Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-01-28
A Visit to Nj. LabOuIaye.
From a late Paris letter.


On my return home, through Paris, called
upon that great admirer of America, Edward
Rene Lefebre Laboulaye | found him at
home and alone, and enjoyed nearly an hours
conversation with him on a subject which we
both have nearest our hearts. In personal
appearance he is a thick-set, well-built man,
of apparently forty-fye years of age, dark
compIexiOned, determined expression of coun-
tenance, and eyes piercing enough to look
through and through any subject. He speaks
English very well, and much of his reading is
done in our language. You are doubtless
aware that he is, at the present time, the
candidate of the Opposition, or " Liberal" or
Republican party, for the vacant seat in the
lower House of the French Parliament; and
what is more, he is certain Of his election
In the late general elections another Repub-
lican was elected in two districts-the one in
question and another in Normandy. The
member thus elected has the right to choose
for which he will sit; and, in the interests OF
his party, he resigned that one, Paris, where
none but Republican can possibly be elect
ed. Monsieur Laboulaye assured me that MS
nomination was solely due to his work, Paris
in America" book which has run through
an extraordinary number of editions
THE MADNESS OF GEORGE lila All light
all reason, all sound of human voices, all the
pleasures of this world of God, were taken
from him. Some slight lucid moments he had;
In one OF which the Queen, desiring to see
rim, entered the room, and found him sing
Ing hymn, and accompanying himself at the
harpsichord. When he had finished, he knelt
down and prayed aloud for her, and then for
his family, and then for the nation, conclu-
ding with prayer for himself that it might
please God to avert his heavy calamity from
him, but if not, to give him resignation to
submit. He then bnrst into tears and rea-
son again fed. What preacher need moral
ize on this story what words save the SIM
plest are requisite to tell it? 1t is too ter
rible for tears. The thought of such misery
smites me down in submission before the hu-
Ter of kings and men, the monarch supreme
over empires and republics, the Inscrutaole
dispenser of life, death, happiness, victory
oh, brothers, said to those VINO hearu lhe
first in America ooh, brothers speaking
the same dear mother tongue; IN, comrades!
enemies no more, let US take mournfuI hand
toaotber az we stand by this royal corpse and
III +ruco to battle Low he lies to whom
the nrondest used to kneel once, and who
Was cast lower than the poorest; dead whom
millions prayed for in vain. Hush, strife and
l,,arreI over the solemn gravel Sound
Quarts q mournful march Fall, dark cur
tain, upon this pageant ~ his pride, his grief,
his awful tragedy !"-Ihackeray.
"A blind beggar was one day accosted by
a clergyman, at whose request he detailed the
circumstances under which he had lost his
sight-accidental exposure to the blasting of
a rock by gunpowder. The reverend querist,
after listening, said very feelingly, Well,
my poor man, 1 pity you, and could dropa
tear over your misfortune" at the same time
offering him nothing, "Thank you, sir" re-
piled the beggar; but I'd rather you'd drop
shilling into my hat"