The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-06-07
Miscellaneous.
PRESIDENT JACKSON DIDN'T UNDER.
STAND FRENCH.

Henry Il. wise, Of Va, has pub
lishcd u volume of "Recollections,"
from VIII ich we take this good one on
Presid ent Jackson:
But, on another occasion, his ignor-
ancc OF language did entangle him in a
ridiculous mistake, and almost iu a
scrape. During his administration, while
Mr.. Louis McLane, of Delaware, was
Secretary Of State, France sent a certain
dashing minister to Washington, a
young man just elevated above the
grade of Churg6, whose passion was
display. His outfit Of lquipage, grooms,
postillions and gold lace was magnifi-
cent. He called on the Secretary of State
to appoint an audience with the Presi-
dent; and Mr.. McLane, an accomplish
ed, easy gentleman, begged him to call
the next morning at 10 o'clock at the
State Office, and he would accompany
and present him 10 the President.
Monsieur le Ministeur mistOok as to
the place of calling. He thought he was
to call at the Presidents mansion at 10
o'clock a. NJ. Accordingly, in full pa
nOply of costume, in coach land four,
with attendants, grooms, postillions,
out.riders and toOtmen, at the hour ap-
pointed he drove up to the door of the
White House, instead of the State De-
partnont where Mr. McLanc WGs await
ing his arrival.
Al that time the President was served
by French cook, and the celebrated
lrishman, Jenny O'Neal, was Gener-
al Jackson's petted major domO. The
hour was about the time of General
JacEson'a finising puff Of the pipe after
breakfast, and he smoked, as he did
everything else with all his might. His
mode was no Latakia curl, no dreamy,
thrcady line from barely opened lips
but full drawing and expanding vol
umo Of white cloud rising up Whit af-
ter Whit, puff after puff, and bowl and
stcm 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 obfuscatCd that one cou Id hardly
breathe its 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 tendon Achilles, and tn e long
pipe stem resting on the fork or crotch
Of the two knees, and reaching nearly
to the floor. lie smoked the old Pow.
hatau bowl, with reed stem very long.
In this attitude he Wassitting and smok-
ing while Mr.. McLane was waiting at
the State Office for Mr.. Minister, and
while AIr. Minister was riding up to
the Presidential Mansion. lie arrived
the French cook in the Kitchen, Jem-
my O'Neal about his business, and Gen
eral Jackson alone in his Office. A bus.
tie was made, bell began to ring, Jem-
my was summoned to the door, and
there presented itself all this parade.
The diyil the word could Jenny I'M
dcrstand, and the best he could do was
to run up stairs to the General and an
nounce somebody very grand, but Jem-
my winkod that all didn't seem right,
rs there seemed too much fuss for that
soon in the morning, and it might be,
after all, an imposition, "Och, there
! was no telling about the thing, it was
so unusualW 1t might turn out what
afterwards occurred-a Lawrence affair
The General quietly replied, "Oh, Jem
my, show the stranger up-We will see
who it is" Jenny ran, and Jackson
sat smoking, when presently the room
door was thrown wide open, and a
maniEin of gold lace entered, cooked
hat, with bullion and white feather,
hourished in hand, milking salaam to
the right and salaam to the left with
tremendous sweeps, whizzing and
whirring French with vehement gesture
and approaching nearer and nearer; it
seemed threatening in the extreme!
The President quit smoking, beat the
bowl of his pipe in his hand, rose quick
ly, took hold of the back ofthe chair,
aud eXclaimed witha strong voice. SPY
the e'ernal 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, bosprinklcd 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 Dieu m exclaimed the cook
"it is the grand Minister of Louis Phil
lippeW
"Ohv - said the General "walk in
sir, there is no ceremony hereW and hi
was about taking the Minister by botf
hands justa as Mr.. McIane entered to se'
the mistake, to witness the prevention
of the catastrophe, and to enjoy thu
Joke, which made him a thousand
times afterward "shake" with jollitS