Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-24
EPISODE IN PARIS.
THE FASCINATING ELOQUENCE OF
THE PARTISAN sHOPWOMEN.

| THE FASCINATING ELOQUENCE OF
THE PARTISAN sHOPwOMEN.
! [From Letter by the Hon. james Brooks, in the
New York Express.l
have read Isocrates, studied Quintilian
in days gone by, read and reread Cicero de
OrGtOre, but never have so realized De-
mosthenes' idea of elOquence-actiOn, .ac-
toni as in the action of these Partisan shop
women. The dear creatures-if they only
wore trowsers, and would come over to the
United States-nOt man could stand up
against them in stump speaking. Bnt, oh, how
they tbi What marvellous tales they will
tell and how they will swear to them
and you could not help believing them all,
if you had not been standing such bate
ries Of eloquent action long lifetime. The
East India shopkeepers are eloquent, and
the Chinese have but little regard for the
truth but the French shopwoman will fib
with such grace and gentleness that she
insinuates herself into your pockets
despite your head, while all is done with such
dignifed suavity that you could not contra
dict if you would. Ifyou order garment
to be made, you have not the least certain
ty that it will be done within week after
the day promised. You make all your ar
rangements to depart on certain day, bid
adieu to your banker and settle up accounts
with him, but the promised articles do
not begin to appear. In a rage you rush
to the shop to scold.
''Madame, you solemnly promised me to
have it ready on Saturday"
"Ces gray, Monsieur, and it shall be
ready on Saturday"
'And why is it no. ready ?"
"Ah, Monsieur, you did not say this Sat |
urday if you had, it should have all been |
ready. But you said Saturday week."
This dodge was Irresistible. l gave up
in dispair, happy to have a fresh promise
that it would be done the Wednesday be- |
fore ''the Saturday week."
lectured another breaker of the prom
ises. There was no lodging the point
made with her. And l ended with saying:
81 am willing to stay in Paris all winter,
Madame, waiting for your things, if you
will only pay my hotel bills"
Madame Gin reply: 81 should be too
happy to do that, and thus have the pleasure
of seeing you every day."
What could be done with such French
politeness as that? 1 gave up, and pay my
own hotel bills, of course.
ANOTHER SCENE.
Monsieur (speaking): And they are not
ready? with sigh, and q most plaintive
look of appeal.
Madame: No, Monsieur. Such taille:
such figure Qhrowing up both hands in
the most eloquent enthusiasm.) We are
creating the most ravishing robe that ever
went from our fingers, and we have put our
best artists upon it-and do give US time.
Y GU would not hurry up Raphael or a
Guido, would you! And we shall do some
thing worthy of them.
The humbug was irresistible. The only
way to be sure of anything in Paris, in a
given time, is to get part of it, and then
threaten to go on with that part unpaid for,
and promise to pay for the rest when it is
all sent, with express expenses paid in ad-
iition. This generally produces result.
STILL ANOTHER SCENE.
A plump and jovial American at the door:
Is the jacket of my wife ready?
Madame Gn reply: "Ah, mon Dieu,
Monsieur, cannot say. l will inquire. 1t
IS most beautiful Jacket.
Passing by me in the room, into another
'oom, soto UOCe says:
knOW,t is not with an indescribable
3hrug)-but what fib shall tell him now,
e DlGlhelTelsI.
The plump American, Of course did not
get his wife's jacket.
The fact is week or two is not wasted
n Paris, to hear the eloquence of the
French shop women. 1t is more touching
han that in the assembly, now at Yer
Ialles.
And the art with which a French wo-
nan makes you bug what you don't want,
md pay her own price for it, is wonderful.
sit is ravishing," she exslaims. at ex-
Ictly fits your figure and complexion" "It
S the last great chef dguUre Of--some- !
)ody." 81 have sold just such a one to
II. your countryman, whose taste, you
Know, is perfect" etc,
But Paris is sad, sad enough just now. !
There are few or no strangers here. The
hops have but few, very few customers.
Paper money has made the expenses of liv-
ng almost as great as in the United States;
md paper money is increasing in quantity,
md prices are rising. There is snow on the
treets, and the cabs with difficulty work
heir way through. The little wood fires
n the hotels but make one SILVER, and force
lpon one the contrasts of the red hot an
hracite at home.