The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-04-08
The Emperor OF Hay;i and the Author
of Camille.

Alexander Dumas, senior, writes
to one OF his friends that his return
from Russia may be daily looked for;
and here we 60 back again to the
late Sovereign of Hayti. | know il
is unkind to commence an apparent
ly new paragraph, and then treach-
erously fall again upon the same
theme which has already been treat
cd at more than usual length. But
the name of Alexander Dumas. sug
gests something in connection with
Faustin and his family, something
so comical, that | am sure you will
not be sorry to hear it.
This happened abou. four years
ago. Soulouque scnt an envoy to
France, charged with private mis-
sion, and armed with full powers. -
Shortly after the sable Minister'S ar.
rival, he caused himself to be pre-.
sented to Alexander Dumas, senior,
whose papa, as everybody knows, or
ought to know, was a magnificent
General, Of a moIasses coler. Du.
mas, senior, is a shade lighter than
was his parent, being a saddle tint
and Dumas, junior, son o: Dumas
senior, pretends to be almost white
So he is-in the dark.
The Ilaytian Envoy, after diplo
matically beating about the bush
for considerable time, finally came
to business, and wound up by in
forming the astonishcd novelist that
his (the Enjoys. mission to France
was for the purpose of demanding
the hand in marriage of Dumas
Junior, for her Imperial Highness,
the Princess Olive, daughter Of the
Emperor OF all the Uayties.
The hand Of Alexander!" cried
father Dumas, thunderstruck. =
Goodness gracious! Gracious good
ness! The colored pusson must be
insane! | say you must be-
He paused. The fact is, the au
thor Of Monte Christie bears the en-.
viable reputation Of never having de-
Iliberately said a disagreeable WORD
to anybody, 60 he simply added, by
way of saying something: "It's inn
possible, sir! Utterly impossible!"
"Whyf demanded the envoy.
"Why a because - huml = be.
cause my sons origin is too obscure
for him to dream OF such an honorr
And papa Dumas thought this tr..
.umphant piece Of cunning.
Nothing OF the sort, cir! And.
after all, " continued the envoy, witt
engaging mudeety, what are ,ce!
Only parvenus. | myself once ped
died oysters! You wouldn't imagine
it. ! know; bur It's fact. Besides
sir, il we we're to demand Primo,
we should he refused; or, at al
events. be fobbed off with an old anc
ugly one. A Hterary Prince--that'.
the ticket! He may write as many
books and plays down there as h,
chooses"
/ Papa Dumas, terribly embarrass
ed, scratched his ear, and and at las
said:
Listen to me. | know Alex
ander tol.rably we'll. He is con
tinually growing about my ignor
ance OF business; and, as for takin!
a wife upon my Recommendation h,
would laugh at the bare idea. Sup
pose We ask Thompson to break tn,
subject to him?"
The -nvoy was satisfied with thi
plan, and Thompson was forth witt
desired to repeat the proposition t.
Dumas, junior. Dumas, junior
swore that Thompson must be crazy
and ordered tie servant to go for
doctor.
"Nonsense!" interposed Thomp
son, 81 am perfectly sane; it is go
/. who are crazy, to refuse such a spleu
did opportunity. Think of fortun
Of several millions!'
"Bah!' retorted Dumas JUNIOR
Too riskyl II the old darke
should happen to be dethroned,
would be obliged TO support til
whole family"
! "Not at all replied the sagaciou
|, Thompson. lyon risk nothing what
ever. In case of the little acciden
you mention, you could take til
whole concern over to the Unite