The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-06-07
M. Drouyn dc Lhuys and his Wife.
To the E'vcning Post

There is scarcely any French name
more familiar to the American public at
the present moment than that of M.
Drouyn de Lhuys. The following live.
ly sketch of his wife, which translate
from LIE Lo)eit Of Paris, may be inter.
estin5 to your readers
Mademoisclle Mathilde dc Saint
Cricy had received that healthy and
somewhat austere education by which
old families prepared their daughters in
former times for the duties rather than
for the pleasures which they were to en-.
counter in life. 1t was left in those
days to the husband 10 introduce the
woman whom he had married. to some
thing else than the hustle and responsi.
bilities of married life. The bride en-.
tered her home as housekeepcr 1t was
Tor the husband to introduce her to the
world and its gayeties. At the pres.
ent day, the child bewildcrcd by balls
and theatres, watering places and travel,
already weary Of the world and it's de :.
mands wakes up some fine morning in
marriage to learn that gold pieces do
not coin themselves, that there is bot.
tom to the deepest purse, and that but.
ter is at al exogbitant price.
When Madame Drouyn de Lhuys
left the great and melancholy hotel de
proOincc, where her childhood had
slipped way, to follow her husband,
then Secretary Of Legation at Madrid,
the world was delighted with this
young woman, who appeared to find it
so good, so beautiful. so charming it
was pleased with her for the keen and
graceful joy which she showed at its
festivities ; but what the world, all the
world at least, did not know, was the
pure charity, the exquisite kindness, the
severe economy of the young woman
with so frank and gay, laugh.
Much has been said of the fortune of
M. Drouyn de Lhuys. When he has
been seen in circumstances, and at times
when he regarded himself as discharging
duty, sacrifice SO easily the most lu.
crative Positions i.si'aa,heen said: ut
is not strange he is so rich |"
The truth is, that this fortune would
excite contemptuous laugh from a sim.
pie banker. 1t is. besides, all invested
in real estate, which diminishes the in.
come from it, But it is settled princi.
pie of NJ. Drouyn de Lhuys that his po.
sition furbids him all interest in any in
dustrial enterprise, all property in s pecu.
lative stocks: He had consequently of.
ten needed the economy, the adroitness
of the domestic woman, of the house.
keeper who concealed herself in the fine
lady, in order to maintain the rank and
to continue the charities from NJ.
Drouyn d bhuys, even as private in
dividual, could not Withdraw.
They are, perhaps, rarer than we
think-those graceful figures, whose
dazzling toilets aud brilliant costumes
the newspapers publish, but whose
charity, whose domestic virtues remain
unknown when they are not slandered.
AS | have mentioned the name Of one
of the greatest and most eminent
of French women, Let me relate an an .
ecdotc which paints very well the affec.
tionate tenderness the thoughtful care
which she shows in saving from all anx.
iety, all worry, so far as it is possible for
her to do, him whose name she is so
happy and so proud to bear.
1t was during the Eastern war at the
moment of the negotiations and confer.
ences in which NJ. Drouyn de Lhnys
played so important part. The min.
lister had just been informed that one of
his oldest friends had been sadly wound.
ed i'm his affections. AT the moment of
leaving for the Council, he wrote him a
letter full Of feeling and of friendship,
and carried 1t to Madame Drouyn de
I,huys, that she Nigh. add also a few
lines in her own hand. After quarter OF
an hour, surprised at not seeing the mis-
sive returned, he went to his wife and
was astonished to find her standing be-.
fore window and counterdrawing a
paper. An inkstand had been over.
turned on the letter, and Madame
Drouyn de Lhuys, to avoid compelling
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