Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-03-20
The Faseinatiug EIoquenee OF the
Earisiam Bh0p
From Letter By the Hon. James Brooks, in
the New York Express. Nt

| From q Letter By the Hon. james Brooks. in
the New York Express.l
Ihave read Isocrates studied Quintil-
ian in days gone by, read and re-read
Cicero de Oratore, but never have so
realized Demosthenes idea Of eloquence
--sction, actioni as in the action OF
these Partisan shopwomenl The dear
creatures, If they only wore trousers, and
would come over to the United States
not man could stand up against them
in stump speaking. But oh, how they
fbl What marvellous tales they will
tell and how they will swear to them |
and you could not help believing them
ali, il you had not been standing such
batteries Of eloquent action a long life
time. The East India shopkeepers are
eloquent, and the Chinese have but little
regard for the truth, but the French
shopwoman will tib with such grace and
gentleness that she insinuates herself
into your pockets despite your head
while all is done with such dignifcd
suayity that you could not contradict il
you would, If you order garment TO
be made, you have not the least certainty
that il will be done within week after
the day promised. You make all your
arrangements to depart on certain day,
bid adieu to yeur banker, and settle up
accounts with him, but the promised ar
ticles do not begin to appear. In rage
you rush to the shop to scold %
Madame, you solemnly promised me
to have It ready on Saturday" t.
" Ces cray, Monsieur and it shall be
ready on Saturday" N' AA tn"
And why is il not ready 6n
All, Monsieur, you did not say this
Saturday; if you had, it should have
been all ready. But you said Saturday
week. lA |
This dodge was irresistible. | gave
up in despair, happy to have fresh
promise that it would be done the
Wednesday before " the Saturday week. )"
| lectured another breaker Of the
promises. There was no dodging the
point / made with her. And | ended
with saying: 49, ~. LII y. ...,f.
w" ! am willing to stay in Paris all win.
ter, Madame, waiting for your things, if
you will only pay my hotel billsp
Madame lin reply): should be too
happy TO do that, and thus have the
pleasure Of seeing you every day
politeness as that? Il gave up, and pay
my own hotel bills, of course.
10 ANOTHER SCENE.
Monsieur (speaking): And they are
not readyY with sigh, aud a most plain.
tive look Of appeal.
Madam: NO Monsieur; such tdiIIe !;
such figure Throwing 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. You would not hurry up a
Raphael or Guido, would you? And
we shall do something worthy of them"
The humbug was irresistible. The
only way to be sure of anything in Paris,
in given time, is to get part of it, and
then threaten to go on with that part un-
paid for, and promise to pay for the rest
when it is all sent, with express expenses
paid in addition. This generally pro-
duces result. e -.,..,
OTHER SCENE.
A plump and jovial American at the
door: Is the jacket of my wife ready2"
Madame lin reply): "Ah, mon Dieu,
Monsieur, 1 cannot say. | will inquire.
II is most beautiful jacket" .t.
Passing by me in the room, into
another room, soto voce says:
know it is not with an indescrb-
able shrug)-but what fib shall ] tell him
now, le mGiheureuT?
The plump American, of course, did
not get his wife's jacket
The fact is week or two is not wasted
in Paris to hear the eloquenee of the
French shop women. 1t is more touch
ing than that in the assembly, now at
Versailles. eaA-l
And the art with which a French
women makes you buy what you don't
want, and pay her own price for it, is
wonderful.
i" 1t is ravishing,P she exclaims. at
exactly fits your figure and complexion"
" 1t is the last great chef deurre Of
somebody. have sold just such
one to NJ, 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 shops have but few, very few custo-
mers. Paper money has made the ex-
penses of living almost as great as in
the United States; and paper money is
increasing in quantity, and prices are
rising. There is snow on the streets,
and the cabs with difficulty work their
way through The little wood fires in
the hotels but make one shiver, and
force upon one the contrasts of the red
hot anthracite at home. .I