The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-12-25
DON MANUAL cODoY.


Austrian authority, no further.
DON MANUAL GODOY.
The following curious sketch OF psrt d
a strangely varied life, is taken from the
touillcton Of q Parisian journal Of Oct. ID:
The nrcsdes and gardens of the Palais
Royal have just lost one ofther oldest and
most constant habtaes in tho person Of a
little, mildoy ed old man, who used to come
every day with his placid smile, TO take bis
walk there, aud sit in ,hc open air when
Tho weather permitted. His Indifferent
appearance, bis simplicity Of manners, and
MS plain dress, announced a modest socill
rank and an humble fortune. lie was 0
wonied sight TO the !oungers, to the chill
dren and their nurses. The sparrows that
sp ri there had learned to trust in the
friendly old man, aud came boldly to pick
tho crumbs that he distributed to then,
from his breakfas,.loaf. He loved 10 chat
with his acquan,ances Of tho garden,
whether they wore castors a Ia mode or
the fiat cap. He would half join in the
games Of the children, stopping the erran'
hoop OF an unskifal driver, or throwing
back The bali that fell q, bis feet If the
sun shone brightly he would go towards
noon TO see The eonr-cannon, which always
furnished new pleasure. Such is the
life OF some worthy citizens who, content
with their moderate income, spend their
last days in quietness at peace with tho
past, content with the present, not seeking
to plan for the future.
No one who has observed him, 10 this
latter state. would have dreamed for mo.
ment what he once had been. Ii Que had
told you that this little old man, with his
plump periphery and rounding back, was
one Of The most attractive cavaliers Of his
time, you would have answered: Thai
may be; such transformations arc common
enough. brought about by the ravages Of
time. But you would have been astonish-
ed TO hear in addition. that this plainly
dressed man had righ. TO cover his
and stars, and TO pr, the collar OF the Gold
en- Fleece on his old black cravat. This
man once held the destinies of whole
people IN his hands. and held sway of do
minion without curb or limit; be was The
favori'e II a qaecn, the master OF king.
and ruled great kingdom Us though he
had been lis sovereign. Twenty sheets oi
parchment would not contain the list Of
his titles and dign'ies. That ring upon
his finger, is the sign of his marriage with
~ infante of Spain, a princess ofihc house
Of Bourbon! In fine, this poor devil whom
YOU take for some retired shop-keeper, is
no other thin Monseignor, Don MANUAL
GoDoY, Dake Of Alcadr, and Prince Of
Peace.
Yes, i, was really he-that humble
promenader Of the Pslais Royal. And af-
ter all, why wonder at the metnmorphosis
in this nge OF startling downta!ls. How
many Of these shades we have seen pass
by! How many Of these pale phantoms Of
departed grandeur! He like so many OH
ers, was for those who knew his name aud
the romantic hrilliance Of his early history.
oniy subject for phiiosophic reflections. =
All lavorites nj Court begin alike. and sue
ceed ly like means and advantages. Don
Manual had good figure and an agreeable
lace; he sung pretlily and touched the gui-
tar skilIfnlly; he made an elegant appear
ance ia the splendid uniform oil the body
guard; he was foil of grace snd spirit, OF
pleasing address. bold, presuming he gave
little heed to the Spanish proverb that
says: "Touch no, the Queen" Wha,
more did he want 10 make his fortune at a
sallsn, Court, governed by feeble king
and his passionate consort?
tie held the fortune Of Po,emkin, but moi
his genius. At twenty eight he was Prime
Minister. laden with honors; the first gran
dee ol'ihe realm. allied to the Royal family,
nephew.in-law TO the king. All that, bul
10 fall the further, and TO leave little void
among the loungers Of the Palais Royal.
At the Easter vacations next spring,
when the theatrical year re.commences
the dramatic ariisies who come 10 Paris to
seek engagements Mt that season, aud cs-
tablsh their center OF operations in the
garden OF the Palais Royal, will all inquire
what is become of the pleasant old gentle
man who had made himself their friend
As soon as they had reached head quarters,
at the close Of the country campaign,
Godov would come to meet them and Ia.
stall himself in their midst. He knew
them nll aud loved them; he took pleasure
ia their conversation; questioned them
abou, their successes and fixtures, and lis
tened with interest to the chronicles ofthe
green rooms No one was better Informed
than he as to the condition OF art in the
provinces; no one had his memory SO well
stored with the personal movements und
position of the dramatic army in tho N
par,ments. He knew all their names, and
their history from their first debut. lie
was known to them only under the name
Of MANUAL, for he carefully preserved his
incognito and the secret Of bis psst great
ness,
More than once, managers in quest OF
subjects for their theatres, offered him en-
cagemenis. They would say: You would
suit the part Of respectable old father
most admirably. win you engage as a
regular stock actor?-l have prcmp,cr's
birth 10 ill., Or, there is stage.mannger's
place vacant. The Prince used TO reply
modes,ly, ,ha. be did not think he had
enough talent for an artist; and, as for the
other proposals, that his very moderate in
como enabled him to decline them.
Small as that income was, however, he
- 4 L L., nat, as