How to Learn French.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 22, Issue 66, 25 August 1911, Page 5

How to Learn French.

When driving round the rights of Pariir last week with a large conducted parly. 1 was greatly entertained by the con terra tie* and bearing of a large, bnrir men from thi North of England. He h*d as a companion a very small, thin man, with a careworn countenance, who vw evidently sewing the wonders of Paris lor the first Hint that morning. The stoat men with Ihef. large voice had been on the scene a week in advance, and was giving insufferable airs in coneeqocnra, ridnff rough-shod, so* to speak, over Isis unfortunate companion, who listened to bis rwnark-’ able statements and directions with * humble respect, which bad its coesJc;.:, u well as its pathetic, side, to tbe onlooker. We were passing close to the Exbib; ti*«a at one point, when the stout man wared his hand towards the building c<n»-*ining the exhibit of the great drapery ratahli&ht menu, “Le Printemps.” ’’ ( “ Now, there you are—print empe. Nowi in there they show you all sorts of print | ing, big, small, every size and description— | in fact, oh! ifc’r a wonderful show!” The little man looked with respectful attention in the direction indicated. “ There’s really no difficulty about picking up the French language,” continued h:s friend airily, “it’s as like English as pea-, sible. All you have to do is to keep jour eyes open, study the signs on the simp-; r.r.d the buildings, and there you are! Way, I’ve only been here a week, and you’d Audit a difficult matter to puzzle me whi tLeix lingo.” We drove along in silence for a few minutes after this outburst, when tbo man, following the directions ab«ri terming his eyes open, pointed timidly to ;bn warning against sucking bills, "IWwws d’Afficher,” which meets the eye rib every I turn in Paris. ! “ Now, what does that mean?” ha sakedj “it seems all over the place.” , The stout man shifted uneasily in M* seat, cleared his throat several tim-z, glanced rather uneasily in the directi** ts.< dicated. “ That, well now, that just h’m, I’m not sure of just the exact mean* ing, you knotv, hut it’s something aW«t Hm defence of Africa, though why Frew dues should take such an overpowering terest in what don’t conthem ta thl very least, beats me to know** ->