The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-28
MUSTARD POTS
MADE IN GERMANY
Give Offence to German Tour
lists in France
THE INCIDENT rs CLOSED
Ex-Queen Ranavolo of Madagascar Is
Spending a Short yavation In Paris
in Strict Incognfto-Patri-
otto Work of Able
THE INCIDENT rs CLOSED

pie ehihh seriouSiy Oh taxing up arms TO
win back Alsaca, but the warfare of
wit and words which France has always
| wased in order to prove that the Alsatians
are naturally part of the French ma
| ton never ceases. The results are gen.
orally some compensation for the de-
feat Of 1870 for there is no nimbler wit
| than the Frechmans. The latest victory
of this kind was one at Kijon. A friend
| who has just returned from the Bur-
gundian capital says that h, was very
| much surprised to find In almost every
mustard pot-a porcelain pig with a
spiked helmet ON It's head.
In France spiked helmets are always
connected with the German army; there
fore, the mustard pot seemed all the
more remarkable After some inquiries
the origin OF the curiosity was discov-
cred
Some time ago a German commercial
| traveller called on the owner of the chief
china store of the town and laid out
on the counter wonderful array of
mustard pots, some serviceable and moth
ing more, some ugly, some picturesque,
and some even works of art. But the
shopkeeper did not feel inclined to buy.
He said so once, twice, even three times
but the stolid German was still convinced
that his persistency would win an or
der.
At last the shopkeeper thought he
would try other methods. One of the
mustard pots represented handsome
Westphalian pig worked in glazed earth
enware. Taking 1t up, the Frenchman
said with a smile: This would be
all very we'll If only you would put a
skipped helmet on It." The effect of his
remark was intended as a slight on the
German army, the traveller was delighted
| with what he thought was a concession
to his obstinacy.
"A spiked helmet? Very we'll. How
many will you order If l have this model
nader
Fifteen thousand for first order"
said the shopkeeper.
Every WE'LL" you shall have then," said
the traveller. and the 1900 pigs with
helmets arrived at Kijon some time later
They were sold with astonishing rapidity,
and a second order was soon placed
A few days ago., however, some German
tourists remarked on what they felt was
a deliberate insult to the German army,
and the German embassy In Paris was
communicated with. An attache was sent
down to Kijon to inquire. He found sew
eral of the famous mustard pots, and
then discovered the shopkeeper. He was
asking for explanations when the shop
keeper turned one of the mustard pots
upside down and showed printed on the
bottom the words made In Germany"
The mustard pots are no longer In
danger of becoming the subject of
diplomatic incident.
The ex-Queen Ranavo1o of Hadagas-
car, is at present in Paris where she
Is spending a few days in strict incog-
nito. Queen Ranavolo, by her mod
esty and the quiet resignation she has
shown since her dethronement, finds
great deal of sympathy in France,
where she is always treated with the
best hospitality. Since her arrival in
Paris she has been staying In a board
ing house in the center of the city,
for she does not hide her dislike for
sumptuous hotels and society life. Her
visits to Paris are by no means few
and the best part of her tine here is
spent in receiving interviewers. But
Queen Ranavolo has also a dislike of
talking about herself and replying to
questions which revive memories which
she would prefer to forget. So this
time, after receiving her interviewers
with characteristic courtesy. she leaves
her lady in waiting to speak for her.
A reporter who visited the queen
was told that her majesty Is greatly
inconvenienced by the inclement wealth
err She finds 1t cold and would like
the sun to shine out with a little
more ardor. in order that she might
carry out her plan of spending a few
weeks in Brittany, which she Is very
anxious to do. After visiting Nantes
the queen and her modest suite will
return to Algiers, where she resides.
Her villa there, during her absence,
Is being rebuilt and enlarged and she
hopes to find that all her wishes have
been carried out in this respect on her
return.
The lady in waiting was asked If the
queen did not at times have any re-
grets at being so far from her native
home.
Never" was the reply
The attention of Parisians has fire.
quently been called of late to the grave
dangers brought about by the increas-
Ing construction of the subway ana
its effect on the safety of buildings.
Some time ago 1t was stated that the
building occupied by the ministry of
marine, at the corner of the Place
de la Concorde and the Rue Royale
was in danger of collapsing, owing to
the undermining of the roads, and
the apparent instability of the build
ings of the ministry OF foreign af-
fairs on the Quai d'Orsay was attrib-
uted to a like cause.
Scarcely more than year ago Pa
risians also had apprehensons about
the safety of the great obelisk on
the Place de la Concorde; there were
fears lest the great mass OF granite
should crash to the ground at any mo-
ment. 1t was stated that Its founda-
lions were sinking and that 1t was lean
ing dangerously to one side. It's pro
gress" was reported with small
congregation in the newspapers ana
large numbers Of people went daily to
Inspect the gradually falling obelisk.
Between midday and o'clock the mid
inettes from the Due de la Paix and
the rest Of "fashionland" and work
people from other quarters OF Paris.
crowded on to the Place de la Con-
corde, spending large part of the
luncheon hour to satisfy their curios-
ity. But the newspapers soon found
other topics to occupy their columns
and consequently interest in the obelisk
I'D