Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-09-20
Aniccss ::can POliteness
IOriginll.1

Il
saunter.lg through the Louvre with
John Townsend of New York, ''are
I generous people, lavish with your mon
ey, but so different from VS. French,
who set great store by delicate ways of
doing things"
| "H'm!' said the American. 81 think
I can give you little story that indi,
Gates the contrary"
| do, by all means"
| "An acquaintance Of mine, Billy
Ford, from Chicago, who had made a
| great deal Of money In pOrk-that Is, his
father had, and Billy inherited both
the old mans money and the business
| came abroad to travel. He liked Paris
and stayed here good while. One
morning he saw in shop in the Rue de
la Paix a lady who at once captvated
his fancy. She was tastefully dressed
and bore the impress Of refinement.
Having made her purchases, she went
out to her carriage and drove away.
Billy went to the man who had waited
on her, asked who she was and receiv
ed the information that she was the
Countess NJ. and belonged to one Of the
oldest families in France.
BILLY travelled all over Europe, went
home, where he superintended the kill
ing Of more hogs; added a new fortune
to the one he already had and in FIVE
years was again in Paris. He had new
er forgotten the face he had seen in
the shop In the Rue de Ia Paix, and no
sooner was he settled at his hotel than
he began to walk In the. Champs
Elysees, drive in the Bots de Boulogne,
sit in his box at the opera-all In the
hope Of again seeing the face and fig
ure that had captivated him. Not that
he had any idea Of indulging his fancy;
he had the good sense to know that. q
countess, even in republic, especially
countess able to ride in her carriage,
must be far above pork packer. He
only wanted to see her again.
Zone day when Billy was walking
ON the street he saw woman coming
leading a little child. AS she drew
nearer he noticed that her clothes were
worn and those of the child were in no
better condition. AS she passed him In
her sad, wan face he seemed to see the
Countess NJ. II SO five years and trou-
BILE must have altered her, for Billy
needed to confirm his discovery. He
crossed the street, walked rapidly back
on the other side, recrossed and passed
her again. This time all doubt was re-
moved. She was indeed the woman he
had seen in the shop.
1T was plain to Billy that she had
met some misfortune; that her circum-
stances were altered. He burned to re-
store some Of her former comforts, at
least to relieve her present necessities.
But how? He had not even her &C
Quaintance. And if he had how could
he offer her money?
''She had not gone far before she en-
tered shop in the window Of which
hung hair made up In every variety.
Billy waited for awhile outside, then
entered the shop and inquired for a
wig, though what he wanted one for
was not apparent, his head being COW
cred by his own luxuriant hair. In an
adjoining room the woman who had en-
tered before him was standing with
her hair unloosened. and the shopman
was inspecting It It was fine sight,
thick and so long that 1t fell far below
her waist The hair dealer was dancing
about her with an infinite variety OF
gestures and words, all Of which be-
spoke the politeness Of the Frenchman.
'Magnifquev he said. SO thick, so
long! will give you napoleon
"Oh, m'sieu, I need napoleons.
This sum I must have or be turned out
Of my apartments. Can you not give 2
napoleonsY
1.-TWO! It grieves me to be obliged
to pay only what my business permits.
I will give you napoleon, but / fear I
shall lose money at that price,
The man stood firm The woman
yielded and told him to cut OF her hair.
Billy Ford. without having even the
politeness to ask permission. as this
haggling Frenchman would have done,
walked into the room and said In the
best French he could muster:
"'Would you sell your hair to me.
madam
"Tf you think 1t worth more than a
napoleon
"I am quite sure it Is worth more
than that said Billy. AT any rate, l
will give you more than that I Will
buy your hair on condition that you
leave the price to me. it being under
stood that II is to be more than q ma
poleon.'
''The sad eyes hooked into Bilfy's in.
quiringiy. AS you please, monsieur
she said, lowering them.
Billy called for q pair Of scissors
and, gently taking up the end Of
thin strand. cut OF . NV inches. caro-
fully rolled Il on his Anger and put II
tn his pocketbook, Al tAs same time
taking out acme Aotss snd handing
them TO tho lady.
A'sieu,' she said, seapsetfAG q char
ity, n may give yea . wrong fnpres-
Sjpn sOs me 10 lock. tssses what you
Aavs given M, ~ ] 1sss = b too
mach
'1Ae usroilsd Ne nstss. 1hsss were
I've Of them. fss 10 fssass saSA."
Tho narrator paused a. though he
had ssns 10 ne 81 - ne sessy.
Tint why lssvs - ~ ssch IN inter
sst1uV Psfnt7~ asAsl - Ngtsssr.
sDosasns j skN kSsw - anal eli
Nax. WAsthss - sssnasss ssccyssd
- sssisisnss " SsGsalsI sarred or
lA~~.k kH~~