Show OF Ferry the lately deposed French Premier a correspondent writes He always shook mens hands with a hearty grip he could laugh loud and long even when not amused if conversation flagged he could light it up suddenly with a few crackling jokes but he generally preferred pre-ferred to sit silent smoking penny cigars for he was not rich sipping absinthe and taking mental notes of what was being be-ing said around him Now and then especially if a talker appealed to him he would nod approval with a grave closing clos-ing of the eyes which is the supreme politeness in the art of listening He never squandered his knowledge in small talk so that his public speeches always took his most intimate friends aback Gambetta once said to him You are the most secretive of chatterboxes the truth being that Ferry used commonplace ideas in private intercourse i just as some men keep halfpence beggars |