The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-23
CURIOSITIES IN COMPLIMENTS.
some Odd Presents That Have Deen Given
TO Rulers.

FSHN ~ ANNNH
A very pretty compliment was paid by
his fellow townsmen to President Fallieres
Of France upon the occasion OF his recent
visit to his birthplace, the little town OF Mezin.
To widen the street the house in which the
President was born had been pulled down
some years ago. What was to be done? The
people of Mezin put their heads together
and when their distinguished fellow citizen
arrived, imagine his delight at finding an
exact reproduction Of his old home in papier
machel All was perfect, o to the very
furniture, part of which had been collected
from the country around and part reproduced
In facsimile. The President thanked his
friends in a voice broken with emotion. and
tears actually streamed down his checks as
he finished his little speech.
The late French President. NJ. LOubet. was
once the recipient Of an interesting present.
Il consisted Of an immense album filed with
thousands Of press cuttings relating to his
visits to Italy and to England. The album.
which IL Of enormous size and richly bound.
contains not only cuttings. but photographs
and illustrations of all kinds. 1t forms,
indeed, q complete chronicle of his life written
by many different people. and in more than a
dozen different languages.
In India the native rajahs consider II the
highest possible compliment to be presented
with fine specimens OF wild beasts, and conse-
uuently both King Edward and the Prince
OF Wales have been the recfpfents of many
Rifts Of this description. But when, one fine
day, two splendid tigers arrived unexpect-
eddy at S~andringham. King Edward was
driven to demonstrate. Il have
dation,' he said. for horses. dogs, cow
cats. mice. and even rats, but l must draw
the line at tigers"
An odd gift was received by the Crown
Prince of Germany upon his coming OF age.
A deputation OF butchers attended. bearing
an enormous and magnificent steak. upon
the surface OF which was worked in suet
their greetings to the future monarch.
The late Prince Bismarck once received
from some miners In Westphalia a bust of
himself carved In coal. and It IL said that
this odd present was always carefully pre-
served by him and looked upon somewhat
In the light of a luck bringer.
A compliment which had serious results
was paid TO an actor named Hanson at a
little mining town IN British Columbia. The
audience was so stirred by Mr.. Hanson's
acting that some persons began throwing
presents upon the stage. like spectators at
a Spanish bullhg ht. One burly miner.
having nothing else handy, hurled a lump
OF gold ore. Unluckily IL hit the actor on the
head and knocked him down. He was badly
injured and 1t was weeks before he was able
to play again.
Perhaps the oldest idea of paying a COM
pliment belongs to a tribe of Indians on the
Alaskan coast. When a chief wishes to do
honor to a distinguished visitor he invites
him to a -potlatch." or Toast. Then when
all have eaten their an the chief goes 10 the
edge OF the clin and solemnly casts into the
sea a. many OF his possessions as he thinks
he can aford. This II held TO be the Highest
form Of complainant and much superior to
merely Givans presents 10 the EussA =