Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-09-29

subject. As matter of fact tuner
ais are vey impOtant events in
France. Three or four directors in
black clothes and three comered hats
march ahead and the hearse is heay-
lily draped. II the departed was a man
OF prominence there are a number of
orations delivered, the crowd goes
away excited over the condition Of tn
republic and is likely 10 break win
dows and show It's feeling toward
the political opponents of the de.
ceased. When Zola was buried hun
dred thousand people marched in the
procession and there were a number
of street fights and dueb as a climax.
But the biggest thing in the La.
tin Quarter so far as American tour
lists are concerned Is the Bon Marche.
| suppose the largest retail general
store in the world. IN most ways It Is
Ike our department stores and an
nounces that 1t has made It's sue
cess by reason Of faithful dealings
with the public and by advertising.
It has been running about fifty years.
the original proprietor is dead, but
che business moves on smoothly. The
corporation has a method Of division
of profits among employees who have
been with the store more than ten
years. 1t also pensions its old en-
plOyes, provides lectures and amuse-
ments for fits workers, and has a pa
ternal and cooperative side that is
interesting, although the corporation
is in fact controlled by a few heavy
stockholders.
Somehow l had the idea that our
own country was the leader In the
big department store business. But
the Bon Marche and others in Paris
took the idea out Of me. It has many
clerks who speak foreign languages
and Ct Is said that a native Of Tim,
buOhoo or Arkansas could slip into
the store and find some one who could
speak his language.
The clerks in the Bon Marche get
from So TO Sc a week, with the ex
cepton Of a few who have special
qualifications. So | guess the Old ag'
pension business Is necessary. Thai
Is the ordinary wage paid store clerk
In Parts.
It was at the Bon Marche thai
the ancient joke happened TO me.
was booking at a price mark and no
understanding the figure inquired N
my pigeon French, lest sees C.
auter set 10 The clerk answered
at Is six
My French Is a Joke. From neces
sty l have learned enough Frend
words 10 order a meal, buy a ticke
and ask how much. But have foun
that a good bluff, plenty OF signs an,
the throwing in Of French and Gel
man words ON the subject general
get what ! want. But often IA
down. The word for potatoes 1,
French is @pommes. | told a waite
wanted fried pommes,' and as III
word for cold Is froid / got cold pots
toes.
l went 70 ride In the undel
ground tube. Bought my tickets am
got onto a train ] knew was On Oh
right direction. Il stopped, everybod
: got out and the porter insiste
that 60 too. knew something wa
wrong and tackled the platform boz
with good English. He couldn Z undo
: stand a wond, 30 he waved hls hand
and cAwed the air and talked FrenS
for couple Of minutes. Then he trt
TO walk of but Ihung on. / was ava
I down below the surface Of the grou
: and didn't even know straight u
Correspond he kept saying, and
: assured him would be glad to do {
II he would give me his address b
3 thE wanted to know where WI
/. at. know he was swearing but
3 was French swear and didn y min
FINALLY he took me BY the arm al
. walked me through a couple Of pa