The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1888-09-29
THE LANDLORD OF PARIS.
A Warntn. to Americans Who Visi, the
French Capitli An Incident

A Warn,n: to Americans Who Visit tho
French Capital An Incident
There are many things that Americans
should toe cautious about in taking apart
mentS III tins city one thing III particular.
that OF demanding a dupilcate inventory of
all the articles III the room. and to he certain
OF carefully noting every crack, STAN or
scratch II porcelain. on carpet or furniture.
otherwise, when giving up the apartment,
there Is sure to be some trouble with the
landlord
To prove how we Americans are in the
power OF French landlords after signing n
lease and inventory, | will tell the experience
of a friend of ours wh' Just returned to his
native land thoroughly dissusted with
France and the inhabitants Mr. Il signed
lcase tui m apartment on the Champs
Elysees for two years. went carefully over
the inventory with the landlord, and when
they cauc TO the dining room he told tue
proprietor that lie did not wish any of the
glasses oi tableware III 1t, rs he had plenty OF
his OWL that he had Just purchased and was
anxious To use 50 rs To pass it free of duty
whr. ;ir returned to America. The landlord
a,licd the privilege of placing the dinner
and breakfast sets. with the two or three
dozen glasses III a closet that WIS not to be
used Or course our friend agreed to THIS
arrangement. and did not even look at tine
abandoned porcelain At the end of the two
wears the Inventory was agaln taken. and on
arriving at the dining room the long closed
closet vas opened anu all the china and glass
taken DOWN from the shelves where 1t lay
covered with the dust of months MIR i
asked IN ustonislillic.t what use there was
IN even luohlnS at II all Nv ny. to
If it has been broken" the landlord re
pllc'l with n gracious bow But | have not
used 1t, AM most certainly would not be re
>ftonSible for my brcakage But. mon
~!t'ur, the inventory calls tor 1t, ana we must
tp"k at it, and down came piece after piece
fl' result was a charge OF 500 francs against
Mr. + for n haely used dinner and breakfast
,'-l and dozen and n half cracked glasses
Naturally there va, a tremendous row. Il
'Hsh to II lawyer, office tor retributlon but
al III VAIN for Mr. was actually obliged
10 lav this exorbitant demand of 800 francs
But hnfore SIGNING IL check for the required
amount he asked III a meek voice if the two
,,fs aud glasses would he ms if he paid this
IN. for the landlord had said they would bc
i no service to him. being badly dam
...sd "Ccrtainly. il monsieur SO desires II.
n; OF course monsieur would not think of
..lIng it to America in such bad con'li
-lou - No matter what ! would do with 1t.
Mr + replied and wrot. out the check with
,l.t further words After the door had closed
The satisfied and smiling landlord oni
frl.nd ordered his servants to lay all the
'lilna and glass on the floor in the ante
.ianher and to wait tor his return. after
n.ich lie rushed to hardware store cloSt
''v purchased four stout hatchets and re
furncd to the apartment with beaInlng
.nnntenancc Aud now to work He called
:" his servants. md setting the example n.
'.egan to chop the array Of CHINA and glass
INTO u thousand pieces-in very few mo
nt,.,,ts nothing but q heap of crushed porc'
Ialn and glass remained as evidence OF Tn
''sad aud our friend heaved a sigh of salts
action he surveyed his work.-Paris Cor
A,.-rL.