The Portland daily press., 1898-12-13
FIVE MINUTES FOR DINNER"
Max o'Rell, the French Phiiosophe r. Tells
of Some Natural Cnarac. eristics.

One of the noticeable contributions to
the North American Review for Deem
her is that of Max O'Rell, the eminent
French author and lecturer on Studies
in Cheerfulness" which article, we are
glad to note is marked II . hence we ere
to infer that other chapters OF the same
delightful studies are to appear. In ehls
contribution he praises tne prench
people for their cheerfulness and happl-=
ness which he would like to see tecome
universal among the people OF all naeiohs.
Concluding his article he gives two
pictures showing the national eharacter
istics of Americans and FrenchEaen,
which we are sure all will enjoy reading
tbs not difficult to see with which type
most people will. fall in love:
.Look. on this picture and on this. F"
Some three years ago was spending
Sunday forenoon in Chicago, in the house
or, / should rather say. in the palace,
of young married man who possessed
twenty millions-the poor fellow He had
beautiful and most interesting wife,
and The loveliest little girl OF about three
or four years Of age that ever saw In my
life. That lovely little.girl had the good
taste to take to me at once. We had
little Irritation together, first in the dis
tance; then she drew toward me nearer
and nearer, put her finger ins her little
mouth and looked me straight In the
facs. I said '.yes." She jumped on my
knees and asked me to tell her stories.
started at once. Now. you understand, /
was not allowed to stop; but, by and bye,
took q breath. and said to her: "But
do es not your papn tell you long, long
stories on Sundayss' That lovely little
round face grew sad and quite long.
"Oh, no." she said. Papa is too tired on
Sundays "Too tired to tell you stories, =
l said; ssmy poor darling. you don't say
SO r. A few weeks after left Chica-
go, that man was taken i'll with disease,
not an uncommon disease in America,
that starts from the top of your head and
takes from two to thre5 years to kill you
In lunatio asylum among dwelling
idiots and imbeoilee and no twenty
millions have ever been known to cure it.
When. eighteen months later, was in
Chicago again, made inquiries and
heard that the poor fellow was expected
to exist few weeks or perhaps a few
months, longer. Ali wha pity.
thought that this beautiful woman had
not enough influence over that good hus-
band to stop him. Don't offer me twenty
million at that price. Put lovely little
girl of three on my knees on Sundays,
and win tell her stories from sunrise
and go on till sunset. even If. on that
account, I were prosecuted by the Lords
Day Observance Society.
Last September twelve months L was
returning to England from Brittany via
St. Malo, and Southampton. When we
got to St. Malo we found delightful
beach, and, rs the weather was beautiful,
we decided to stop few days before
crossing the channel-the English channel
as the English call IL. (Why English, "
/ don't know went to the proprietor
of the hotel and asked him where could
get straw hat. He reflected some time
over that serious business, and said: AT
old fashioned firm. . WELL . / said. II
only want a straw hat, it does not much
matter how long the firm has been estab-
lished, " At twenty minutes to one
O'Clock, went up the bill and made for
the high street and d. Anfray's nat
but found it locked. I shook it, and the
noise attracted u young pretty, neatly
dressed, most ladylike little woman, who
seemed perfectly astounded to see me and
at loss to understand what 1T was l
wanted at that hour felt was lntrud-
ing. and, in apologetics tones, said: tx
cuse me, l wanted a straw hat. That's
very awkard,'' she said, but we are at
dinner.'' "Please excuse me" / repsat-
ed, Il am awfully sorry to disturb you.
would you mind coming back at two
o'clock?'i said the little woman with the
sweetest of smiles. mot OF all, ! said,
81 shall be delighted. had then prae-
tically just returned from America.
liked the scene. it was change after
Chicago. At five minutes past two
went back. The door was open and the
same pretty, ladylike little woman was
there alone. She rose and came towards
me: "That's very awkward" she said,
ssyou promised me to como back at two,
and my husband waited for you; but
you did not come Now he's gone across
the road to the cafe with friend.
ssThat's very awkward" said, isn't
itf' Would you mindfgoing to the cafe?'
she kindly suggested as solution or the
difficulty. Not at all" | said, . / shall
be delighted. was beginning to enter
into the humor of the whole thing. l
went to the cafe and asked the waiter:
SIS Is he hereS', aYes, sir.'' Where is
he?' "It's that gentleman over there
playing dorninoes.' Thanks" said,
tthat'S good. i went towards tne GaOle
that was pointed out to me, and taking
my hat off, said; EXCUSE me, sir. have
the pleasure of speaking to N. Anfrays'
"Oui, monsieur" well, should very
much like to have straw hat. - "Do
you mind my finishing this gamer" he
Suggested. 'Not at all, - said. 81 shall
be delighted. I made inquiries at the
hotel aud learned that N. Anfray was
about forty years old, and enjoyed little
fortune of about 5000 francs a year. Be-
sides, he had fairly large custom and he
was not going to change his ways for
new and casual Gu stomer. Well, this man
may seem a very small man to AN Ameri-
can. but say that this man, who 8; locks
the door of his shop from half past twelve
till two o'clock, SO as not to be disturbed
by customers while he is having his din
ner with his wife, and good stime with
the children, I say, this man has solved
the great problem, the only problem of
life happiness far better than the Ameri-
can or the London city man who at one
O'Clock will stick at his door: "Gone to
dinner; shall be back in five minutes"
Five minutes to eat dinner just think of
it'll The greatest event of the day And
what is the result of that five minutes to