Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1872-03-07
AWKWARD SITUATIONS.
What the Want of q Little POlitcneSs
Sometimes Costs n Man. g..

What the Want of q Little P0litcness
Sometimes Costs ~ Man. g.
In the days of the French Empire, Marshal
Mcmahon, having become father, went to
the Mayorality at the city of Nancy, to have
the infants birth and name registered, as re-
quired by law. He was accompanied by
nurse, carrying the babe, and two relatives.
"You must wait" said the clerk on duty.
who did not know the Marshal The latter
took seat and waited. A quarter of an hour
elapsed. The clerk, meanwhile did nothing.
He deliberately arranged and rearranged his
pens and paper, he then cleaned his nails with
a penknife, and ignored his visitors entirely
The Marshal remained calm and impertur-
bable; his friends showed signs of indigna-
| ton, but he signed to them to remain quiet.
At length the clerk, taking up pen and
opening registry, said "Well, what is
your name, sir? You are the father of this
child, suppose? What is his name?'
"Write! said the Marshal, cody, Eman-
uel, son of Patrick Murice de Mcmahon, Duke
of Magenta, Marshal Of France, here before
you"
The pen had dropped from the trembling
clerks hand. The Marshal did not report
him He considered the fright he had given
| the official punishment enough. ,--.,
A story of somewhat similar kind is re
| lated in which another distinguished soldier
| was an actor. 1t was in the early days of the
English expedition to Portugal and Spain, to
aid those countries against Napoleon. In the
chief clerks office of the War Department at
London, there was a lull one day in business,
and all the employees had gone out for while
doubtless ''tO see a man"-leaving one
young scion of aristocracy, lolling at his desk
| pairing his nails, and otherwise illustrating
his admiration of red tape and his contempt
| for the rest of the world. A sharp, decisive
voice at his ear startled him, and caused him
| to turn round on his chair more rapidly than
was his wont. At the railing at his elbow
| stood II short, spare, clean-shaven man, of
| erect figure and cold, severe manner. His
| dress was that of o civilian. -, s... ...
"Fill out those papers at once, SIR" said
| the stranger, sharply and peremptorily, hand
| ing 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 may
you be sir?" said the official at last, in rather
indignant yet sneering manner. .p..
The visitor cast one searching glance, at,
over and through the pert young man, and
then said in his peculiarly clear, sharp, cold
General. leave for Lisbon tomorrow morn
ing. Young man, fill out those papers at
once" '.l. .s4"@I aoH IL --lt
The clerk was overwhelmed with confusion
and dismay. Wellesly stopped his apologies
short; turned on his heel and left, saving as
unmoved as ever: ''Fill out those papers at
once. l shall return for them in fifteen min
utes." ..-. 100. s.,,-
Nothing more was heard of it. But that
clerk was notably polite after that to unknown
| Rather early one morning, during the late
| war, while the Confederate General J. Il.
Magruder, had his headquarters at Houston,
one of the Texan officers of his staff, q tall,
| tine-looking and talanted young MANA gen.
eral favOrite with everybody-was seated in
the Adjutant-G Generals office alone His
brother officers and the clerks had not come
! in yet, so early was it. The Major was lonng-
ing at desk, reading paper, with his back
| to the door. -t'.-"-l '>'J .. tjH.'.
A slight noise at the door, attracted his at
tention; but he did not look up. II wish to
see General Magruder," said the calm, pleas
ant voice near him. "He is not down yet, -
said the Major, .glancing moment from his
paper ut the visitor, quiet gentlemanly look
| ing man, evidently just off trip. '~"
when will he be IMP" asked the visitor,
in the same pleasant voice and manner.
'Can't exactly say" answered the Major,
reading away. "Are you on duty here?'
said the visitor. "Well-yes-I believe 1
am--rather," answered the Major. ''May 1
| AnHuhO Jou oAO Ou silC otah luCilCu tlc
visitor, in his politest style. 'T-believe-
yes-I anon the-staff," was the slowly
delivered answer. "Will you be kind enough
to say to the General that called to see him?"
"Yes-I-will." ''Thank you. Good morn
ing" and the visitor turned to go. ..a.' '.
The Major let him get as far as the door,
and then reused himself. "Hold on min
ute, my friend!" he exclaimed. The other
stopped and looked back. "You forgot to
give me your name" said the Major
MY name! l thought you knew it"
''Now, my friend, how should know the
name of every one who comes here to see
General Magruder!" ''Oh! you are quite
correct, sir. Well. my name is Smith"
'Smith! John, / suppose! We have fifty
John Smiths day, my friend, to see General
Magruder. Which one are you, pray? There
is Smith and Smith, you know" 4
Quite right, again. Pray oblige me by
informing General Magruder that General E.
Kirby Smith called to see him.
And with an amiable smile, and slight,
but graceful inclination to the young man,
the distinguished visitor left the room.
The Major was astonished-as the boys say,
''you bet he was!" He, with consumate
tact, at once told the story on himself, and no
one enjoyed the comic side of the situation
more than General Magruder and General
Smith. ....,.. i... ..ty...
/ WASHINGTON, February ss.--Schurz pre-
sented to-day numerous memorials from var
| ious parts of the United States, with 10, 407