The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-01-30
President jackson Didn't Under
stand French.

PRESIDENT jackson:
But, on another occasion, his ignorance
of language did entangle him in a ridicu-
lous mistake, and almost in scrape. Du-
ring his administration, while Mr.. Louis
McLane e, of Delaware, was Secretary of
State, France sent certain dashing min
lister to Washington, a young man just
elevated above the grade of Charge, whose
passion was display. His outfit of equi-
page, grooms postillions and gold lace was
magnificent. He called on the Secretary
of State to appoint an audience with the
President and Mr. McLane, an accom-
plished, easy gentleman, begged him to call
the next morning at 10 o'clock at the State
Office, and he would accompany and present
him to the President.
Monsieur le Ministure mistook as to the
place of calling He thought he was to
call at the Presidents mansion at 10 o'clock
A. M. Accordingly in full panoply of
costume, in coach-and-four, with attend
ants, grooms, postillions, out-riders and
footmen, at the hour appointed he drove
up to the door of the White House, instead
of the State Department where Mr.. McLane
was awaiting his arrival
At that time the President was served by
French cook, and the celebrated Irishman,
Jenny O'Neal, was General Jackson's
petted major domo. The hour was about
the time of General Jackson's finishing
/ r1ttH nf tho tnina oftnr roolyfoct nrI ho
smoked, as he did everything else with all
his might. His mode was no Latakia curl,
no dreamy, thready line from barely open
ed lips but a full drawing and expanding
volume of white cloud rising up Whit after
Whit, puff after puff, and bowl and stem
and pipe all smoked as hard and fast as
they could, and the fire was red and the
ashes hot, and the whole room was SO OBJ
fuscated that one could hardly breathe it's
atmosphere or see. His usual mode of
sitting while smoking, was with his left leg
thrown across the right, and the left toe
brought behind the right bendo-Achilles,
and the long pipe stem resting on the fork
or crotch of the two knees, and reaching
| hCdiiJ w ulC hOOl. llC SluOhCu bhO Oiu
Powhatan bowl, with red stem very long.
In this attitude he was sitting and smoking
while Mr. McLane was waiting at the State
Office for Mr.. Minister, and while Mr..
Minister was riding up to the Presidential
Mansion. lie arrived-the French cook in
the kitchen, Jenny O'Neal about his bust
ness, and General Jackson alone in his of
flee. A hustle was made, bell began to
ring, Jenny was summoned to the door,
and there presented itself all this parade.
The divil the word could Jenny under
stand, and the best he could do was to run
up stairs to the General and announce
somebody very grand, but Jenny winked
that all didn't seem right, as there SEEM
ed too much fuss for that soon in the NOR
mig, and it might be, after all, an imposi-
tion. "Och, there was no telling about
the thing, it was SO unusual ~ 1t might
turn out what afterwards occurred--a Law
renee affair The General quietly replied,
"Oh, Jenny, show the stranger up--we
will see who it is" Jenny ran, and Jack
son sat smoking, when presently the room
door was thrown wide open, and manikin
of gold lace entered, cooked hat, with bull
lion and white feather. fourished in hand,
making salaam to the right and salaam
to the left with tremendous sweeps, whiz-
zing and whirring French with vehement
gesture, and approaching nearer and near
er; it seemed threatening in the extreme
The president quit smoking, beat the
bowl of his pipe in his hand, rose quickly,
took hold of the back of the chair, and ex-
claimed with strong voice. "By the
eternal gods Jimmy o'Neal, who is this?'
Jenny, with eyes and ears open, and
hands ready, was amazedly looking on,
when, fortunately, he bethOught him of the
French cook, who with his shirt sleeves rolled
up to his shoulders, and just as he was be-
sprinkled white with flour, ran up with
Jenny, arriving just in time to save Mr..
Minister'S pate from being smashed by the
chair in General Jackson's hands.
"Mon Dieup' exclaimed the cook ait
is the grand Minister of Louis Philippe |"
"Oh p said the General "walk in, sir,
there is no ceremony here !" and he was
about taking the Minister by both hands
just as Mr.. McLane entered to see the
mistake, to witness the prevention of the
catastrophy, and to enjoy the joke, which
made him thousand times afterward
"shake" with jollity "like bowlful Of
jelly"