Nothing can eradicate the love of decorations from the French mind. Every now and then the police pounce upon some chevalier d'industrie who promises back-stairs influence and a ribbon in return for hard cash. A month or two ago it was discovered that scores of people had been victimised by a gang of swindlers who had stolen old note-headings and diploma forms from one of the Government offices. Now it appears that many Frenchmen have been investing in all sorts of tenth-rate foreign orders of chivalry which bestow a red ribbon resembling that of the Legion of Honour. he Grand Chancellor of the Legion realised one day that about five out of -every six men he saw on the boule-yards were wearing a red ribbon with a barely distinguishable border of some other colour. He communicated with the Minister of Justice, who has issued a notice warning the wearers of foreign and colonial decorations that they must have their titles confirmed by the Grand Chancellor, under pone. of fine and imprisonment. This, however, applies only to Frenchmen. AS 'a foreigner, I am thinking of investing in a nice little red rosette to wear in my buttonhole. The effect on cabman, omnibus conductors, etc., would be most' salutary, and I should rise fully fifty per cent in my concierge's estimation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.