Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-04-07
aArToSAI vAsTTY.

Sos loua ago | ehanesd 10 be speaking
10 q FTsssian s.ntieUsr a5oas TIE III
feeling WITCH exssgsd ct that tine be
tween his eouniry and Russia. and Which
seemed likely snoGah 60 eliminate IL ~
isasorsAk e ssstiiissss- de assured ne
that tie - feeling gAs sntirety 81 the
ksssian side.
" We have nothing against them" be
DECLARED. " and we want noshinR from
item; bat they are ApGry With "a, and
that - easily explained. ! ley cannot
act Ga withost a.: they are obliged 70
smplor oar peopie everywhere instead
% sbelF owu, sud they are furious Be
ssass ihsy have 70 sskpowisdee the ~
2erSorsfy Of the German intellect
rsmarksc thai the superiority Of tie
l5srmAn intSi!eea Vas manifest; where
spoa be shrugged his shoulders quickly
and saorted 10 the veil known Prasslsn
fashion. a. who should say. ~ Can any
NE BE- sueb . fool a. TO dsubt iIf
sent 90 20 observe thai ID pbiloso-
ply. scssnce and Eusie Germany led
insBkTnd. BE agreed With me. and
added.
"Also IN ths art Of var"
The Germsns,r ! proceeded, are
The bess educated people ID tbs world =
iind he fepsied.
" Ne doubt.
And theY are the pieasan,est eooa-
paBy.H
Certainly answered be; that Is
co."
And what adds 80 much 70 the at
tractivsnsss Of their conversation /
continued, - their delicate vit and
Esen perception Of irony"
eonfess that after | had made this
outrageous speech 1 shook ID my shoes
and looked down AZ my plate. ought
never TO have said u, and indeed would
rtot have said II If be had not led me On
until il became IRRESISTIBLE, Bot there
Was no occasion for alarm When |
raised my eyes 70 my neighbours face !
found IL ifradiated with smiles. H.
laid his hand on my arm quite sfec-
tionstely.
what you say is perfectly trae,n be
said but do you know you are the first
stranger | have ever met who had the
sense 10 discover ~"
And then be explained 10 me that the
Germans we're absurdly considered by
Frenchmen and other superficial observ-
ers to he a rather dull vitted and heavy
race.
Nov really do not see hos any one
h 20 help liking q nation 80 happily self
compliment. The Prussians are said TO
be arrogant and OserbeaFinR: but don't
think they are 90, nniess they are rubbed
the wrong way; and what pleasure lie
there In rubbing people the wrong way!
when Victor Hago announces that
France h supreme among nations, when
be invites rs 10 worship the light that
smanates from the holy city Of Paris,
and hints that we might do well 10 vor-
ship also the proolaimer of that light,
se are half shocked and half incr, dull
oas. The bombast seems too exagger-
ated to be sincere; ii has the air of ehal-
lAnging and expecting contradiction.
We ind il impossible TO believe that
any sane man can really mean much
OF what this great poet tells a. that he
a.eana. French vanIty--and Victor hu-.
20, whether at bis highest OF at has low
tBt, 10 always essentially French-ls not
amusing. IL is the kind of vanity
which 10 painful to witness, and which
asunot but be degrading TO those who
allow themselves to give way to 10. Bot
III the placid north German self-ApprOyal
there 10 ohIld-llke element which IA
not unpleasing nor even wholly uudig
niaed. IL may provoke siniie, bot tbs
smile 10 frisndly one. These excellent
siout professors and bearded warriors,
who are 50 thoroughly pleased with
themselves. and who never suspect that
ans body can be laughing At them,
ot,rs unand our sympatnIes-- perhaps be-
estusa John Ball himself Is not quite
stranger 10 the sensations that they
experience.