The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-04

A Difficulty in Dining.
The only way to talk successfully to a
Frenchman is not to ask him AIRY questions,
but to deal out solid Information ami occupy
all the time yourself. Even then they are
always misunderstanding you. My cocher
insisted that called him q cochon, and said
he was no more hog than [ was, and that
he would drive ME no farther unless took
it back. | did so; but when | paid for his
dinner out at cafe in the Bots de Boulogno
| found | had hit him the first time.
Ii you don't give exactly the right slant to
a word the native has not enough wit to
catch your meaning. The first day out [
told my driver where to go, and, my bust
ness finished, requested him to drive me
back ito the Hotel Continental" He didn't
know where the place was-neYer heard OF 1t
he said though had picked him up OH his
stand directly in front OF it. After trying
in vain to make him understand the word,
told him to return to the Column Nendome,
or where we started from" When we got
there | pointed to the Hotel Continental and
repeated its name. His face lighted UP sud-
denly, and he said: "Oh, no! that's the Ho-
tel Continental with no emphasis except
on the last syllable, where he bore down
heavy. | suppose there is no coachm2n in
Paris who understands any English at ali,
nor any French, unless 1t is accented Just as
he is in the habit of hearing it.
| had trouble the other day at one of the
Establishments Duval, on the Tuileries gar
den, where we went to see what it was like
land found it very good). Che OF the ladies
of the party wanted some frogs legs, not on
the menu, and wondered if the dish was out
of season "Grenouile" was frog | was sure
of that-just how to pronounce it was more
doubtful. And ''ismbes" was legs Calling
the white-capped and and white-aproned
Marie who was assigned to our particular
table, l said, in my most elegant French
Marie, avvy VOC Icy jham'"-andi hesitated.
1--WE mussoo-h," she said, with felicit-
Gus drawl.
No, Marie" said I, WOO navy pas COM
pree. Avvy VOC lay jham--lay zham-day
greenwy?'
She blushed, as if 1 had said something i'm
proper, and to hide her confusion turned her
rather neat face upon one of the mirrors that
face you everywhere from every point in
Paris.
She had not caught my idea. I repeated it
to myself. Have You legs" "Avvy WOO
lay zham" She glanced shyly at her white
apron, brushed it down and said family
''No, mussoh DAY granoo!'' l added
She moved little farther away and looked
at me as if she was very much scared indeed.
"Marie!' l repeated with authority, ''venny
zeecyl Avvy voo-navvy VOC pay lay zham-
lay zham-this is an awful language, Marie
day grainweeh
She timidly held plate in front of her,
and was evidently more terrified than ever.
MARIE" | said, "ragarday .mwa!" She
looked at me while | put my fore paws to-
gether, bumped myself gracefully and made
a movement as ii to plunge off rotten log
into green pond. | thought it was very
neatly done. And | was relieved to see that
she thought so too. for her Mortified express
sion relaxed, she smiled and said, ooh, we,
we, musso, zhullah konnay'
you do" l answered; well, it's high
time I'm hungry"
30, we, WEI she added, tune klombe!
pigeonr'
Before she could bring the bird I stopped
her and called in a loud voice ! fear, for the
boss. He came forward smiling, and l told
him what wanted, but the idiot couldn't
grasp the force of my remarks
I'VE have legs mussoo," he gently said:
"What legs does mussoo want? Whose
legs?'
In utter desperation 1 took ont penciI,
turned over my bill of fare, and on the back
of it drew the picture of a frog. 1t was a
lite-like and agile frog, well filled in, with
the protuberant eye and web-hoof of the
familiar frog of commerce. l was never vain
of my artistic accomplishments, but this was
a happy inspiration, for it got us something
to eat. Marie and the boss both came and
glanced over. and even before it was finished
showed signs that they recognized the beast.
80, we, we we we, they said certain
mong!"
Then they took my sketch and passed it
around among the other walters, who adj
mred it very much, while Marie went off to
execute the order. In five minutes she came
triumphant with plate OF pied de mouton-
sleeps feet
All my native humility came back to me
and bore down hard. The ladies' agreed
with me that no Frenchman probably ever
ate frogs leg in his life; that this was not
the time OF year for frogs; that frog-legs
were not good for much anyhow, and that
Sleeps feet were something new and filling,
and we would try them We did. They
were good