322 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SHALER 



The journey northward from Florence in March was through 

 the lands of blossoming delight; peach, almond, and apple trees 

 with their delicate shading of green and rose-color made the 

 quickened earth a scene of enchanting beauty. Only near Paris 

 we seemed to retrace the season and began with buds instead 

 of flowers. 



Besides revisiting old familiar scenes in Paris, Mr. Shaler 

 spent considerable time at the School of Mines and other homes 

 of science. In one of his rambles he knocked at Dr. Brown- 

 Se"quard's door. The eminent physiologist at that time was 

 engaged in making some interesting experiments on guinea- 

 pigs, producing in them, by artificial means, a state of epilepsy. 

 When Mr. Shaler was about to go, the savant asked if he would 

 be good enough to take one of the little animals to Huxley. 

 Since he expected to cross the channel in a few days he willingly 

 undertook the charge. The pig was done up in a paper bag and 

 thrust into his overcoat-pocket. On the way back to the hotel, 

 he stopped at a bird store to purchase a cage for his little charge, 

 and in an unguarded moment took his hand out of his pocket 

 to point to a small wooden one of about the right size. The pig, 

 seizing his opportunity, bounced out on to the floor : whereat 

 the proprietress and her daughter jumped up on the counter 

 and proceeded to scream at the top of their voices. Endeavor- 

 ing to reassure them, Mr. Shaler called out, "C'est seulement 

 un petit cochon"; the word cochon was all that they heard, 

 and since to be called cochon in French is a deadly insult, indigna- 

 tion was added to their fright. In the meantime the "subject" 

 was captured, and, its owner demonstrating his pacific intent 

 to the crowd which had been attracted by the screams, the 

 women were induced to descend and take their pay for their 

 pains. 



Before leaving Florence, Mr. Shaler had suggested that his 

 family give Paris the "go-by," even offering the younger mem- 

 bers a considerable bribe if they would stay away ; but to Paris 

 they would go, and immediately upon arrival they succumbed 



