Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-12-07


law abiding people. The peasant has
tho sun, and II his harvest h destroyed
by the frost, the hail or the drought, Il
Is for him to make the best Of II; while
tho Paris workman goes to the music
halls. smokes cigars and talks politics.
Suppose the country engages In war, the
Paris workman assumes q uniform and
sings war songs, but the peasant sees his
land laid waste and his cottage burned
down; and this Is why you will under.
stand that he feels It his duty TO hate the
Germans In theoretical way, but hopes
and trusts that he may not live TO zee the
day when ho or his sons may be called
upon to avengc the disasters Of the ter.
rible year 1870.
A great prejudice imposed upon Eng
lish speaking people on the subject Of
France, and one which I should very
much like to destroy, is the belief in the
importance of our Anarchists. This be
lief Is kept alive by few journalists,
who love to fill their columns with the
sayings and doings Of French Anarchists
The Anarchists Well, we keep the
article as the English and Americans do,
and they are about as important as theirs
France, honest, economical, hard work.
ing, ignores them. They are no party,
no power, in the state. They are moi
represented in our parliament. believe
that the German Anarchists alone, of all
the parties owning that generic name In
Europe, have true representation In the
legislature.
II .he French are industrious, they
are not SO in the same way as the Eng,
lish. The French never, or very seldom,
allow themselves to be completely alb
sorbed by business. They always SCI
apart certain portion Of time to tn.
amenities of life. They are Ms serious a,
you like at work, but in moment they
will exhibit any amount of good humol
at play, and again will resume the har.
ness as quickly Us 1t was thrown off. II
you go into shop at dinner time
speak now of the small provincial towns
you may run the risk of receiving very
little attention, or even none at all.
remember once--it was at ST. Malo,
in the summer-I entered hatter's shop
at o'clock in the afternoon. A ws1
dressed, lady like girl came out of the
back parlor and inquired what wanted.
81 want a straw hat, mademoiselle,'
said.
"Oh, that's very awkward just now!'
SIS ity'
"Well, you see," she said, my brother
is at dinner" and after q pause of a few
seconds she added: "Would you mind
calling again in an hours timer"
mot at all" replied; 81 shall be de-
lighted to do So"
was not only amused, but struck with
admiration for the indepe lence of that
worthy halter. After few years resi-
dence in England, q little ceno Of .hai
description was a great treat.
An hour later I called again. The
young girl made her second appearance.
"My brother waited for you for quite
ten minutes she said to me; ''he has
gone to the cafe with friend now"
"Ta sorry for that" said; 'when
can see him?"
eff you step across to the cafe, am
sure he will be happy to come back and
attend to you"
thanked the young lady, went to the
cafe, and introduced myself to the hat
ter, who was enjoying cup of coffee
and having game Of dominoes with
friend. He asked me to allow him to
finish the game, which, of course, was
only too glad to do. and we returned to
tho shop together.
Another time, happened to be in q
little Norman town.
Having broken the glass of my watch,
inquired who was the best matchmaker
in the place. 1t was NJ. Perrin, was
told
Imade for NJ. Perrin's shop The shop
was closed and the shutters up.
Outside was stuck card. on which
read:
IN. and Nine. Perrin are out OF town;
they will be back on Tuesday"
II was Saturday. NJ. and Nine Per-
rim were enjoying a holiday.
l admired their independence, and
waited till they returned to have my
watch repaired.
Nobody wants to know the time in
Normandy, and for three days did as
my happy compatriots.
In business the Frenchman is probity
itself, as Il rule. and his punctuality
would almost make an Englishman
smile. He may rather hamper his COM
merce 10y attention to trifles, but when
he sells you something you may take it
for granted it is what he represents it;
for he is jealous of his good name as
tradesman or manufacturer, and likes to
hear compliments of his goods. He
likes the money made out of them, of
course, but that is not an absorbing point
with him. He is satisfied when he has
made a modest fortune, and moves on
to make room for another man. So that
he has enough to give his never very nu-
merous children sound education and
good start in life, and procure the modest
comforts of life, he is content
And this is how in France you see the
good things of this world more equally
divided than in England. There are few
colossal fortunes; but in the provincial
towns pauperism is not known as an in
stitution, which makes up for it, do
not hesitate TO affirm that not only does
the small French bourgeois not covet
wealth, but that he is almost afraid of it,
He prefers comfort to luxury. He con-
siders 81 800 year very snug income
When his government securities assure
him this sum, he knocks off work and
prepares to make himself happy and
comfortable for the rest of his life.
You may well imagine how aneising it
is to hear sometimes that the good fellow
has the reputation of being unmanage.
able and revolutionary.
He is SO easily manageable that every
time we have new ministry he says to
his neighbor:
Il see NJ. So-and-So is made prime
minister; do you know who he isy'
"Not /" answers the neighbor; 81 had