Mower County transcript., 1898-01-26
Practical Talk Before High School.

Practical Talk Before High School.
Monday morning, Hon. N. Kingsley |
spoke to the pupils of the high school
and a score or more Of visitors on the
subject, Paris. Only part of the
more noted localities and buildings
were described; but Mr.. Kingsley held
the attention of his audience in
most remarkable manner for over a0
hour.
The French people are a peculiar
people, not like the branches of the
Anglo Saxon race, cool and calculat-
ing. They have rather the character
istics Of their early ancestors, the
Gauls, whom Caesar found there about
55 B. C..
The dominant characteristic Of this
people is their excltable, sympathetic
nature, which, perhaps, accounts for
the many vicissitudes of the nation.
No people have exerted such tre-
mendous influence on other nations
as the French. The object Of their
endeavOrs has been the ameliOratiOn
of the human race; though these ef-
forts have not always been directed
by wisdom and righteousness. The ex-
cesses of the great French Revolution,
the scenes OF the Reign Of Terror,
and the recent riots: bear awful testi-
mony to the power Of popular feeling
let loose by the French nation.
Such scenes could not have occurred
On English soil, because the Anglo
Saxons are not sympathetic people;
neither could France have produced
Washington, nor England Bona
parte. His characteristics are dis
tinctly French. Politeness is another
trait of this peculiar people. 1t is as
common to the menial as to the mas
ters Of state. All possess this extreme
polish OF politeness to such an extent
that the most disagreeable things are
relished.
A Spanish writer has said, "God
commanded in Spanish, the devil
tempted in Italian, Adam begged
pardon in French" Heine says that
God loves disappearing Frenchman
better than praying Englishman,
meaning, of course, to express the
ameliorating effect produced by pol.
ished manners and a beautiful Ian.
guage.
In France there are no nick Names
like Tom, Jake. ETC., each person be-
ing addressed by some title. Walters
at the restaurants and hotels have
the air Of a duchess, especially when
''tipped' for their, services, which is
always expected and rarely omitted
indeed, they depend IN this source
Of revenue rather than a salary This
system Of tips" is very EN- barrassing
to one unfamiliar with the custom
There are three grades Of tips" Il
you pay less than is expected, you are
considered mean; if you pay what is
expected, you are treated with honor
if you pay more than is expected. yor
are considered fool. Although one
may discover his mistake in not com
plying to the eSta bliShed code, it i:
better to ascertain the pri nciple which
ought to control the amount given. A
correct portion is about ten per cen
OF the amount Of your purchase.
The most important parsonage
about the hotels are the porters. The,
hold no such menial rank as th'
American porter. The French porte
is the man of supreme authority a bou
the premises, the boss, the manage
OF things. and the dispe nser OF infor
nation, but he too must be tipped t.
make him of any practical use to th
tourist.
Paris is the capital city Of Franc
and has been noted city for ages.
Julius Caesar found a little city Of
an island in the Seine This wa
the capital Of a tribe known as th
PARISH. He called it Lutetia, mean
ing a mud town. Here Caesar sum
moned the tribes of Gaul to ascertain
the facts regarding the conspiracy 0
the tribes, which brought on his note
wars.
The Romans controlled the city IN
til 400 or 500 A. d., when Clovis,
Frankish king, made it the seat Q
the first kingdom Of the Franks.
Julian built a palace here and es
tablshed those famous Roman
baths, which now constitute about tn
only remains of the Roman occupation
The walled limit of the ancien
city was about 30 square miles.
has now become one of the most mac
niticent and most populous cities of th
world. 1t is a 'city of boulevards,
with multitudes of minor streets es
tending in every direction, covere
with masses Of stately buildings an
palaces. One of the most noted is tn
Bastile or prison. Mr. Kingsley di