AWKWARD SITUATIONS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 119, 7 September 1876, Page 2

AWKWARD SITUATIONS.

In the clays of the Empire, - Marshal M'Mahon, having become a father, went to the Mayoralty of the city of Nancy, to nave tiie infant's birth and name registered, as required by law. He was accompanied by the nurse carrying the bab3 r , and two relatives. " You must wait," said the clerk oil duty, wiio did not know the Marshal. 'i'lie latter took a seat and waited. A quarter of an hour elapsed. The clerk, meanwhile, did nothing. He deliberately arranged and re-arranged his pen and paper ; lie then cut his nails with a penKinfe, and ignored his visitors entirely. Tiie Marshal remained calm and imperturable ; his friends showed signs of indignation, but he signed for them to remain quiet. At length the clerk, taking up his pen and opening up the registry, said : ""Well, what is your name, sir? You are the father of tiie child, i suppose ? What is Lis name ?" " Write." said the Marshal, coolly, Emmanuel, son of Patrick Maurice de MacMahon, i>nke of Magenta, Marshal of France, here before you." pen dropped from the trembling clerk's lingers. The Marshal did not report him. He considered the friwit he liad given the olhcial to be punishment enougii. We remember reading a story of a somewhat similar kind, in which another distinguished soldier was an actor. It was in the early days of the English expedition to Portugal and Spain, to aid thosa countries against Napoleon. In the chief clerk's oiiice of the War Department at London, there was a lull one day in business, and all the employes had gone out for a while, leaving on j young scion of aristocracy lolling at his desk, paring his nails, and otherwise illustrating his admiration for red tape, and his contempt for the rest of the world. A sharp, decisive voice at his ear startled him, and caused Mm to turn round in his chair more rapidly than was his wont. At the railing by his elbow stood a spare, cleanshaven man of erect figure and cold, severe manner. His dress was that of a civilian. " Fill out these papers at once!" said the stranger sharply and peremptorily handing the young man some blanks. The clerk slowly put up his eye-glass and surveyed the visitor coolly and deliberately for some time. "And who may you be, sir?" said the official at last, in a rather indignant, yet sneeiing mannex-. The visitor cast one searching glance at, over, and through the pert young man, and then said in his peculiar, clear, sharp, cold tone : "My name is Wellesley, my rank General. I have for Lisbon to-morrow morning. Fill out these papers at once." Tiie clerk was overwhelmed with confusion and dismay. He essayed to speak, but Wellesley stopped his apologies short, turned on his lieei, and left, saying, unmoved as ever: " Fill out these papers at once. I shall return for them in lifteen minutes." Nothing more was heard of it, but that clerk was notably polite after that to unknown civilians.