The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-19

that 1t is we'll worth reading. The communica-
ion IL directed TO the editor of the Petue Presse
and begins, after preliminary line or two, thus:
My letter is going to be all about R)ssini aud
dish OF macCaroni, tor which am supposed TO
have fallen out with him.
In the first place, one cannot fall out with
those one is not bound TO by son1e tie )r other;
consequently not with those one has no gym.
pathy for; and my situation with Rossin was
such through life that I never spoke TO him
more than three timesin lorty years.
Our position In the literary aud scientific
world was such, no wever that we could not be
absolute strangers to each other; so that, some
Of my Monte OrstO" subscribers having asked
me TO give them good recipe for maccaroni--a
thing do not like anl do not know much OIL
wrote 10 Rossini, having reasoned thus with
myseii:-Ihefe is an illustrious man IN this
world who is repued gastronomist and he is
an ltaliao. ] win get a frst-raIe recipe from
BIN Tor this maccaroni and my subscribers Will
think good deal of 1t. The letter l wrote to
the composer OF Noses and The B1rber was as
DEAR GREAT MAN-You have, il appears, a
splendid recipe lor maCcaroni You who have
done so much for the ears of your Contempora-
Ties should do something for their stomachs, and
after having been blessed you will be adored.
Yours, ETC., A. DUMAS.
The following was Rossuis answers-
] have indeed a marvellous recipe for macca-
rom, but keep 1t for myself aud friends Come
and eat some next esday, and you Will compre-
bend that when a man has such treasure he
does not give it up to dilapidauon Yours,
RossIEI.
! answered immediately
DEAR RossNI-l shan dine with you on Tues
day, but not on your maCcaGoni. 1t ID sense l
have less, but | shall come to enjoy you aud
your wit and to see Olympic (Rossini's wite)
again. have still vivid remembrance Of her
aud Of heI beauty, DUMAS
The following day went to Rossini's. We
were, about four or five together He was as
delightful as ever, and the maccaroni came on
instead of soup. 1t had splendid success,
though ! ate none, and was privileged not to
do so on the faith of my second note. As to the
rest of the dim er IT was, frankly, very inferior
indeed. On Rossinis refusal to give me the
recipe thought / would go aud try to get 1t
from bis brother, who was cook to the Prince OF
Thoutfort; for knew that even if he refused it
should get it from the Prince, who is friend
OF mine. Meanwhile, however, met Madame
Ristorj, who also assumed that her maccaroni
recipe is the best. She offered to give me 1t.
accepted and submitted it to my readers with
the above details. As soon as people knew had
dined with Rossini | was assalled with ques-
tlons. could not say anything against man
whose bread and salt | had shared, SO | only
replied, "Rosslni is not a real gOurmand.n
Some time after | met him at the opera; he
had heard my opinion of him and felt hurt
saying, 81 gave you tamly dinner not
thinking / ought TO stand on ceremony with
True" I answered, but thought that when
Rosslni oined alone he dined like Ros ,in,."
This reply caused wider breach between US.
Rossini was selfish, stingy, and malicious-three
faults can endure in my enemies but which |
cannot bear in my friends. He was, moreover,
at least he used to say so, very lazy. | do not
believe in lazness, think it is only an excuse
for incapacity; and strange to say, Kossini
lever was lazy before Meyerbeer had so great d
success in Robert te Dtdbte. From that time his
etlugRle begananot struggle, though, but a
duel, in which Rossini kept back. His friends
say that like Achilles. he KEPT under his tout:
but it is not true. Achilles got under his teut
to Ieappear stronger than before, more vigorous
and more valiant; he reappeared to rout the
TIojans, kill Hector and 10 drag him, bound to
his chariot, round the walls Of the city.
If Rossini did withdraw under his tent it was
never 10 come forth again, to there make macca-
Ioni, far from all, to write w,ll in which he
first gives to and then takes away from poor
valet the small stipend OF fifty francs month
and some old clothes, finally sold by him to "a
peddler; and lastly, he daily uses au ivory
syringe in order to increase its value on the day
OF its public sale.
You see. dear sir, that when person ha,
such an opinion OF q man one cannot TALL out
with him, because one has never been attached
TO hlm. ALEXANDRA DUMAS.