Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-07-21
Preparing
for the Trip

eyes, we've been taking lessons for
the last month. We sail July 1, you
know"
II should hardly think two months
of French would benefit you percep-
tibly." observed Mrs. Binxley.
But we are getting on beautifully"
returned he'd friend. "Mademoiselle
is the dearest thing! How she does
work with us! She will carry chair
out of the room, asking, in French of
course, What am 1 doing now?" And
we answer her, you take out the
chair Then she will bring it back,
inquiring, What am l doing now?' and
we reply: You bring in the chair and
so on. George says she has carried
out and brought back everything in
the room except the piano. It's love-
ly way to learn language, for we are
not bothered with books"
You are not going to engage in the
business of moving furniture while you
are abroad, are you?" asked Mrs Blink
ley.
"Of course not, but think of all the
words we are adding to our French
vocabulary"
eff you are anxious to study French
In that way, 1t seems to me it would
be practical to have your teacher rep
resent dressmaker who has spoiled
a garment for you and learn to ex-
press In a few emphatic and incisive
words your intention to throw the
dress back on her hands unless suit
able alterations are made"
But French ssmakers-modistes
suppose 1 should call them-never
make misfits," suggested the caller.
Don't they?" exclaimed Mrs. Blink
ley. "If you could see princess
gown that l bought in Paris, with a
back seam that started on the right
path, but was lured to one side, you
would think French modistes do make
misfits."
Then l shall ask mademoiselle
what to say when one wants changes
made in DRESS" said the caller. "My
dear, If you had studied the language
before you sailed you would have
saved yourself both money and vexa-
ton"
I'VE had three months of French be-
fore we went over,' replied Mrs. Binx-
ley. "My husband had studied Latin
in his youth, which he said was a
great help to him in speaking French,
and he was quite proud of his ability
in that line-before he went to France
He hasn't mentioned it since"
NJ he
of his knowledge"
HE had perfect genius for saying
the wrong thing" declared Mrs. Binx-
ley. HE got us into trouble more
than once. One night when we were
travelling through the south of France
Mr.. Binxley went to the ticket office
to have our tickets vised when the
train stopped at Narbonne, 1 believe
1t was. never did learn what he
said, but several of the officials came
to the window of our compartment as
angry as SO many hornets and all
talking at once. l thought of the way
the French people acted during their
revolution and my blood ran cold.o
How did it end?" asked the caller.
There was little American WON.
an asleep in one corner of our COM
partment who, awakened by the noise.
spoke French so rapidly for a few min
utes that she must have made even
those natives dizzy. She seemed to
have explained whatever it was and
they skunk away without another
word. l asked her what it was all
about. but she was grumpy and sleepy
and not inclined to conversation"
Didn't you ask your husband what
he had said to make those men so
angry?"
Yes, but he did not seem to know.
He evidently had used the wrong
words"
Il will have mademeiselle arrange
hypothetical argument with railway
| officials" remarked the caller, thought
fully.
Il would" advised Mrs. Binxley.
and be sure to have her explain the
difference between a 'jupe' and a 'iu-
pon,' for you will need the words in
shopping"
This conversation reminds me of
dream l had last night" said the
caller. II thought l was In Paris and
that mademoiselle, dressed as tight
rope walker, was tripping gayly over a
wire that reached from the Louvre to
the Place de la Concorde. When she
caught sight of me she swung by one
toe. calling out: What am 1 doing
now?'
Thousands of people seemed to be
waiting for my answer. AS did not
know the French word for swinging
and had forgotten the French word for
toe. woke in great trepidation.
ut gets on ones nerves dreadfully
to study foreign language"