The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-03
course, the saying, Good Americans
when they die go to Paris eh q

course, the saying, Good Americans
when they die 60 to Paris eh?''
s'The Bostonian bowed gravely at
the question. ''Some like it, he said:
and added profoundly, after a pause,
'sthe American in Paris is too often a
Partisan hampered by morality
The Englishman would doubtless
have commented at some length on
this remark, but his eye was at the mo-
ment caught by something which
would serve him even better for a
text. Above a large window, which
was modestly covered by muslin cur
tains, appeared the name and title of
Mime. Lalouette Elk ell re deM-.
Over the name of the gentlemen who
had had the honor of employing Nine.
Lalouette. a piece of blank paper was
carefully pasted. ''Look" cried Mr..
Airey, i'll great excitement; s'just look
at the woman's ingenuity. She must
have been threatened with legal
proceedings, don't you see! So she
sticks up that paper, which blots out
the cause of offense, while it catches
every eye and appeals to every imagi-
nation. Sophie, my child says one
woman, of whom is this Nine. La
louette the premiere?' For me l can
not conceive says the other; but
So they rush off to a third lady, and
the milliner is advertised all over Par
is by a single square of blank paper.
1t is magnificent.
Here Mr.. Airey paused for breath,
and was straightway thrilled by the
delightful consciousness of having been
unusually brilliant.
II know it, said Mr.. Armstead;
''M. Blank is an excruciating mystery
to women, like the yelled prophet of
Khorassan.
s:Ha, ha! capital. capital and, by
Jove! she is q; clever woman. just
look at that other dodge -
Il have observed it, - said the Amer
lean. The large window Of the in
genious 'artiste' was draped with mus
lin, as if the mysteries of La Mode
were sacred as those Of the Bona Dea;
but at one side of the window was
placed tall sheet of looking-g glass some
| two feet wide. While the two friends
were gazing at the temple Of fashion,
; the one dubbed over with remarks on
the ingenuity of French women, the
other watched them in silence as they
passed that looking-glass. He remem-
bered method of sharing birds by
like means and smiled grimly. One
lady just touched her bonnet in front,
another her braids behind. One
stopped and deliberately arranged the
lace at her throat, another glanced
hurriedly at the glass and then darted
across the road a mute defiance of the
observer. Even bonnetles work-girl
caught look, as she slipped back to
her work; and Il large nurse, whose
beauty was no more than health and
amiability, shifted her small burden
tenderly, while she laid some large
fingers OH the crisp border of her cap.
The two gentlemen were still staring
across the street, when tiny broug-
ham drove quickly up to the yelled
window.
"Who is she! Who can she be!
cried Mr.. Airey, and added in
breath, 'upon my word remarkably
pretty. One can see in a moment the
French women of the world--grace,
elegance, wit
1T is my wife" said Mr.. Armstead,
dryly. The Englishman was over
whelmed with confusion: II beg your
pardon-l beg your pardon; I had no
"Won't you allow me the pleasure of
presenting you to Mrs. Armstead -
''Thanks, thanks; delighted 1 am
sure. But do you think we may go in
two men. you knOW!'
II am not afraid for myself said
the Bostonian.
The front room of Nine. Lalouette
was tenated only by gowns, erect upon
wire frames. ''Dress extenders ell 2"
said Mr.. Airey. "Average women,''
observed Mr.. Armstead; but there was
a twinkle in his eye which softened
the severity of the remark. From an
inner apartment, which was seen
through open folding doors, come the
rattle of two shrill French voices, one
voluble in the language of the country,
the other almost as effective in a mix
ture of French and fantastic English.
They were the voices of Nine. Laloutte
and of ''Mees,'' so called in the estab-
lishment in consequence of her almost
miraculous knowledge of our barbar-
Gus language. The double stream of
persuasion, defamation and exclama-
ton, was occaionally interrupted by a
third voice high but not loud, and with
very pleasant pronunciation of
French. Evidently. the lady was not
satisfied, for her tone was a. little pa
thetic. Mr.. Airey hung back in alarm:
but Mr.. Armstead courteously waving
him forward, stalked through the open
doors with the unruff1ed calm of red
Indian. ''Prudence,' he said, will you