Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-02

DltJer lettuce Jnal grows III LnSIduu.
&c fear you do our gardeners injustice
the lettuce they raise is good enough, i
only requires to be properly dressed"
The discussion was continued at some
length, when one of the EngllshmeI
turned to D'Albignac and asked if b,
would not undertake to prepare SALAD
then and there after the French manner
Certainly why not?" replied Henri
whereupon the waiter was called, and al
the necessary ingredients were immedi
ately ordered for the dressing of salad
q Ia FTGncdiSe.
Then the young nObleman went to WORK
| answering, meantime, the questions of the
Englishmen with regard to his country
and his impressions of theirs. And TINS
it came that he told his interlocutOrs hi,
own story-that he was an en6gre, bad
exhausted all his means, and was at ;
| loss to know what to do or which Way f.
| turn.
In due time the salad was dressed
tasted, and pronounced superb. Indeed
one of the young Englishmen was so well
pleased that he insisted on testifving his
appreciation of the Frenchman's art hv
presenting him with a fve-pound bank.
note.
Henri, very naturally, objected at first
to accept it, but the Englishman would
listen to no excuses, and he was finally
compelled to yield. At parting, they
took his address, and assured him til at
he would hear from them again.
! D'Albignac returned to his LODGINGS
! in much better frame of mind than
he had been in for many days. His first
step was to satisfy his impOrsunate land
lord with the five pounds that had so
| fortunately fallen into his hands: his
| second, to look for other quarters. The
! huckster was not little chagrined to see
| his tenant leave him, but he made no
| effort to induce him to remain. eve
shall see, " he thought; you will be glad
! to come back to me and accept my offer
! if not to-day or tomorrow, then later.
Return you are sure to, for what can
you, friendless and moneyless, do in
! London %
Henri found, in the same street, in the
house of a weaver, a modest apartm ent
that answered his purpose. He now be
gan to look diligently about for some
means of earning a livelihood, and
thought no more of the salad adventure
until he was reminded of it in manner
that, in his impoverished condition, was
most agreeable.
Four or five days had elapsed, when
one morning he received a note in which
he was politely requested to do the writer
the favor to come, on certain day, at a
specified hour, to one of the handsomest
mansions in GrOsvenor Square, in order
that the guests at a large dinner-party
might profit by his skill in salad dressing
Grosvenor Square in those days was the
most fashionable part of London. Once
favorably known in that neighhorhood,
and his fame could not fail to extend
throughout the city. The young French
man had sufficient sagacity to see that
his skill in dressing salads might be made
to retrieve his fortunes he therefore spent
the time that interviewed between the re-
ceipt of the note and the day on which he
was to visit the square in making some
experiments, which finally resulted to his
entire satisfaction.
He was punctual, and found the prin-
cipal ingredients for the dish he was
called in to prepare awaiting his arrival
La little box which he carried with him
he brought various condiments he deemed
necessary to enable him to acquit himself
in the best possible manner. He was en-
tirely successful, and won the highest
praise; but what gratified him most was
the liberal recompense he received for
his trouble, which strengthened his de-
termination to reap whatever pecuniary
advantage from his art he could.
Henri's hopes and expectations were
more than realized. His second so-called
Italian salad did much more toward MAX
ing him known than he anticipated. In
a very few days he received another inyi-
tatlon, or rather order; soon afterward
another, and within a month it was not
considered the thing" at a gala-dinner
| to ot1er ones guests a salad that was not
dressed by the young French nobleman.
And one day, not long after this happy
turn in his affairs, D'Albignac paid a
visit to his former landlord who, as soon
as he recovered from the surprise the
young mans triumphant mien oc-
casloned, asked, in his brusque manner ::
Wen, have you come to your senses
at last? Have you decided to accept my
proposal, and peddle my vegetables for
me?"
mo, | have not decided to peddle your
vegetables for you, out TO buy Them" re-
| piled D'Albignac.
Eth, what! have you lost your wits?"
replied the astOnished huckster
A mailman would hardly come to you
with so rational a proposition" returned
tie Frenchman, smiling.
Then you are really in earnest?''
Aye, really in earnest. True, I have
no use for all that grows in the gardens
that supply you, but l will take very
considerable portion of you-namely, all
that portion that is used in preparing the
various kinds of salads-provided we can
agree as to prices"
Well, l have no objections" replied
Cornhill. " A fair price and prompt pay
ment is all l ask"
A few days later the young nobleman
provided himself with light wagon in
which, in tubs, baskets and boxes, he
| could take with him a supply of all the
various ingredients that enter into the
composition of the various kinds of
salads Thus provided, it was an easy
matter for him to serve his patrons, and
1t is no wonder that, in time, he came to
be known throughout London as the
Salad-king."
After some months he took shop, and
dealt IN everything used in his speciality,
and, by close attention to business, and
taking advantage Of every opportunity
that offered, he acquired, in q COM
paratlvely short time, little fortune
amounting to $4,000 francs, with which
he determined to return to France. Ar
rived In Paris, he invested 10000 francs
IN State securities, which, at that time,
were selling considerably below par, and
consequently paid him a handsome in
terest. With his remaining 10000 francs
he purchased a small landed estate in
LImousln, which still remains in posses