St. Paul daily globe., 1884-12-25
He Would Not, Like Americans, Put
Up with Little ImpositiOns.

Matthew Arnold found fault with Ameri-
cans because they were too Indifferent, he
thought, 70 the thousand and one little i'm
positions-wrongs, believe he called them,
so frequently prscticed By those in author
ity, writes a correspondent Of the New York
Tribune. An Engllshnan, indeed lmost
any other foreigner he said, would, for the
sake Of maintaining q principle, suffer
personal Inconvenience and 90 to
untold trouble rather than submit
tamely and without protest to petty exaetions
and annoysnces which Americans, he
thought, took altogether too lightly. He re-
ierred more particularly to those trivial
vexations aad mild attempts at extortion
which one is called upon to endure In one's
own home, Perhaps, or in hotels, or while
travelling; but he also pointed out that the
habit of overlooking them was fraught with
danger, inasmueh as IL must ultimately lead
and in fact think he limited as delieateIy
as guest could possibly do, without giving
Offense, at certain municipal abuses COM
p.ained Of in the very city he was then Wis
itng-to indifference TO, and lack of interest
in, good government. The amiable critic
was probably right, but the maintenance Of a
principle, however pleasant and congenial a
task II may prove to the one chiefly concerned
in it, is often productive Of much annoyance
TO others.
An instance Of this kind came under my
notice the other day, and, as a foreigner was
the chief actor, Mr.. Matthew Arnold may be
supposed to approve the course taken by this
gentleman, and to wish Americans to imi-
tate his example. 1t was on the ''Iimited
express, ;" which runs between New York and
Washington. As 1 entered the car noticed
a commotion in one OF the corners. A di-
minutive and highly excited Frenchman was
the center Of a group of porters aud attend
ants. Gesticulating wildly and addressing
| first this man, then that, without ever await
ing an answer, he kept exclaimlng in shrill
and penetrating voice: az have been swim
died; am always swindled; the company is
sWindling me every time. C'est affreLaAl
ah, in France you would sufferr'
The eolored porters tried TO appease the
wrath Of the little gentleman. but in vain.
At this critical juncture a lady, well known
in Washington society, passed through the
car The poor gentleman, who, by that time,
had worked himself into dangerous lit Of
any kind of foolishness almost, was known
TO her. "Ah, madame he exclaimed, as
soon AS he caught sight Of her, bowling
politely and rasing his hat, but scarcely sue
eeeding IN controlling his wrath, '.je suis-I
am swindled; / am always swindied; the
company" etc, etc. The lady was kind
enough TO inquire what the trouble
was. With a good many words
and many more gestures she was
told that he had purchased a ticket, which he
supposed entitled him To a certain chair in
the parlor car; that no such chair as that
designated upon the ticket was or ever had
been in the car, and that he considered the
whole conduct OF the company as outrageous,
infame, and / don't know what else. In
view OF the fact that the train was beginning
10 start and that there were still number of
chairs remaining vacant. into which he might
have dropped without making as much
noise as he did, the conduct of the little
Frenchman and his indignation will be ad-
United by everybody ~ have been
rather out Of place. He continued
fuming and fretting until any
sympathy which his fellow passen-
gers might have had for him at 6rst was
turned into disgust. II was not until he had
thrown himself into a chair End buried his
face behind a yellOw-covered novel with
dubious French title that be regained his out
ward composure.
Would any American have acted as fool
ishly as did Monsieur De - Would he
not have put up with the little imposition =
purely accideptal and nos premeditated, /
am sure Pfaetieed By the agent of the COM
pany or ticket seller, instead of making a
spectacle Of himself, and a very ridiculous
one at thatl But where would hive been Mr.
Matthew Arnold's theory thenl Aud did not
the little FreachmRn ''kick'' and pootest az
Justify as the English critic might have
| demanded against being imposed uponl