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

AMONG the refugees, who at TIE time oil
the first French Revolution, sought an asy
lum in foreign countries, there was a
young nobleman from the South of France
named Henri d'Albignac. He had been
lettan orphan at an early age, and his only
inheritance was a little domain that, un-
der the most favorable circumstances
yielded him yearly income of perhaps
two thousand francs, which was little
more than he required for his current ex-
penses.
When, therefore, one dark, rainy day,
he arrived in London, the sum total of his
ready money amounted to little more than
five thousand francs. With this sum,
small as it was, had he any knowledge or
trade, or a thorough education, he might
have earned at least modest livelihood
but he had received only common
school education, and as for his knowl-
edge of agriculture it was very inferior
to that of the English farmer of the time.
Besides, he was accustomed to lead an
easy life, and had luxurious habits; il
was no wonder that before the end of the
year, his funds were exhausted.
One morning, as he sat, in no pleasant
frame of mind, thinking over his condi-
ton, his landlord, an avaricious buck
ster, who even surpassed the majority of
his uncultured cOunrymep in inCivility,
entered the room. At first he glanced in
quisitively about the apartment, and then
he fixed his eye upon his ledger with a
disdainful smile, nodding three or four
times significantly, as he said:
" It's plain enough to be seen, NJ. DIAL
bignac, that your affairs are in pretty
bad fix, and, if | might be allowed word
concerning them, | should say they will
not be better till you make up your mind
to put your shoulder earnestly to the
wheel"
/" doubt whether that would improve
them MUCH" replied the young French.
man; " know of nothing that would ma
terially better my condition but one OF
two hundred pounds sterling"
Just so. Money is what you need
That | know very WE'LL" returned thu
huckster; land as for working, you feel
yourself above it, while you have not vii
enough to make money in any Other
way"
"Sirr' cried the young 1obleman
"have you come to insult meP"
Come, come" replied Cornhill
!" there is no need of crying out so loud
it will not help matters any. Do you
know that you already owe me five
pounds?"
You will get your money" replied
Henri; l have thus far in life always
paid all just claims against me, and you
are one of the last persons whom | should
think of honoring by remaining theil
debtor"
: l shall be very glad; but when does
your honor think can touch the money!
" As soon as my affairs are in a better
condition, cold NJ hi
And till then you propose to continue
on increasing your debt, I suppose" re-
turned the huckster. "NC, no, to that |
cannot consent
: think the best thing | can do is tC
leave your house at once" said D'Albig
nae, springing to his feet and Selling his
hat; there are other people in the world
besides you, and better, too, trust"
Tut! tut! sit down again and let us
talk like two sensible men," demonstrated
the huckster. You shall see that |
mean well with you"
Curious to know in what way his land
lords interest in him would manifest it
self, Henri sat down and looked him full
in the face.
Il need a trustworthy man to drive
round and serve my customers with vege-
tables" Cornhill began. "Will you be
that MANI"
will What? are you mad?" cried
D'Albignac, in doubt whether he heard
Alright.
!" What else can you do? Nothing, that
| can see," replied the huckster, shrug.
ging his shoulders, Think it over-I
will give you till tomorrow evening to
consider, lfyou refuse, you need expect
nothing more from me. And what YOU
will do then in this big city, without
friends ana without means, Heaven only
knows Besides, | shall expect you to
pay me before you leave my house"
With these words he left the room
Henri remained for a while, seated al
the window, considering what course
to pursue in his extremity; then he
rose and went to a restaurant where
he was in the habit of getting his
dinner. Arrived there he took a seat al
a table at which two elegantly-dressed
gentlemen were already seated, and or
dered some roast beef and salad, which
was all the few small coins that still re-
NAMED to him would pay for The beef
lie found entirely to his liking; the salad
on the contrary, he pushed aside as abso
lutelv unfit to be eaten.
Meantime, three more fashionable young
men of the world had seated themselves
at the table They smiled as he pushed
the salad aside, and noaded assent as he
said:
"What an abominable mess they give
YOU here under the name OF salad! With
us. in France, u salad is very different
sort of thing"
.sThen YOU are Frenchman, sir?'
asked one of the gentlemen IN a courty
tone. "Is it true that your cou ntrymen
are the adopts have heard they are in
the dressing of salads?"
"That i. one of the arts in which they
are certainly proficient" replied the
Frenchman.
"But the secret is, of course, not known
to every one; it is probably only in the