The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-26
Anecdotes of Henri Monnier
Practical Joke.
FRENCH DIPLOMACY.
The Coming Session Of the
Assembly.
vOLTAIRE'S STRANGE COURTESIEs.
PARIS, Jan. 7, 1871


nne answer he made to gentleman who asked him
the why to the Pantheon (where many OF the great
men Of France lie buriedl They were on the Boule-
yard At the time, but Monnier promptly sad 'Par la
Rue des Martyrs" Here Is more playful instance OF
bis w.t. friend OF his pointed him O negro
who wore white tie EYES," said Mennicr, "he has
put IL on to mark where his head begins A practical
loke Of Monnler's is among the most Iudicrous on
record, though cannot be said have been wholly
lefcnsible. Taking stroll day he
nav in front Of grocer's store a cage con-
ainng couple of ferrets Monnier stood for while
before the cage; them the Of the store came
out, 'What fine guinea pigs you have there my
friendr quoth he 'Ferrets, you mean, replied tho
grocer. with superior smile. .'Ferrets be hanged
Shey are very rare specimens OF the guinea pig"
'1mpossble, sir bought them ferrets" "Then
my good fellow, they've been hoaxing you" s.Why
should believe you more than the who sold
them to msf" 'That Is your AFFAIR." and yet d.
rector Of the Geological Society, l ought 10 know
something about animals 'Oh, sir, in that case IL
Vou say they are guinea pigs, itmust be seq Gin any
you have not lost on the bargain" Next day rs
had been arranged, Monnier's friend Romicn passed
by and halted before the grocer's. ..Fine
ferrets, these, my friend" he earelessly
observed" '.You are mistaken, sirn said
the grocer, ''they guinea pigs OF very rare
breed" VERY rare, indeed, l should think" re-
spondcd tho other with sneer; ''why mar lve been
Ill my life in the ferret trade and should think knew
what ferret was by this time" Romen than calmly
showed him that the directors Of the Geological Gar.
den must have been in error. The grocer con-
WINGED; but next day German philosopher happened
10 pass by and admire "the guinea pigs" An angry
discussion followed, but the grocer ended by being
reconvertcd to Monnicrs view. On the following day
dog fancier recommend him that they ierrots
course, boon sent by Monnier. In the end the LUX.
less became exasperated that he pitched the
ferret cage wildly into the street, and narrowly es
capped being taken up Tor assault. The terrets were
then quietly drowned for the innocent often pay
dearest for practical joke
Romien, by tho way, was as incorrigibe q joker as
Nonnier, but one day he very
NEATLY TAKEN
by clockmaker In the Palais Royal, whom ho had
sought to mystify Entcr Romien, pretending to be
gentleman from the country of very simple type in
deed
RoxIEN with strong provincial accent)--Pray, sir,
you tell me what those little round machines
hung up In your shop Window
CLockNAKER-They are called watches, sir. (Unhooks
one and shows III
RoMIEN-Ah, watches, and what they for, please
CLoCKMAKER-To Indicate the time, SIR
R0MIEN-ro indicate the timel And how, prayf
CLoCKMAKER-l Will show you. (Entcrs into brief
but lucid explanation Then concluding) You must
wind up the watch every twenty four hours.
RoMEN-Every :wenty-iour hours Morning orr
EVENING"
CLockxAkER-Mornpg.
RoMIEN-Why morning?
CLocKMAKER ndly)-BoCause, Monsieur Romen,
In the evening you are generally drunk.
