The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-06-03
manitomof pilot.
THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 1886.
Fleeing Americans.

From the Meissonier portrait OF Mrs.
Mackay to the breakfast ordered by the
Shah of Persia at Fontainebleau, the bill
for which amounted to the respectable
sum of 81, 200, the average European
can not, it seems, refrain from fleeing,
or trying to fleece, native or foreign
ROYALTY or American millionaires. | re-
member the case of wealthy American
| widow, who was asked to patronize a
Young milliner who was Just beginning
| business for herself after having
| been forewoman for one of the great
houses at which the lady dealt. Being
| kind-hearted and generous, the lady
consented to do so. and ordered quite
number of articles from the new estao-
| lishment. In the course Of few months
she received bill for $500, IN which
| figured such charges as S15 for pair of
new strings for a bonnet S25 for re-
| trimming child's hat, etc. She called
| at the shop to demonstrate on the
enormity of such prices, but was met by
such a storm of impertinence that she
| retired in indignation, afterward send
| ing her check for the amount OF the bill
| by her maid, with an intimation that
| this payment closed all transactions on
her part with Mile. X.
Has your mistress lost her fortune,
that she is growing economical?' was
| the insolent query of the m0d1Ste as
she handed the servant the receipted
bill
But still more fragrant case was that
of an American gentleman who was
spending some time at Naples, and who
was attacked with malady of the eyes.
He was advised to apply to a young ma
some reputation by his skill. He sent
for the young Neapolitan, who paid him
two visits only, the affection of the pa
TENTS eyes having proved a trifiing af-
fair after all. For these two visits the
doctor brought in bill of 5000. The
American refused to pay any such
sum, and was met by the cool asser-
ton:
You are an American, and of course
a millionaire; and if I did not make
some money out of you, how could l
| manage to live at all?n
Our cOuntryman was proof against
| such potent reasoning, and was sued by
the doctor. On being called up before
| the court, the Judge asked the oculist
| what was his usual fee for single
| visit.
| Two dollars" was his reply.
| On the other hand, the American Of
fered to deal literally by the physician,
and to pay him $50 for the two visits
But to this the judge would not hear,
condemning the grasping medical man
to receive only his customary fee, name
| ly, 81, and expressing courteous hope
that the aggrieved patient would not
judge all Italian professional men by
that single sample. But all our foreign
friends are not like that-far from it. |
remember when John w. Mackay first
began his sittings to Cabanel for his
portrait that the illustrious artist was
met one day by a colleague, who stop
| ped him to congratulate him on the I'M
portant order he had just received.
''Of course, you will make a good
thing out of it-double or treble your
usual price"
"And why sop quoth the painter
"Are my pictures worth more to Mr..
| Mackay than to any one else? | shall
charge him exactly what | always ask
for a portrait of similar dimensions.
Good morning" = PHILADELPHIA Iele-
| QrQDh