THE ENGLISHMAN IN PARIS.
O "Englishman in Paris," do not think
That I refer to your amusing book;
I write of those who do not care "a tinker's
cuss" for look!
Not you who dress in Paris as at home,
Because the Frenchman is as good as you,
Top-hat, frock-coat—in fact do all in Rome
As Rome would do.
But you, attired in such eccentric ways,
Who travelled here with tickets which you took
Perhaps from enterprising Mr. Gaze,
Or Mr. Cook.
And from some stupid, slow, suburban spot,
Or prim provincial parish, come arrayed
In clothes which your own gardener would not
Wear for his trade.
Oh why offend the Frenchman's cultured sight
With such a 'Arry's outin' sort of air?
Do you consider knickerbockers quite
The thing to wear?
The Frenchman, just as sensible as we,
Calls "toppers" hateful, horrid, heavy, hot;
In Paris, as in London, still you see
The chimney-pot.
A linen collar hygiene abhors.
And yet he wears it. You don't care a rap;
You sport your flannel-shirt, and, out of doors,
Your tourist cap.
Magnificent contempt for foreign lands!
"Frog-eating Frenchy dress!" you say, and smile,
"He imitates, but never understands
True London style."
Unconquered Briton, you are right no doubt!
Descendant of the woad-clad ones, that's true!
And yet he never imitates a lout,
A cad, like you.
Her Parliamentary Knowledge.—Mrs. R. is an intelligent student of the Parliamentary Reports in the Times. On Tuesday, in last week, her niece read this aloud—"8.30. On the return of the Speaker, after the usual interval"—— "That," observed the worthy lady, interrupting, explaining it to her niece, "is the interval allowed for refreshment—ten minutes I believe,—go on, my dear." Then her niece continued—"Sir T. Lea, who was interrupted by a count"—— "Stop, my dear!" exclaimed our old friend, indignantly. "What I want to know is, how did that Count come there? Was he in the Strangers' Gallery? And if he interrupted why wasn't he at once turned out of the House? On second thoughts," she added, "he must have been a foreigner, and so they made some excuse for him."
