Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-12-24

receiving WISH from the eiHDdSsduor
his highness was mortified to see the
Japanese stick his thumb to his nose
and wriggle his fingers. The poor in
terpreter, however, was equal to the
occasion. and before his highness
could order the yellow Celestial from
his presence, explained that in Japan
it was the highest known mark OF re-
spect one could pay another.
In the old days when American con-
suls were appointed less for fitness
than for political reasons, one who
could understand just enough French
to be misunderstood was sent to
French city. His wife was fond of
sweets, and he liked to please her.
On starting for promenade one after
noon he was asked by her to please
buy "quatre meringues" for dinner.
Entering a cake shop on one of the
boulevards, he asked the mademoiselle
who came to serve him: "Avez-vous
uuatre meringues?" .'Oui, monsieur"
Then give me six, please" he said.
Later, when he had learned French
numerals he often told the joke on
himself.
Some years ago Frenchman was
sent as consul to America. He, like
all other Frenchmen, was proud of his
mustache, and was proud that it stuck
UP high. Unfortunately, he was not
too familiar with the English language,
and upon entering drug store one
morning, expressed himself as anxious
to buy a stick for his mustache.
A woman now living in Washington,
where her husband is closely connect
ed with affairs of state, once ordered
two pounds of churches at fruit
stand in Germany, since which time
she has never forgotten that kirche"
The same lady while living in Russia,
in reply to the domestic servant as to
what meat should be cooked for din
ner, said: ooh, we will cook the mas
ter to-day" meaning mutton, which
word in Russian is very like that for
master.
Some months ago l entered a com
mercial house in Rouen on business.
A Frenchman, taking me for an Eng
lishman, asked: do you speak Eng
leesh?" l answered, yes, do your"
EYES," he said, Il speakes it a
leetle-beetle." My smile indicated
fault in his grammar, which he ruin
ously attempted to correct by saying,
ooh, l mean speak it very small"
A young American, anxious to study
abroad, but not having the means, ac-
cepted poorly paid consulate in Ger
many. Before leaving home he was
upon the point of declining the posi-
ton because he could not speak Ger
man. and was afraid of the conse-
quences which might result. His wife,
however, persuaded him that she
could speak the language very well,
and would tide them over the diff
critics until they learned the tongue.
-Four weeks after his arrival he
strolled into the waiting-room of one
OF the principal railroad stations.
Two Englishmen We're there, end i'm
mediately he heard their voices he
threw up his hands, exclaiming: God
bless you. That's the first word of
English I've heard in an age. NV wife
fooled me over here by telling me she
could speak German. We've been
here month, and nobody has under
stood word she has said. Can't you
come and take dinner with us?''
Some three or four years ago read
in one of the leading magazines a par
agraph ON how European embassa-
dor was beaten at diplomacy by the
sultan. If | remember correctly, car
rage containing some women of Abb
ours harem was met by the embassa-
dor, who not imprudently. but cur
lously attempted to get a glimpse in
side. His endeavor was rewarded hv
a blow in the face from the eunuch
who was guarding the carriage. Such
an insult naturally produced a tumult.
and the offended ambassador at once
sent written ceremonial complaint
TO the sultan, who replied by permit
ting a private audience. The tale of
woe was patiently listened to bv the
sultan, who at the end replied: "My
dear Mr.. A, understand perfectly.
having looked very carefully through
all the facts of the incident. In the
hrst place, you are a gentleman, per-
fect, irreproachable gentleman, a rep
resentative of country famed for it's
pohteness, and as a consequence such
an act OF impoliteness, or real rude
ness, could never under any circum-
stances have been perpetrated by you.
Certainly, then no eunuch could have
been bold enough to have even thought
to presume to strike you in the face.
Therefore the whole affair can be
hothing but a product of the magma
tion-as which, pray, let us think no
more about it,