The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-02-22
AWkWGRB SITUATION.
What the Want OF a LITTLE POlIteness
Sometimes Costs q man.

Sometimes Costs a man.
2 In the DAYS Of the French Empire,
Marshal Mcmahon, having become a
father, went TO the Mayoralty, at the
city OF Nancy, TO have the infants
birtn and name registered as reQuir-
ed by laE. BE was accompanied by q
nurse, who carried the babe, and two
relatives.
You must wait, - said the clerk on
duty, who did not know the Marshal.
The latter took q seat and waited. A
quarter ofan hour elapsed. The clerk
meanwhile, did nothiag. he delib-
erately arranged and re-arranged his
pens and paper; he then cleaned bis
nails with peDknife, and ignored his
visitors entirely.
The Marshal remained cain and i'm
perturbable, his friends showed signs
Of indignation, but he signed TO them
TO remain quiet. At length the clerk,
taking up pen and opening a regis
try, said: "WelI, what Is your name,
sir You are the father Of this child,
/ suppose? What Is bis name %
@Write,n said the Marshal, eOOlly,
Emanuel, son Of Patrick Maurice de
mcMahon, Duke ofbIagenta, Marshal
Of France, here before you. -
The pen had dropped from te trem-
bling hand Of the clerk. The Mar
shai did not report him. He consid-
cred the fright be had given the OFF,
claI punishment enough.
A story Of somewhat similar kind
Is related, in which another distin-
guished soldier was aH actor. 1t was
in the early days Of English expedi-
tiOns to Portugal and Spain, TO aid
those countries against Napoleon. In
the chief clerks Office Of the War De-
partment In London, there was lull
one day In this business, and all the
employees had gone out for a while
doubtless "to see q anD-leaviDg
one scion Of arist0craey, lolling at his
desk, pairing his nails and otherwise
illustrating 1is admiration Of red tape
and the contempt for the rest Of the
world. A sharp, decisive voice at bis
ear startled him, and caused him TO
turn round IN his chair more rapidly
than was his won't. At the railing
by his elbow stood q short, spare, clean
shaven man, Of erect figure and cold,
severe manner. His dress was that OF
q civilian.
"F5l out these papers at once, sin, -
said the strager sharply and peremp-
torIiy, handing the young man some
blanks.
The clerk slowly put up his eye glass
and surveyed the visitor cOolly and
deliberately for some time. "And who
the doose msy You be, sir ?h said the
official at last, in rather indignant,
yet sneering manner.
The visitor cast one searching
glance at over and through the pert
yaung man, and then said in his pc
cuiiaTly clear, shsrp cold tone: "My
nameis Wellesley. Ny rank Gener-
al. I leave for Lisbon tomorrow
morning. Young man MI out those
papers at once.n
The clerk was overwhelmed with
confusion and dismay, Wellesley
stopped his apologies short turned
or his heel and left,saying as 1nm0E-
ed as ever: '1Fill out those papers at
once. Ishau return for them IN If
teen minutes"
Nothing nore was heard of it. But
that clerk was n9tably polite aftet
that q unknown Civilians.
Early one morning during the late
war, while the Confederate General.
J. B. Magruder had his headquarters
at Houston, one Of the Texas officers
Of his staff, tall, fine looking and
talented young mana general favor
ite with everybOdy-was seated in
the Adjutant Generals Office alone.
HIS hTOtlaHr Offioers and the clerks
had not come in yet, so early was it.
The Major was lOuDging at a desk,
reading paper, with his back to the
door.
A slight noise at the entrance at
tracted his attention, but he did not
look up. 81 wish TO see General Ma
gruder," said a calm, pleasant voice
near him. HHe is not down yet"
said the Major, glancing moment
from his paper TO the visitor, q quiet,
ge1tl6manly looking man, evidently
just of q trip.
when viii he be in?i asked the
visitor in the same pleasant voice and
manner. s'Can,t exactly say" an
sWersd the Major, reading away.
''Are you on duty here?'' said the
visitor. "Well, yes, I believe I am,
rather!" answered the Major. "ALay
inquire if you are on the staf?'l que
ried the visitor, in bis pOlitest style.
81 --beiie Ve -yes-I lam -on-tbe-I
stad, " was the slowly delivered an
swer. "Wil you be kind enough to
say 70 the General that I called to see
him ?" -aEE
s'Yes-I-Will.n
THANK you. Good morning riand
the visitor turned to 60. -sF
The Major let him get as far as the
door and reused himself. s'HOId on
3 minute, my friend % exclaimed he
The other stopped, and looked back.
You forgot to give me your name"
said the Major.
HAIy name, I thought you knew
"Now, my friend, how should I
know the name OF every one who
comes here to see General Magru-
der ?n
"Ohl you are quite correct, sir. Well
my name is Smith,"
s'Smith John, I suppose? We have
fifty John Smiths day, my friend,
10 see Gen. MagTuder. Which one
are you, pray? There is Smith and
Smythe, you know"
'9uibe right again. Pray Oblige
ne by informing Gen Magr1der that |
Gen. Kirby Smith called to see him. - /
And with an amiable smile and a /
light but graceful inclination to the |
7oung man, the distinguished visitor /
eft the rOoll.
The Major was astonished-as the
)oys say, ',you bet he was % He,
With hcOnsumTnatet tact. at once told thel
tory on himself, and no one enjoyed
he comic side of the situation more
han General Magruder and General