Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-02
PICKING UP FRENCH
Paris Not the Place to Learn
the Language Quickly.
SOME OF THE MANY BREAKS
Tourists So Busy Sightseeing Have
Little Time for Study.
BLUFFING AT THE THEATER
How One American Was Taught by
Lovely French Grass-widow-
The Biscuit Method.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
PARIS, January 10, 1907.
When Mr. Corey was on his first trip
to Paris he ate beefsteak and mushrooms
at the Grand Cafe-and returned the
next day for more.
"Bifstek" was understood, but the
French waiter, knowing no more about
mushrooms than Mr.. Corey knew of
champignons, the man of steel ingen1-
ously sketched him a section of one
of those fruits The waiter cried MATS
oui! mails ouiv'-and brought him an
umbrella.
1t was painful; but the man who
frankly speaks no French saves him.
self, at least the horrid moment when,
after having nicely framed 90 ay loire
coty doc roo?" he sees the native stare
and hurry off, as If afraid Tourist girls
will not say to him: why, Mr.. Jinks,
1 thought that you spoke French?" He
will not infuriate the natives in theaters
by explaining plots of pieces to his COM
panions. He will not have to make ly-
ing translations of songs at cafes-con-
certs, where the jumbled words come
quickly. He will take things easy-and
let others do the work.
Yes, but picking up French in Paris
is a common ideal. 1t explains the
French table" in our Paris boarding
house. The newly married American
couple have already learned to call each
other naughty-mechant; and the bride
has conquered the shrug. The doctor
and his wife insist on French; while
links and Watts pretend they are for
getting English. Lucy and her mamma
stumble from vocabulary to vocabulary;
while gentle French grass widow,
husky young French count and the "Por-
tuguese lady find 1t a good place TO
practice English.
Good morning, good morning, isn't it
a wretched morning! Rain, rain, go
away! We had intended to skate; and
care, Madame dee Lay-mose? Tray bo-
COO? 1t keeps the gentlemen from harm
in Paris I say, doctor
Practicing Their French.
"Par-ley francais, Madame Waller; say
la table francais! with increasing dis
tinctness) ALVEY VOC eu bong summary?
was tray jenny all night parsk some
kind of engine was pumping across the
street,"
At the other tables they speak Eng
lish. but as the agent of conversation
school has been among them, his type
written lesson sheets-"Conversation
French in Twenty Days"-are all over
the shop and the French poker game
gains recruits.
"Vingt-cinq encore"-"Moi, yous saw
vey, I'm broke! Hand me un dollar
Henry, to buy jet-tons"-T hat hat
tree pair, ma chere, ant he say ski-doo,
am stung-ed, I hat six earliest
Madame, come up"-"Kom OPP? Com
ment, kom opp"
You see. the natives are so keen to
learn our language from us! Even the
pretty chambermaid attempts to cop out
English lessons from the hour she brings
the morning coffee to our bedsides. Thus
I found Ruggles of Wisconsin sitting
up all night in his dress suit.
Il don't dare go to bed until find the
word!' he mourned. What's French for
Me for solitudeY That little chamber
maid will be sure coming to my bedside
for another heart-to-heart talk in the
morning. Ye-e-s, Il had left word to be
called at all right, but when 1 heard
a woman rustling in the dark beside me
1 was real surprised! Sne barked her
knee against my trunk and let out
'co-shun dee NAL!
That means pig of trunk" I said.
quite likely! Who's there?' I called.
It's me, thee fam dee sham"-what do
you think of that-the girl of the room!
Get out! L called. but she romped over
to the window and let in the daylight
on me- Eat max bee-you tea-fuel dees
morn ning! and like phrases practicing
her English. Say, how can I tell her