Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-10-19
DAILY EVENING STAR.
AN AMBASSADORS LUCK.

! l. IN 'o"o"h vi dildtlC SHciCh vi lu-
cidcnts in the early history of Mr.. Soulc,
our present Ambassador to Spain, has ap-
pearcd in Paris. A correspondent sends
the n. Y. Courier $ Enquirer translation.
1t is written by Merry, the Court Poet of
the New French Empire, and addressed
to Dumas, the celebrated romanccr:
To Alexander Dumas:
1t was announced a few days since
that NJ. Soule, American Ambassador of
the United States, was passing through
Paris on his way to Madrid. At the same
time you were giving us chapter of your
fine Memoirs or Alphonse Rabbc. and
/ you did not know-you who know every
thing-that on that day, Chance, the
most skillfui of all arrangers of plots,
was executing master stroke Of his art
by coupling together two names forgotten
for twenty-four years-two men who for
merly encountered each, hand in hand.
the one commencing his life by hope, the
other finishing it in despair-Alp phonse
Rabbe and Soule!
When fortune plcases to give itself the
trouble of aiding intelligence, it prepares
for its proteges an invisible ladder of
ascent, and it is not until they are near
the top that they perceive the round by
which they mounted.
| One day, now nearly quarter Of a
century ago, / was transIating in the
cabinet of Alphonse Rabbc, a history of
the Church, written in German Latin by
Hungarian. Rabbe had entrusted me
with this work. A young man entered.
1t was Soule. He was twenty-one years
of age. We were all twenty -one then.
tie was very thin, as you were also, and
| as | still am. But he was consumptivc,
and that distinguished him from all of
us. Alphonse Rabbe rose on the entrance
of Soule and welcomed him with that
charming grace which never quilted him.
" Monsieur Rabbe," said Soule TO him,
in so gentle and dulcet voice that YOU
would have thought girl was speaking,
Il am going to publish review the
Norreanl am ja"ne and | count upon
| you for some articles. [ shall appear
every five days, and am prepared to
offer to writers, and especially to YOU,
| the most honorable terms"
AS indiscreet secretaries always do,
suspended my translation to listen to
| the conversation.
" Monsieur replied Rabbe, "I am
really extremely grievod to have to define
your so obli.ing proposition. But here
Is my excuse: | am under engagement to
! give four articles monthly 10 nv friend
! Chateain of the Courier Francais, and to
deliver to my publisher lie Cointe, the
manuscript of my History of Russia:
am working on it night and day: and
take ten cups of coffee every evening TO
keep me from sleeping"
But You will. in the meantime. leave
me some hope for the future !'' said
| Soue.
''Oh, certainly, sir ~
g may, then, just leave You my ad-
dress, rue des Tournellcs 81 the bureau
of my journal is rue Crais dcs Petits
Champs o."
L" Have you already contributors en-
gagged upon whom you can rely 2" ask,
Rabbe
''Yes, I have a young man of great
promise, NJ. Leon Halcvy, and NJ Santo
Domingo, who has just arrived from
Rome, and who has a headful of articles
against the ultramontane church party" "
- Do YOU read occasionally a weekly
paper called the Mosq'c d0 fer" asked
Rabbc.
Yes Sir"
DO you know who edits that pamph-
let 2"
No: and nobody, knows. 1t isreputed
to be edited by an association of anony-
nous writer's"
''Well, friend has Just assured me
that am about to be assailed in that
journal. Now, | intend myself, in the
first place, to break upon their very faces
but after that, can | count upon vour
Main jaime to complete their annihila-
ton 90
You may dispose of my journal and
of myself" said SouIe, in a voice so soft
that it was impossible to suppose that
there was spark of energy in the heart
of that boy.
| Soule took his leave. During the con-
yersation above recounted, | had been
making all sorts of signs to Alphonse
Rabbe, to make him understand that
would like him to give me start in the
editorial corps of the Main jaime. But
Rabbe was one of those men who don't
understand pantomine from respect, per-
haps, to the tongue. lie allowed Soule to
depart without once thinking of recon-
mending me to his kind regards. lie did
not dream of recommending me to Scale,
as contributor to his journal; and much
astonished was he to hear from me the
strange proposition winch thus made
him. ''GIve me a letter of introduction
to NJ. Soule."
After little hesitation, he gave me the
letter; and at o'clock that evening |
ran to rue dcs Tourneles, 81. 1t was
frightful weather, remember the SNOW
was fallinp like q white de|upa Omn;h,S.