Exit Romien.
very different kind The day before yesterday were
Inferred. In tho Cemetery Of Picpus, tho mortal
THE COUNT DE vILLELrNE- soxBREuIL
Me only son OF the heroic Maurille do sombreui who
married NJ de villelume an oiicer ~ the .emigrant'
father condemned to death during the Reign OF
Terror, and all her endcavors 10 save his life seemed
likely TO prove unavailing. Az length, however, the
drunken tribunal which presided the orgy OF car
mage said TO have devised this test Of hal piey II
the daughter would go to the Of the scafod and
Immediately after the execution Of certain royaIsts
drink tumblcr OF thor blood her fathers life should
DO spared. From this CHASTITY trial, so history or
legend says, she did not shrink, and N. dc Sombreu
was pardoned
A LITTLE BILL
The painter Courbct has been presented, doubtless
" way OF etyennes, with little billto w.t. the costs
or rebuilding the Vend0me Column, pulled down by
his orders during tho Commune. IL amounts
1913 OQlt &c., or say, round numbers, $64 600
N. Courbet will probably find IT convenient to change
his residence from Paris TO Brussels Rome Tor the
courts have already decided against him, and there
every prospect that the fine will be vigorously
svcd Even should a really liberal government come
INTO power and NJ. Gambetta become Prime Minister,
Sr President OF the republic, u. Courbet would have
little to hope from the change H. Gambstta, like many
pther sincere republicans Is only too anxious for
opportunity OF proving how little sympathy he has
with COMMUNISM or with Communists Win regard to
THE EASTERN BORE,
IL Is whispered here that the Conference is fast turn
ing into struggle for precedence between the varous
ambassadors The representatives oil. Great Britain,
Russia, Germany and France severally and midi
vidualiy inspired with the belief that their respective
countries have been by heaven designed to play first
fiddle" and the French Ambassador IS espccl ally
touchy, the Conference beng the first
regular congress OF the great Powers at which France
war. H. 10 Comic de Chaudordy, an extremely aolo
hipomatst. Is naturally anxious that the great nation
should not appear to have coded any ner old pro.
nicely adjusted at the present moment Tor the Ambas
sSador oil any one state TO lord II over the
.T Tsup Republic from that of LOUIS xV., whose
representative at Rome, the Duke do Choiseul,
was wont 10 take SUCH marvellous liberties We're
any privilege accorded to the envoy Of anolher
king. N. do Choiseul not only insisted las he
might have had some rlans 70 ao) on the
new privilege being created in his special favor.
THE COMING SESSION
IL expected to be toleraDly quiet one though thsro
will no doubt DO q sufficient amount OF ''crises," a
rood many Of them having their origin in that hunger
m an breast, That was good answer which was made
by member OF the Chamber OF Deputies 10 u friend
on the occasion Of an important aeos,c Inc pepuay
'But, my dear fellow" demonstrated tne friend,
"your seven children have all got places
promised them" "rrue," said he, 'but there is a
Possibility OF my yet having others" This story re-
minds one oil that other touching gentleman VINO
had toorably comfortable place in thccustoms. and
Who subm,ted ms ne ghDors thought great deal too
uuctly to certain appointments oil Roman Catholics by
King James H.. that monarch was endeavoripgto
drive coach and SIX through the British constitution
az have he SAID s'fourtecn excellent reasons Tor
comnv,nr with fits Maesty's wishes-a wife and thr
teen children" -, - ...,,.
boon IN progress during the last fortnight and thisday
some half a dozen projects and crowd OF INFERIOR
have been gazetcd out Oh ONCE ana 'hcr
places gwen 'true republicans
Tho Gauois has recently published a,ac,sml'e OF me
6rst French daily paper, lie Journal dc PARIS, which
made It's appearance tho let oi January l'II ms
6rst number Is highly interesting and contains very
characteristic letter from Voita're VINO wriIes:-
sThe plan OF your Journal appears 10 me as wise as
Il Is curious and interesting MY great age, anu 'ne
maladies with which | ain overwhelmed, leave nt'e
hope that shall be able 10 produce any iurther WORK
deserving your attention (Ihe patriarch rerhey
actually died on me 30!h OF May. IN tbe following
year,j II had q prayer TO make II would De 70 un-
deceive the public with regard 10 those little writings
which are continually imputed 10 me- have re-