The Shasta courier., 1859-05-14
Anecdote of Young Dumas.

Young Alexander Dumas has got the kink
into his bead that he is dying of consumption,
although, as somebody says, /" he is in as good
health as thePont Neuf, and has the consttu-
ton of the Vendome Column !" his health is the
only thing he thinks about; he gets up at seven,
breakfasts at ten, rides from twelve to three,
sleeps from three to FIVE dimes at six, goes to
bed at nine, and reads himself TO sleep They
tell the following story about him in Faris, a
year or two ago.
Soulouque sent an Envoy to France, charged
with private mission, and armed with full pow
| ers. Shortly after the sable minister's arrival,
he caused himself to be presented to Alexander
Dumas senior, whose papa, as everybody knows,
or ought to know, was magnificent General, OF
a molasses color. Dumas senior IS a shade
! lighter than was his parent being of saddle
tint, and Dumas junior, son of Dumas senior,
| pretends to be almost white. So he is-in the
| dark.
! The Haytien Envoy, after automatically beat
ing about the bush for q considerable time, IL
nally came to business, and wound up by IN
forming the astonished novelist that his (the
envoys) mission to France was for the purpose
| of demanding the hand in marriage Of Dumas
junior for her Imperial Highness, Princess Odve,
daughter of the Emperor of all the Hayties
"The hand of Alexander p cried father Du-
mas, thunderstruck. "Goodness gracious J.
Gracious goodness The colored person must
be insane! l say you must be--p
He paused. The fact is, the author of Monte
Crsto bears the enyiable reputation of never
having said dsagreeable word to anybody
So he simply added by way of saying some
thing: " It's impossible, sir utterly impossi-
bic !'
"Why?" demanded the envoy.
"Why y?-because-huml because my sons
origin is too obscure for him to dream of such an
honor p And father Dumas thought this a tri-
umphant piece of cunning.
"Nothing of the Sort sir And, after all, y
continued the envoy, with becoming modesty
E" what are we? Only parvenus. myself once
peddled oysters You wouldn't imagine it,
know; but it's fact. Besides, sir if we were
to demand a Prince we should be refused or at
all events, be fobbed off with an old and ugly
one. A literary prinee-that's the ticket. He
may write as many books and plays down there
| as he chooses"
Papa Dumas, terribly embarrassed, scratched
/ his ear, and at last said:
Listen to me. | know Alexander tolerably
WELL He is continually growing about my ig-
norance of business; and, as for taking a wife
upon my recommendation he would laugh al
the bare idea. Suppose we ask Thompson tc
break the subject to him ?"
The envoy was satisfied with this plar, and
Thompson was forthwith desired to repeat the
proposition to Dumas junior Dumas junior
swore that Thompson must be crazy, and or
dered the servant to go for doctor.
"Nonsenser interrupted Thompson. q am
perfectly sane. 1t is you who are crazy, to re-
fuse such splendid opportunity. Think of a
fortune of several millions -
81 Bah !" retorted Dumas Jr. "Too risky !
If the old darkey shodld happen to be dethroned
| would be obliged to support the whole fam
ily."
"Not at all, replied the sagacious Thompson.
''You risk nothing whatever. In case of the lit
tie accident you mention, you could take the
whole concern over to the United States and
| sell theml"