Show politeness Poll tenen of the Pol policemen leemen it was quite dark as I 1 bilked back toward the city and at eveia street corner was a gendarme with a lantern on the sidewalk near him looking far up a was a row ot of these lanterns and each represented a conservator of the peace on du duy ay it an should be away from his post for even a short while any is t privileged liged to take the lantern and aa tf liver it to the superintendent if ft the district the number on the lanstein indicates the negligent officer and he III be punished in some way and perhaps sent to the guard house tor for being albent from duty Is a grievous offense the result of this regulation malea makes the service very pei feLt ct for besides being faithful to duty the gendarme Is always alaways polite it if you ask him a question in english and he cannot understand you he will it if possible send tor for some one to act as interpreter ter preter however unimportant the question may be they have an aa apparent intuition as to the character of strangers and it if you are all right or vice versa they seem to know it the tact fact that I 1 was seen in company with a prominent officer of the government soon after my arrival in the city set my stan standard among these keen eyed failows and wherever I 1 met one there affer a abter I 1 was glien given the raised visor later I 1 rode with general powell claton the american ambassador into the court of the presidents palace which meant I 1 was to be pre dented to president diaz and this fact was aas noted by those whose business it la Is to know all about strangers in the alt and after that I 1 was mas made to feel that the city was very much my own oan it if I 1 wanted it WILLIAM B ROBERTS |