ht the secret of fusing worthless
material with acute brains and making something valuable--something which
the rich are glad to give their gold in exchange for. That emperor died,
but his work continued to live and increase until France became a nation
of artisans and artists, and that art has now become second nature, and
therein lies the charm. See how yonder lady picks up her drapery to cross
the street; not ten women in England could do that little thing as she
does. Do you know the reason why? She caught the art originally from old
Charlemagne. That is, thirty generations ago, the old Emperor established
the schools which made possible the perfection of the present, and the
graceful art of that lady is in truth a graceful compliment to the old
soldier-Emperor who more than a thousand years ago fell back to dust."

"I reckon yo' are right, Jim," said Jordan. "When I was heah afore, I put
up at er tavern whar ther war young women as waited on ther table. I jest
had plain food, in course, but when one o' them young women brot me ther
bill, she would hand et out in sech er way thet tho' I knowed she war
a-robbin' me, I never thot o' pertestin'; rather, she war shor ter git er
tip in addition. Talk er high art, them girls war daisies, shor. One time
thar war a row. A dapper feller disputed er bill. He thumped his heart,
waved his arms, and made er speech like er politician. Ther perprieter
cum in, then both made speeches. I thot ther would be shootin' or
cuttin', sartin, but finally one rushed out, and I tho't in course hed
gone for a gun. While waitin' ter see ther fun, I seen over at er table
a feller smilin' like, and I tho't by his face he war a Yankee, so I went
over, and sez I: 'parler vouse Fronsa?' Then he laffed and said: 'Yes, a
little, but I understand English better.' Then I shuk his hand 'nd axed
him wot ther row war, an 'nd ef he tho't that thar man hed gone fur a
wepin. He smiled sort o' quiet-like, and said: 'No, it war jest a
difficulty about an overcharge of five sous, and it's all settled.' 'All
that row for five sous?' I asked. 'Yes,' he answered. Then I said, 'My
God, suppose it hed a-been five francs, it would uv been ez good ez er
play.' Yo' see, that old trick thet they got from big Charlie, they
overplay sometimes."

Sedgwick smiled faintly, and Jordan continued:

"But are they not er light-hearted, joyus race, tho'? How they can sing
'nd dance 'nd play hades! When I war heah they hed a review