Evening journal., 1905-06-06
American POliteness
IorlelnaL1

faunterluB through uie LOuNlt WIN
John Townsend Of New York, "are
generous people. lavish with your mon
ey, but so different from us French,
who set great store by delicate ways Of
doing things
"H'mr said the American. u think
can give you a 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 lie liked Paris /
and stayed here a good while. one |
morning he saw IN a shop in the Rue de |
la paix lady who at once captivated |
his fancy. she was tastefully dressed |
and bore the Impress Of refinement |
Having made her purchases, ahc went
out 70 her carriage and drove away.
Billy went 70 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 bad seen IN
the shop IN the Rue de la Paix, and no
sooner was he settled atshis hotel than
he began TO walk in the Champs
Elysees. drive in the Bois de Boulogne,
sit I'm his box at the opera-all In the
hope Of again seeing the face and fig
ure that had captlvated him. Not that
he had any idea of indulging his fancy;
he had the good sense TO know that
countess, even in a republic, especially
a countess able to ride in her carriage,
must be far above a pork packer. He
only wanted TO see her again.
zone day when Billy was walking
ON the street he saw a woman coming
leading a little child. AS she drew
nearer he noticed that her clothes We're
worn aud 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-
ble 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 10 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 ac-
ouaintance And II he had how could
he offer her money!
eShe had not gone far before she en-
tered a, 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 q
wig. though what he wanted one fol
was not apparent, his head being Gov
cred by his own luxuriant hair. In an
adjoining room the woman who had en-
, tered before him was standing viii
! her hair unloosened, and the shopmar
! was inspecting II. II was fine sight
!. thick and so long that it fell far below
!, her waist The hair dealer was dancinl
! 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. *
long. 1 will give you a napoleon
. "Oh m'sieu, need 3 napoleons
D This sum l must have or be turned ou
? Of my apartments. Can you not give
, napoleOnsT
/ "'Twol 1t grieves me to be obliget
, to pay only what my business permits
/ will give you a napoleon, but fear
shall lose money at that price
"The man stood firm. The woman
yielded and told him to cut OF her bah
e Billy Ford, without having even tn
, politeness TO ask permission, as TIM
5 haggling Frenchman would have done
+ walked into the room and said in tn
5 best French he could muster;
would you sell your hair to me
: madam
eff you think it worth more than
). napoleon
: az am quite sure it is worth NOR
than that said Billy At any rate,
70 will give you more than that. vii
= buy your hair on condition that yo
4 leave the price 10 me, it being under
:. stood that II is to be moEe than na
. poleon.'
q "The sad eyes looked into Billy's In
y quiringly. AS you please, monsieur
.. she said, lowering them.
/ BILLY called for a pair OF scissor
= and, gently taking up the end OF
J: thin strand, cut of few inches. care
p fully rolled it on his finger and put
3 in his pocketbook. at the same tim
= taking out some notes and handin
4 them TO the lady
"'M'sieu.' she said. suspecting a char
ity, it may give you a wrong impres
q sion for me to look TO see what 20
8 have given me. but ! fear It Is 20
8 much
g "She unrolled the notes. There wer
3 five Of them. for 100 francs each"
6 The narrator paused as though b
q had come to the end Of the story.
s "But why leave off at such an intel
D esting point?" asked the listener.
& Because / only know the final cl
3 max. Whether the countess accepte
& the assistance SO delicately offered Q
9 not doesn't matter. Another transa'
x ton whereby Billy subsequently, az
:; quired every hair on her head-indeet