-it is too good for
us-but when honors are thrust on one, it is
not prudent to decline them, for they may never
arrive again Now, do not propose to tax
your credulity too far, by leaving you under
the impression, that the Emperor has found
us out and invited US to come and pass little
time with his family, in social, transformations
way By no manner of means the truth is,
| have seen his Majesty but once, and then
mere glimpse-we are not ON visiting terms, as
we say at homeland, instead Of being invited,
in an impressive manner to drop in and stay
few days, enc day, on attempting to enter the
Tuileries, merely to lock at tho upholstery,
were informed by tall gentleman in white
stockings embracing some false calves that it
was quite impossible, as the Emperor and fami-
ly were then its occupants Ii was not much
of disappointment, for you gre we'll aware
have no great taste for upholstery, but as the
royal carriage drove to the entrance, insisted
upon our party remaining to see France on an
airing. We did not have pleasant time while
waiting, for we withdrew to the railing, where
q crowd of iders were gathered, and peered
through the bars. After little while, Napo-
leon, accompanied by the Empress, made his
appearance.
He is not the brightest specimen of young
man, appearing decidedly heavy, and suspect
was rather disguised with our conducive did
not shout much. An Englishman near me
gave some hearty vivas very badly pronounc-
ment knew, precisely, whatsentiments John Bull
was uttering. The tall man in white stock
ings, assisted by half dozen others expressed
q strong and loud wish for the long life Of the
Empire. presume, in a decline of the EN-
pire, his false calves and white stockings
would go down. as all stand upon the came
Legs mean no pun. The Empress is not so
lovely as | expected to see this descendant of
Gusman tho Valiant but graceful and dressed
in subdued, pleasant style. They dashed
away, surrounded with guards; and that was
my first and last sight of the royal family.
Of course, such slight acquaintance prom
Uses little in the way of invitations, but We have
a friend at court-a friend oficial-one of the
household, who invites US to come at all hours,
and look about at all leisure-gaze at the beau
tiful pictures and statues, the golden hangings
and the silvery satins, as if they were our own.
Now, if | had little regard for the truth,
would leave you uuder the impression that this
friend was prime minister, or lord cardinal,
or at least an aid-decamp-a favorite at court,
with pale, delicate face, youthful grace of fig
ure, raven curls, and dark moustache. But |
cannot; however painful to own, our friend at
court is the cook-one of the royal cooks-and
Jean Baptiste is a royal cook in every sense of
the word.
Now, know that this imprudent revelation
will startle some aristocratic friends; and when
| return they will not call upon me-perhaps
cut me dead. Now, protest that, as living,
plain republicans, we should not set such store
upon pOsition-and not regard the calling, 80
that it be honest But if we do consider titles, |
am not so sure that there was much of de-
scent in our making the acquaintance of q
royal cook. | suspect that by the aristocracy of
Europe, who settle all such things royal cook,
a head bottle-washer to the Emperor, would
be considered as outranking republican ex-
judge, CT colonel or general, or any other of
the vast army of the titled in our Union. The
royal cook has the advantage of at least fol-
lowing useful pursuit, and basing his title
on something-which is more than | can
say for come of my American friends when
here, who run after and stoop before certain
gentry-such, for instance as the Right Hon.
orable Lord -, of Castle -, High
Keeper of the Robes and Most High Custodian
of the Bootjack to her Majesty Queen Victoria,
Sovereign" &C., which Office is something of q
sinecure "Oh, simple republicans as Car
lyle says, eye who condemn the swallow tail
and make war on the false calves CT the conrt
costume, bow not down before the high Custo-
dian of the Bootjack! !" But add, let me in
trcduce you to good fat jolly, Jean Baptiste, the
J royal cook, who asks no lowly homage but is
quite condescendng and kind to us
: Our acquaintance with Monsieur the Cook
came, like many other good things in this world,
quite unexpectedly, and in this manner. His no.
liness the good Archbishop of - had visited
) Paris for medical advice, as the old gentlemen,
approaching eighty years ofage, found lit difficult
to carry any disorders whatever with that many
winters-from one to thirty We should count
by summers from that until the closing scene,
. by winters. He with his family consisting of
a sister. almost as old, and much thinner than
his excellency and young girl, a relative,
ward, and exceedingly beautiful, with their do
mestics occupied the grand apartments of mai
son, while We he'd the petit apartments ON the
same floor. The difference in way of grandeur,
was decidedly in favor Of the grand apartments
the comfort lesnt towards the petit. say this
in extenuation-for, although we had beau
tifnl view, from one set of our salon windows,
of the Queen of Swedens gardens, another Get
looked into the srchb:shop's kitchen but they
were very comfortable, nevertheless Lying upon
the sofa twothirds of my time, with my back
to the lighter windows, for the sake of the
French romances was reading, every time
paused to reflect upon the acts of Dumas's gi-
ant killers, or Hugo's poetics, my eyes would
naturally fall into the kitchen of his excellency
the Archbishop, where that jolly, royal cook
was pursuing his avocations. | suppose my
little, gale face telling of evident Illness smote
upon the tender heart of Monsieur the Cook,
for he inquired anxiously of Nannette, my maid,
as to my health and from this he, with many
apologies went 80 far as to prepare little del
icacies. which he assured Nannette would be
of immense benefit to madame's health. The
Archbishop's ward, who used to be in the kitch-
en- one-half her time, chatting with Jean, be-
came intensely interested, and the de!icacies
came in her name. gave Jean full credit for
ALL however, as he was never 80 happy as when
doing a good-natured action.
| picture charity now, not a slender maiden
wrapped in q sheet and set on monument
but as a fat, merry cook, under paper cap
with a multitudinous white apron, that looks
az if its creation had affected the price of
things; but above all, do | see as charity the
full red cheeks and merry eyes which seemed
to be strainipg themselves to look over the
round checks, and see what the mouth was
about; and if it saw the fun of the thing much
as they did and then they reflected themselves
in the nose-the jolly, red nose; Jean never
worked, it was play, mere play; be the kitchen
ever 80 full, and q famous dinner ever 30 near,
Jean would find time to lean out OF the wln-
dow and chat with the begpar on wooden