Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-03-14
WASHINGTON LETTER
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

y
sensation has been SO mach talked
about this winter II, the quarrel be-
tween the new first assistant cretary
OF state and the ambassador of the
French republic. 1t is not often that
purely social and personal differences
lead up to dip. omatic emnarrassments,
but it looks MS though this trouble be-
tween Mr.. Rockhill and Nj. Patenotre
might be serious enough even for that.
Rockhlll was in Pekin eleven years
ago while Patenotre was there as the
envoy of France At intimacy grew
up between tue two fam lies due to
the obvious scarcity of Europeans.
which Patenotre found SO enjoyable
that he was the most frequent caller at
the Rockhll MENACE. One very hot day
he sent in MS card to Mrs. Rock
hill. Unfortunately, as the sequel
shows. she was just about to battle,
and. realizing the utter impossibllity-
even in China-of seeing any gentle
man at that moment, she sent down
word to the French diplomat that he
must excuse her. The maid presently
came back with the information that
Patenotre insisted on coming in, say
ing that Mrs. Rockhill always saw
him." A lady who was with Mrs.
Rock hill at the time lost patience at
this, and said to the maid: Tell
Patenotre that Mrs. Rock hill is dead !"
The Frenchman was below, and
through the mating of the house over
heard the remark. He did not wait for
the maid to return, but left in high in
dignntion, and never went there again.
Now for the sequel. Strangely, too,
when Patenotre came to Washington,
he found the Rockhills here. No rec
ognition Of any kind passed between
them, and it SO happened that they
never met until Mr.. Uhl went to Ger
many and Mr.. Rockhil took his place
rs first assistant secretary OF state. 4
couple of weeks ago it happened that
Patenotre and the Rock hills We're
thrown together at dinner, and the
dimnnutiye ambassadors manner was
said to be more insulting than would be
possible to any one but bourgeois
Frenchman. On two subsequent oc-
customs this was repeated. Mr..
Rockhill sent a note to the French
ambassador and informed him that
they were to have no dealings what
ever at the state department, and that
whatever business Patenoire might
have there he must transact with some
one else. He informed Patenotre that
it was not desirable that they should
ever meet on any preteXt or for any
purpose. Armed with this letter,
Rockhill went to secretary Olney, ex-
planned the circumstances, and read
what he had written. Olney wGs
greatly incensed, and told Rock
hill that he not only approved the
letter, but required that it should be
sent. This was accordingly done.
Patenotre replied begging for an in.
terview. He actually proposed that
he and Mr.. Rockhill should be the
same friends as ever and cut each
others wives! He deliberately and
seriously went on to say: 81 cut your
wifc--you be rs rude as you please to
mine" This behavior is regarded by
some peculiar people in Washington
society as thoroughly French.
Either Mr. Rockhill did not
not see the humor OF it or thought it n
"ittle Frenchy," for he left the am
bnssudor on the spot. Then NJ. Pate
notre went to the secretary Of state.
Here he got little satisfaction, for Mr..
Olney told him fatty that Roc,hill's
letter was sent with his entire APP
prevail and consent, and that he should
require an apology from Patenotre.
Here the matter rests for time. And
society is puzzling itself to find out
whether the apology has been re-
ceived, or whether Putenotre will pre-
fer to be rec ,lled and detailed to some
service where his associations will be
more congenial.
MUST BE ABLE TO READ AND WRITE
In lieu of the various bills before it
on the subject Of restricting immigra-
ton, the Senate immigration commit
tee has reported bill adding to the
classes of aliens excluded from admis
sion to the United States all persons
over fourteen years OF age who can
not read and write the language OF
their native country, except that an
aged parent not SO able to read and
write who is the parent or grandpar-
ent of an admissible immigrant may
accompany or be sent for by such i'm.
migrant. For the purpose of testing
the ability of the immigrant to read
and write, the inspection officers shall
be furnished with copies of the con-
stitution of the United States printed
on numbered uniform paste board slips,
each containing five lines of the con-
stitutou printed in the various lam
guagcs of the immigrants in double
small plea type.
AS He SEES HIMsELF-Ths man
Talbert, who has been thrust into a
little cheap notoriety recently, is one
of the queerest specimens in the
House. He is farmer of the South
ern type, something of story teller,
after the manner of the roads,
and a fire eater of inexhaustible Gu.
pacity. He sizes himself up in the
Congressional Directory. His auto
biography in that entertaining volume
contains this choice passage: "His
home paper says of him: In all rela-
tons of life, as neighbor, friend, and
public official, lie has been faithful to
every trust, Jealous as u church. mem.
Der, Sunday.school worker, legislato
and Alliance man.
HILL SIZED UP-Piatt of Counecti-
cut has sized up Hills attitude in the
Senate this session in sentence. 1.-The
trouble with HILL" he says in his dry
way, sis that he is always in favor Of
something else" Tuat is about it.
Hills function seems to b. the picking
of flaws in everything that anybody
else suggests