The Washington herald., 1909-06-13

ing for some twenty minutes or 50; then,
seeing that the man he wanted was not
occupied, he asked him If he would not
take up his AFFAIR. All he received by
way OF reply was a steady stare.
Look here" demanded the American.
in excellent German, ARE you dumb2
II you are not dumb. then why in -
don't you speak 70 me? I have no time
u loaf around here all day"
I shall be very glad 10 attend 10 you.
sir replied the Official, ''as soon as yOu
remove your hat This is his majesty's
Office, and It is not seemly that a gentle
man should keep his hat on in the pres
ence OF those who represent his majesty"
The hat was promptly taken of, the
business as promptly dispatched, and
when he took his departure the offender
excused himself for his breach OF eti-
Quette by saying that men in America
did not take their hats of in public
Offices. whereupon another American who
happened 70 be present remarked:
do
Which, OF course. is true, or was true;
for the custom that formerly obtained to
some extent Of a man wearing his hat in
public offices is practically obsolete. Just
such occurrences as this give Europeans
wrong impression OF Americans. for
they fan 20 understand that the average
traveller is not always a representative
American, but may have been foreign
born and naturallzed within only a few
years. The Arbiter has frequently met
with people In Europe who advertised
themselves as Americans who could not
speak English well enough TO be under
stood. An incident he witnessed IN Italy
serves TO illustrate this.
Hot and tired from a long ride from
Pompeii, / arrived al the pension In
Sorrento, where had engaged rooms. IN
the afternoon Of a certain Fourth Of July.
l ordered tea served on the terrace. which
overlooked the most beautiful bav IN
the world. and while waiting for It FEAST
ed my eyes on the scene So fascinated
was at the wonderful panorama that All
sense OF fatigue left me, and the tea
wnicn l bad craved q few moments be-
tore became a matter Of indifference. Nv
JOY, however, IVES interrupted by the
major domo OF the place. who informed
me that two American ladies begged 10
see me and would await my coming In
the salon. Two American ladies, n
needed only these TO make my bliss COM
piete- Old friends. perhaps, who would
explore the place with me and make az
curs.ons In the saucy li.tle boats oyer
the marvellous blue water. So 1 hastened
TO the salon. but the only people present
were two homely German women. who
gaobied away In the native tongue. I
waited Tor a few moments and finally, no
one appearing. called the porter.
Where are the ladies who asked 10
see me?" demanded.
he waved his hand In the direction OF
the German fraus. There they are. sir"
he announced
But they said they were Americans.
These ladies' are not Americans. There
must be some mistake" I was really
and 70 put an end 10 the !
matter / approached the two women and. !
In my very best German. informed them
That two American ladies had sent for 1
me. and that could not find them, and
could they. perhaps, throw some light on /
the matter?
'Ach. GOtt,' exclaimed the Oldest and
the ugliest, st Is. yes. ze American
shentleman. We ze American ladies' are. 1
aus New York. yes. Il is. yes. pleasant
70 see q countryman," Whereupon they
both gravely arose and shook me by the !
hand When they were seated again the /
younger and the fairer took up the thread |
Of discourse:
Yes; We are from New York. and fl 4
IS pleasant to see a countryman. To-day. /
you know. IS the day We should all re-
Ioicc togezzer''
rs it?'' I interrupted What day IS Il,
and why should we rejOice?'' I cannot
describe the look OF disgust that spread l
over the woman's face
so, gou do not know that this Is the
Fourth OF July? Ach Gotti You are
perhaps. not an American, after aIIl YOU
are, maybe, an Englishman. II you are
an Englishman. naturlich. you would not
rejoice to-day. for to-day we licked the
do you hear, you Englishman?
We licked the English"
l saluted my two cOmpatriots and left
he room. leaving them 10 think what
hey would. and they must have thought
bitter and cruel things, for, although we
ived together IN that pension for nearly
l week. neither one Of them ever ad
dressed me again. but at the table they
would talk at me. denounce the hated
English, exalt the country OF which they
claimed 10 be citizens. although they
could not speak its language: but det
'pite this drawback. they were known
lmong their fellOw-bOarders as the Two
American ladies"
This story is not overdrawn. and many
-ery much like ii could be recited for II