FOUR FAT FRENCHMEN.

Mataura Ensign, 26 December 1913, Page 5

FOUR FAT FRENCHMEN.

fr, SHORTEST VISIT ON RECORD. w - Yesterday there was paid the shortest h'knoim visit to London. Four fat foreigners cam© out of Victoria Station towards 10 o'clock (stated 'The Daily Mail' of November 13). They were vasty men, all of them standing their -six feet or near. . They stood under the projecting roof, looked at the Italian restaurants in "Wilton-road and the Turkish cigarette ■i shops near the Underground, and said in unison, "Londres ennn!" Innum- - «rable packages littered the ground at their feet, packages which they kept in their own care, 'being distrustful of - porters. There was a basket of grapes «uwl a parcel of cbeeses, and suitcases and a woman's hat-box.

They waved away the suggestion of a • taxicab. They were in no hurry. They wifthed evidently to see London slowly . unfold before them, and, besides, they -did not want their packages fui-.g aboutb, "-surtout le chapeau de ma femme" (especially my wife's hat), as . the tallest and broadest said, f-'o they TijjliJ a good" old four-wheeler, rather olA»r -fchan better, and it drew up along•ide. 'Difficult introduction of four huge frames one by one in the cab, earpricking and preparation for the worst "by the horse, careful bestowal in the congested interior of eatables and suitcases and "surtout ie chapeau de ma femme- En avantl" As the cab slowly turned in the station forecourt a taxicab 6hot in. The Sb-driver swung round to avoid it. it four-wheelers are not to be swung. "Hi© angle was too acute and the ballast was excessive. Over went the vehicle on iie side. The driver scrambled free; the horse wriggled like a shrimp but mg Lumpish noises from the interior, where 64 stone of fat foreigner washed to and fro. Tie door burst open; a bashed-in bowler appeared, and a large form climbed slowly out in silence. So came a second, and a third holding an umbrella 'handle. The fourth passed out the common belongings. The bags were dintad and the grapes were mush, and so ~ was the cheese and "surtout le chapeau j da mai femme." Fragments of everything were on the last man as he levered himself into safety. The four fat foreigners stood lik* crpmpied paper baskets on the footpath; They looked at each other mi! (yrninuvn accord turned back intc tihe station, producing their ticket' a< ' they weai. And as they hurried in •joa could hear one protesting, ". . . surtovt le chapeau de ma femme."