, 1870-12-14
Alexandra dSun,.s..

Alexandra Dan,..s,
Alexandra Dasy Domas, rhose doath ia m
nouuced by cable. was remarkable as the 1e.l
ing novelist and drzuaataat in Franc, for the
last third Of century, and as ono of the
moat conspicuous instancea in history in
which the blecding Of the blood Of the Euro.
pesn and African races has resulted in high.
er type OF phyaicM and mental yigor in the
offspring than distinguished the parent or m.
cestsy On either aide- His father, bearing tho
same name, Was the son Of the Marquls de- Ia
Patlleterie, wealthy planter Of uay.t. and a
native African uegresa, named Dumas, The
family name, therefore. points to its African.
and mot to its French, origin. This
niat Dumas ~as born March Is,
1762; vas sent to Franco TO
be educated and, 1t the age OF II, enlisted
unoef MS mothers name a = private In \
cavalry regiment. He combined the peculiar
vivacity and animal spirits Of the African
character with prodigious strength, II being
retated Of him that lie was able to strangle !
horse betweon his heea, For sixteen yesrs
he was mezely ! uon-commiasioned oficar.
At length hia daring feasa started him on the
path OF promotion, and, within i single year,
he roae from the ranks, passing rapidly
through every grade to be Genetsl Of
Division. In 1876 aud ~ he served uuder
Nspoleon through his campaign in Italy, and
1t the bxttle of "Baixcn" he alone dafanded
bridge Against the enemy until Napoleon
came up. For his tignal skill and yalor
Bonaparte presented him to the Directory as
the "aofatio Coc1es OF the Tyrnl." Altar
serving with equal distinction In Egypt. he
came under tho distrust Of Napoleon, on &C.
count Of his firmly Republican sentimenss,
and consequent hostility to the ambitious de-
signs Of the First Consul. This retired him
from tho ee1E1ce, and, After three years Of
suffering, he died under circumstances of
peculiar destitution. The brief record thus
presented BY the father OF Dum1s, the authc,.
sufficiently ehows that his mental aud moral
vigor equa1ied his prodigions ply alcal
strength. For, although tho prejudice
against black blood Was less pro-
nounced in Franco than in America, vet far
greater military qualities are implied in the
mulatto who rose to tho command Of = d.
vision OF white Frenchmen, thsn would have
been implied in An equally brilliant rise BY
White Haan- And. whether of white OF black.
the Gene1als Of Diriiiou who roee from the
ranks Of Bouapaste'a armies, including, from
h1st to last, two millions Of men, could Ill be
counted On ones hngere or these, Dunss
was one Of the first, and, had be chosen to
latter the Emperor, would, without doubt.
have been one Of the first M.rshals at ths
empire.
0umAs, The author. Was born OF marriage
between General Dumas aud white Frcnch
woman, on July "a, 1903, within two years Of
Tie Generals death. Notwithstanding his
fathers success, the son grew up In peculiar
destitution but learned very little L.,ia,
and, inheritiug his fathers athletic power,
WIS good horeomAu, fencer, aud shot.
Though quadEoon in complexion, his fe.-
turee, h.irr and characteristics, were strongly
mn1atto. At Ii ha became copying clark
for Notary AT 18 he began to write plays,
none OF which. At first, wese accepted. At 20,
Under the pressure Of poverty, he went to
Paris, and, through the Influence OF Genes1
Fog, friend OF his father, obtained small
Office In the household Of Louis Philippe, then
Duke Of Orleans, At salary Of 1900
ftancs = year. He now began, ut
the age Of p to devote his whole
leisure time 10 ths writing Of poems, vaude-
sillea, and attempted tragedies. After thfeo
or four yeals Of great 1Abor and slight success,
he brought out. in 1898, historical play,
"Heuty III and his Court, which was / auc-
cess, bringing him 50 coo francs. From this
time, bis dramas, and, after i little, his novels
appeared with : rapidity uncqual1ed in volume
and number in tho entire history Of fictitious
literature. 0ther novelfsss hare written yoluu-
'noua,y and rapidly, earning lasge sums, but
none ever approached Dumas in sustained
and marvellous Eapidity OF execution, md
mona but Dickens rivalled him in
the profts derived from literature.
IA A. d1amat,st he hit the
aEesage French standard of taste more sx-
acsly than any other; aud, Is sso1y-tellsr,
his works have hsd tho largest run in other
languages Of those Of any French author. In
ls46, 1t appeared, in the course OF lawsuit.
That he had made \ contract to furnish two
newspapers With quantity Of matter equal
y ef1ty volumes year, which Vas computed
ose mora marssr than any one writer could
eolH II Ia conceded that he used au1anusnses
~ A4staota largely, furnishing them. In
- .ssSh aN'th the Whole plot and incideate,
sts,. I :ees :ass his own pathos, Wit, humn., ind
.s.e 4's their variations. His dail7
s ".As .es4ed thirty.txo printed ps1es
aao. .ssa.S:. ~. 1as asShe peinta In dispute va,
"ne'net a,f 1t1 u writing could b. els;med
20 90 'ne M aesa e. 1qeut Of = contract which
e1leo 'ot U penAst seryices; but tho
| fsenea oout1s sas, his elain. A COM
plete catalogue Of his sks would au h,,s .
column OF this p.per' hnAs hose by xh,c1, ti h. :
!. best known IN Ameris. u his "count Of Of
"Txsaty Te.za Attes,~ M,rs u,t1snsn. !, ~ .1, :,
md many others. In 1856 he be no1oo
lication Of his ''Memozies." which .ae pao.
to txenty-seven volumes, without beenea
pletea He also edited daily, La "a soa@
s.onthty, Le Ao1s, and Le Aousqutseire,
wore successful only IS mediums so9
publication Of hla stories. Though Isepue
liean in politics through life he TO
MINED On good terms with tho roya
family Of otleans, and abatatned fsou
hostility to Napoleon H. His asso
| eist,onA with the active and fsisolous lie O
tho Pasts capital wsrs intimate, expensive
anu perfectly eongcuial. Though man O
work, he zas also : nasn Of pleasure an.
fAshion to the extreme Of dissipation. r1in
to lsts, snd while h4 vas rs<esring ~ in,om'
Of &, 600 frArcs = Joas, be bs8An the bailaios
II faatastit county seat, on Which he OK.
pssoded sosns 80 100 franco. II wss sold =
a.stlon IN 1854 fu fourth Of lts cost. IL
nas1icd, In l641, Al.. Ida FAfziar, an ae4ea,
Ct miner reputation. by whom b. h.4l = ZOO
Aaexandss DrmaR. fes. His es&oeia&1sns WITT
woas~a &Sss sxdaclentl5 lsb4ssf 10 pruvs h4s
tks<s-tes,stts rssneh. and, tA4e>a. woad hs's
dss% tasstss II vrsaehs4se Of sas full lfsct
H@ ssa,sa~ NJ ~tittsx, aaeassiky "a sst:a
s~ssss*t, ~ !" sssss Alssasit ta IT, wsssa. q
T fahtA Asaa kk,t& ttl 4In Il L., =