The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-17
PARIS NEWS LETTER

l. "Lths W. A' AAAS
observed as punctiliously in republi-
can France as in the court of the most
absolute monarchy in Europe. and the
statesman who is the supreme author
ity on all questions Of social and Of
fetal procedure finds his post most
difficult. He is called The chief of the
protocol, and the last incumbent, M.
MOllard, has just resigned to. become
French minister to the court of Lux
embourg. Since he has been in the
protocol" M. MOllards has become the
most decorated man in Europe, but
every ribbon and star he wears has
been justly earned. d
The protocol rules official procedure
in the most diverse circumstances
receptions, official %banquets, presen-
tations to the president, Inaugural
tons, official visits and last but not
least, letter writing. To avoid mis-
takes the army and navy have sup
pressed all form of salutation at the
end of letters. But even so the prac-
tice is not uniform; in the army one
says: My general, my colonel, etc,
while in the navy, admiral, captain,
etc, suffice. Before the separation of
church and state in France, the most
delicate problem which ever confront
ed the chief of the protocol was to de-
eide the precedence of the Papal nun
clio and the cardinal archbishop of
Paris. The problem was never solved,
the difficulty being avoided by never
inviting both prelates to tho same
function.
At the foreign office the greatest
Importance is attached to the epis-
tolary protocol. In q pamphlet pub
lished on this subject everything is
provided for; the size and quality OF
the letter paper, which must be gilt
edged for sovereigns, ambassadors
and ministers of foreign affairs; the
width of the margin, the subscription,
the heading, the final formulate n the
titles, all are strictly regulated. An
ambassador, untitled, is addressed as
"Mr. Ambassadors" if titled, as Mar
quis,' or Count or Your Highness,"
as the case may be. A minister pleni-
p%otentiary does not get his title *
cept in the subscription at the bottom
Of the first page and on the envelope,
to which is added, after his titles, one,
two or three ETC." according to his
rank. An ambassador is entitled to
three "etcs." At the end of a letter
an ambassador Is asked to accept the
assurances and not the Assurance"
Of the foreign minister's very high
consideration" while diplomats Of
lesser degree receive either "the most
| distinguished" the very distinguish
ed" or merely "the distinguished con-
s%ideration Of the minister, according
to their rank.
A country clockmaker has on
structed a clock in which a phono-
graph is substituted for the gong. In
stead of striking the hours, it repeats
them in a loud voice. The inventor
got the idea during a journey in Spain,
where he heard the serene or night
Waterman calling the hours in the
street.
1t is proposed to extend the idea by
fitting public clocks with large phono-
graphs which, after announcing the
hour, would repeat in stentorian tones
some appropriate proverb or wise say
ing. For example, early in the morn
ing the clock would announce, six
o'clock. Fortune belongs to the early
riser At noon, Eat to live, not live
to eat. Remember that alcohol is a
slow poison which leads to sickness,
madness and an early grave" The
clock-phonograph could also be used
for making important official an
nouncements.
One of the most famous works of
the great French painter, jacques Da-
vid, has been missing for nearly a
hundred years, and the problem Of its
whereabouts is. an artistic mystery
which has appealed to the imagination
of many well-known members of the
Paris art world. The picture is now
believed to have been traced to the
old chateau of Saint-Fargeau, In the
Nievres. According to this story the
painting was placed in an oak box
and sealed up in M of the chateau's
walls. But not eve the present own
er of the chateau, M. Annison du Per-
ron, has the slightest clue as to just
where it may be.
The picture represents Michel Lee
peletier, Count Saint Fargeau. as he
lay on the pedestal of the statue Of
Louis XVI, the day before the execu-
ton of that doomed monarch. Saint
Fargeau was a royalists deputy to the
states-general, but afterwards went
over to the revolution and voted the
death of Louis XVI. He was assas-
sinated the day before Louis XVI's ex-
ecution by a royalist man-at-arms.
Saint-Fargeau's dead body, nude, and
covered with gariands OF oak leaves,
was exposed for four days On the ped
estal# from which the statue Of Louis
XVI had been thrown down.
The picture was originally placed In
the hall of debates of the convention.
/ It was given back to tho artist after