A few minutes ago, as I was packing my valise for a journey to St. Paul and Minneapolis to-night, the porter brought in a card. The name was unknown to me; but the porter having said that it was the card of a gentleman who was most anxious to speak to me, I said, “Very well, bring him here.”
The gentleman entered the room, saluted me, shook hands, and said:
“Well,” said I, “I must ask you not to detain me long, because I am off in a few minutes.”
“I understand, sir, that some time ago you were engaged in teaching the French language in one of the great public schools of England.”
“I was, sir,” I replied.
“Well, I have a son whom I wish to speak French properly, and I have come to ask for your views on the subject. In other words, will you be good enough to tell me what are the best methods for teaching this language? Only excuse me, I am very deaf.”
LEFT.
He pulled out of his back pocket two yards of gutta-percha tube, and, applying one end to his ear and placing the other against my mouth, he said, “Go ahead.”