The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-15
English Spoken Here.

From Paris letter by "Nasby."J
Tibbtts tried to worry one of those Parisian
statesmen, and for once succeeded. He stopped
the party promenading with him on the Boule-
ward des Itsliens at a jewelers., who displayed
in his window the legend, "English spoken"
The "English spoken" in the shops is good
enough as a rule, to explain the nature and
quality OF the goods, and that is all. Further,
the English speaking salesman has no more
idea of English than he has of Ashantee.
Tibbitts marched in boldly, and the Eaglish-
speaking man appeared. He was very WE'LL
preserved, bald-headed man of 50, and at him
Tibbitts went.
"Do you speak English?"
"Oui-yees, monsieur" 4-----r
Tibbitts grasped his hand entn lsiastically.
"Its refreshing to meet one in a strange
land who can speak ones own language"
.sYees, monsieur" 1855
.Well, what want to know is, is the Chica-
90 & North western railroad cutting rates the
same as the other roads, and do they cut for
western-bound passengers the same as for east
srn, and do you have the remotest idea that
the cutting will be kept up until September
when return, and does the Pullman sleeping
car company cut the same as the railroad COM
panies?"
"You don't quite understand me. You see
the Pullman sleeping-car company is quite dis
tinct from the railroad companies, aud one
NAV cut rates without the other. See? Now,
what want to know is"
The bewildered Frenchman who spoke En-
glish, stared in wild sort Of way, but his po-
iiteness did not desert him.
s'Ees eet 70 watch, 70 diamond, Ze-"
"Not yet. What want to know is, who 10
this Lapham and Miller who have been elected
10 fill the vacancies accustomed by tke resigna-
| tions of Platt and Conkling, and is Miller going
to be tail to Lapaam kite, or are they both
square, bang-upmen, and"
"Will monsieur look at 70 goods?'
"No, no. Is the Chicago & Northwestern IN
tn Is row?"
'iV !" Wousieur talks-wat you call 'im-gibber-
isb ave not 70 time TO waste. Eef 1t ees Ee
ISL" replies Tibbitts severely, when you
a~nouilce English spoken you should speak
Enolish or at least understand IT, Ioou,norn-
ing. or, sS you don't understand 'ne piaine''
~ had smcceeded this time and should have
ra.tad on his laurels. But Tibbittses, alas, all
ways overdo what they undertake. he nad ex-
tractad so much amusement from his hrst ex-
nerimeut that ne tried it over again the next
day. He entered a similar place ana COM
mepced the same thing.
sWhat I want to know is, is the Chicago ana
Northwestern in the railroad war, anu 10 JHI s,I
su ppose the cutting of rates Will coheinuo silA
,September, when return, and -
ttTndaad cannot tell you, sir. lt IS some
,h;n. T AZ NOT keep the run of. You had better
aoply at the American exchange or the Herald
Office. ,. Av.ou;o.r uno-
lish. Poor TIb5itts bad fallen upon pity 9rlsnss ny
American. who was turning his knowledge OF
French to good account BY servine as sales
man in paris. Mr.. Tibbtts smiled ghastly
smile as he bowed himself out Of the place
Bad marksuen who by chance hit bub s-eye
should be very modest and refuse 70 S. snoS.
sgsin. Even Napoleon, great as he was, fought
one battle too Tuany.