The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-11-04
An Architects Ride.

A good story is told about an adven.
ture of New Yorker "a member of the
Lotos Club) in visiting Paris a few
months ago. For convenience he may
be called George, but that is not his
name and never was.
George and three or four other Lotos
men were at the Hotel de Bade, and one
day they agreed to dine there at the
table d'hote. AS there was little over
an hour to spare, George thought he
would take ride while the rest were in
dulging in preliminary beer. Not
speaking word of French beyond "oui"
and combien," he asked one of his
friends to explain to the cabman that
he wished to drive to the Champs-Elysees
and return to the hotel within an hour.
The friend consented, and delivered the
message to the cabman about rs follows:
"This gentleman is an American
architect who wants to see the outside OF
all the churches in Faris, and he won't
mind being four Or five hours about it.
He thinks the architecture of the Hotel
de Bade is the finest in the world, and if
he gets excited and mentions the Hotel
you can understand he means that the
church you are showing him is nothing
compared to the Hotel de Bade. Keep
on driving him, and don't be alarmed if
he gets excited over the architecture, rs
he is little insane about it,"
soul, oui, jecomprends," said the driver,
and away he started. George thanked
his friend for his efforts with the driver,
and said: "I will be here at six sharp
for dinner" The driver went to the
Madeleine and halted. Leghse de la
Madeleine Monsieur" said he, and George
gave glance at the front and mOtiOned
for the team to go on. His motion was
obeyed, but instead of going to the
Champs Elysees the vehicle took the di-
rection of the church st. Augustin.
There was another halt; the name of
the church was pronounced; George
looked, and then mOtioned to proceed.
Then came another church, and an
other, and pretty soon George thought
he had had churches enough for that
day. His hour was up, and at one of the
churches, as soon as its name was pro-
nounced, he nodded an said, "HOtel de
Bade."
"Oui, oui," replied the driver, with a
smile of approval at his customers ad-
miration for the architecture of that
establishment. And he drove to another
church, halted and gave its name.
George nodded, gave the briefest pos
sible glance, and said with rising infec-
tion)," Hotel de Bade."
There was another smile. another "Oui,
Monsieur" and then drive to another
church.
So it went on for about half dozen
churches. Each time George pronounced
the name of his hotel more emphatically
than on the previous occasion, and each
time the driver smiled and said, Oua
Monsieur; oui, oui."
The hour had grown to two hours and
more, and George began to think that
1 all the churches in the world had come to
Paris for convention. At about the
twenty-fourth church his blood was up
and he determined to make himself un
dersteod.
Rising from his seat he grasped the
drivers collar with his left hand while
he fourished his umbrella with his
right. :,
You internal frog-cating IDIOT" said
he, 81 want to 60 to the Hotel de Babe
do you understand-Hoteld de Bade i!
want to go there now; and if yor
don't take me I'll murder you. Under
, stand now, Hotel de Bade j." And h,
fourished the umbrella within an incl
of the drivers nose.
, The coachee comprehended, and tool
+ George home. The rest of the boys bat
finished dinner when he arrived, ant
: were in front of the house waiting 70
, him. But he was so mad they had +
, wait couple of hours for him to get COO
enough for him to stand laugh and
bottle tf wine.