The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-01-23

I
Madame George Sand is now Sc years old.
! In spite Of her age, there is something youth
! fui In her appearance, which SHE properly
owes to her sparkling eyes, and the curIs
which but slightly streaked with grey, encir-
/ Gle her brow and temples. She has a mild,
! pleasant voice, and expresses herself in con-
Yersation with much ease and simplicity
When visitor calls She first thing she DOES IN
! 10 oHer Lin cigarette; she Lights cue her
self, and takes undoubted pleasure in watch
! ing the little white clouds of smoke as they
curl in the air, Was she ever beautiful?
Heinrich Heine has expressed himself most
decidedly upon this subject, and his critical
! eye could scarcely have been at fault. He
beIeld in hera miracle of Incompatible beauty,
kind of suffering but brilliant divinity, who
was worthy of all admiration.
The expressive head, the face whose Inca
ments are now purified By age from the rava-
ges Of suffering and passion, incline us to be-
Ijevc he was right. George Sand in her youth
! lived romance. She WAS married in her thir-
teenth year to an old, close listed curmudgron
of a country squire. During one Of his vaca-
tons, young lawyer, jules Sandeau, saw the
young Aurore, and fell in love with her; she
! returned his passion, and followed him TO
| Paris disguised student. The two young
people hired garnet, and set themselves to
work TO find means for their housekeeping
jules wrote articles for the Journals, which
Aurore copied out, besides painting flowers,
which she disposed of at a neigbboriny shop
At this period the great object Of the stu
dents ambition was TO be able to 60 to see
one of Victor Hugo's plays, in fine velvet
Il, 3 t,,.-
pass for the same occasion, tie acquisition of
beautiful turban Of the same material, with
a dropping plume, initiated from "a costume Of
the 18Th century. "What if | should try and
write something?" suggested Aurore, one day.
when they had been discussing the ways and
means of getting the garments. Let US try
our hands at sory!' exclaimed the failure
author Of "Marianna;'' so they skctched ont
the plot of novel, which they worked at
Jointly, and which, published under the pseu-
donym Of Jules Sand,' is now well known
as Rosa ct Blanche"
Having thus broken the ice, Aurore soon
found herself capable Of driving the quill un-
aided; and, having adopted as her nom de
pIu"'e a modification Of that adopted by the
student, entered resoIu!cIy on the career of
authorship which has brought 50 much money
and such wide renown to George Sand But
the two began their distinguished literary Ia
bors together, after few years, parted, and
each went a separate way. jules has just
been named to that post Of local influence and
glory, the CHARACTERISTIC of the French Acad
envy, and Aulore is George Sand.
A CUmoUs CLocN.-Many years ago there
was clock made by one Druz, a mechanic of
Geneva, which was renowned FORTS ingenious
construction. The clock was SO made as 10
be capable of performing the following move
ments: There was on it a negro, a shepherd,
and ,.og When the clock struck the Shcp-
herd played six tunes on his flute, and the dog
approached and fawned upon him.. The clock
was exhibited 10 the King Of Spain, who was
greatly delighted with it. "The gentleness of
my dog" said Droz, lis his least merit IF
your majesty touch one Of the apples which
you see in the shepherds basket, you will adj
mire the fidelity Of this animal" The King
took an apple, and the dog flew at lis hand
and barked SO loud that the Kings dog,
which was in the same room during The exhi-
bition, began to bark also. at which the super
sitious courtieIS, not doubling that it was an
affair of witchcraff, hastily left the room,
crossing Il emScIves as they went. Having
desired the Minister Of Marine, who was the
only one who dared to stay behind. to ask the
negro what o'clock it was, the minister asked
but received no reply. Droz then observed
that the negro had not yet learned Spanish:
upon which the minister repeated the question
in French, and the black immediately an
swcred him. At this new prodigy the firm
ness of the minister also for>o0h him, and lie