, 1870-07-03
SKETCHES OF UNCOMMON
WOMEN,

Within the remembrance ul iAust s,eH EuG-
land young ladies' there was q ti.us when the
works Of Madame George Sand were prohibits
cd pl,cc npon the library shelves Of every
careful guardian Of youth, aud when, If by
chance, Lui ct Ellie" or "Cousualo" were
sur1ertisiousIr conveyed into the house. tho
| books were read in defiance OF Nil the forbid
deu itdulgences laid down in the code Of the
family discipline. As with Tom painc's ''ASc
| OF Reason. no person Of good reputation
dared in society to acknowledge an aclua.nt-
ance With the works Of this WOMAN
Madame sand'e history has been unsdectcd-
ly narrasrd in como twelve iuodecimo volumes
! br lcr~ eif, VI Which LeHeSe the1e has be-r
no English translation, the right being re-
serre1 by the author. From this ausobiogra-
ply have CLEANED some facts relating to her
lie Which may intercst tlosu familiar with her
writings, promising that it is only with ler lit.
erary career that have to deal.
Her life began in that turbulent period,
1901, following the French revolution, when
when the bourgeois Ind conceived the ide. Of
right to tho privileges. ploasureA and ele-
Eancies heretofore enjoyed exclusively by the
nobility. Her mother was the daughter Of
bird seller, aud, il report be true, not a
woman Of the mort reputable character. The
lover classes having passed through those
terrible days OF regicide," hailed with de-
light General I}ouapartc, the hero, who clained
the right to rule from Success. He WAS new
incarnation Of the kinsly power, and wild
| admiration for the adventurous spirita who
eomposed the victorious army showed itself,
| at tile appearance OF the regiments Of RETURN
| ing ie1ocr, in outbur>ts OF enthusiasm
everyvhcro- The mother Of Madame George
sard, on one occasion. being chosen
eomrnnionehip with young officer Of noble
| blood, ard in couEse OF time he xuar1icd her.
Tho mother Of the young officer, claiming no
tistant descent from tho Hung Of Poland.
uhonGh llesitimstc'y) lady Of the old ve-
dent Of osteoloSy, was, as might naturally be
supposed, greatly enragcd ut tllis iujudicioua
the terrified young man drtifully visited his
mother without finling the courage to break
the nnwclcon,e news. A baby was horn,
daughter, and aIa'lam Dulin, tho young OH
GERS mother, then being on visit to Paris
| from her estate at Ecni, heard
! q the youns strangers advent. Ono
day the penite,!t parents presented themselves
Corte1ess WAS then brstfd 70 take the baby up
Icing laid IN Ier l. riil297 iil297'sn:e. aud, on lis
| Thought about, w!en the happy family irnmp-
diatcly set out for the Clia,eal1 Sohant. In
due time ION was bonn, and the gran,1ran-
ma then aaortel tue daughter, calling her
mother. a prejudice against whom she ras
) never able to overcome Maurice l>umn. tho
father Of Aurora, Willie she was yet
s,,,o,; da1h r.. n;' laEa.' IA, nna was instantly
Paris, leaving the daughter Aurora, now
known as Madam George Slud, at Nol,ant
Shut up in her cllntcau, the stately lady
lnt'uEued in rlleut grandeur to the day OF her
\ death over the great loss Of her sou. Every
~, f1I ,t,1tn
1:lancc of grief. ami the young Aurora began
t1tlly to pine for the viracio,s conlpanionship
Of her young and robust mother. Fleeing
frcm the melancholy atmosphere surrounding
her III tie chateau 10 tie woods aud tields, her
,nNtl may bc said to have l>een spent in the
open air, where the foundation was laid for
that perfect health Of Which sle has always
toastctl.
Tho scenery about Soliant being mountain-
6us, q love Of nature was fostercd III her young
heart, at1, without comranionsi.ip suited to
lier years. friendships were formed with the
ANIMALS about the estate. and whole DAYS
we're spent in s:ccoyius birds into her windows,
many of which werc cartured and tloEncsti-
| Gated. With tic surrounding pcasAntrr shc
I l,ccame crest fayorite. ing1etiating herself
into th.ir rough natures by accompanying them
| On long jau1,ts to gather faSgots, oT, GU dull
days, assisting them i'll their household employ
| or her early ctlucnion much can l,s said
iu rrAite- Her fathers oll tutor instructed
ler in the rudimcuts Of learning srd ,lltimate-
" directed her reading among tho phllosophi-
cal works found in the chateau library.
When at the age Of 15, her grandmother be-
liesirg the "conttaet ercisl out OF date. and
I wishing to give hrr heir the accomplishments
q the age. sent her to the Engli-h convent ut
I'aEls. Hero, from tlso novelty Of = theology
| cf Which she had had no previous knowledge
hhc became s religious enthusiast, asld came to
lie known III the convent aa ''Sa.nt Aurora-"
Into the forms uf worship she threw herself
with all al;anaontaent wlictl alarmed the Ahlso
de 1'tena:d. who. modified her penances
through fear Of injury to ller health. The
leatl. If her grandmother. which necessitAted
htr return to the chateau. broke tho spell, in
j dcgrs c, which Lad been narrowing her gym
latliir+, and, although resolved to co1l.ecrAtc
her life to the seryic. Of the churcl., this sud
atn removal from mere physical ob-erraneOs
was the beginning Of radical Change
in hcr religious experience. Left alone
! 10 her own rad reflections, endowed With a
reasoning mind, there sr1ans uI in her heart
| consciousness OF what religion was, which
| arc deemed necessary before the world, tllat it
| may have right understanding ct the crea-
| tuseH good standing viii, the Crrator, or that
ceremony which is but "a CLOAK 10 be worn on
particular days; or Shat passport which those
who do nat wish to he railei a. carry With
| them to exhibit,
Aurora's mo,l,cr Of whom s!,e had seen
little, at her Sr1lln,othcls 1ratl., caue to lire
| Al inc l01se1U. t'lHCO{N ull4 et3tlS tOOk
ur their nl;o.!c with her. lfer life s1ratpc I'M
| enlurahlc. To etcare A tfs- mt-erat'1e exist
| euce ehc plnEGott lltrselr into a greater hy
, marrying the laren Hutevan:. man much
older than herself and particularly unsuited ia
lie tho companion Of 20 finely organized a
| Woman.
Aftcr tho birth of her two children. becon.
: ing melancholy to that degree that she Gays
: she knew not vAcre to look for consolation,
0 | her husband having gyuwn 70 Indifferent tc
that heE 6a afI,1}l efr
l | Ecr tIying to win him back to her, but Which
i her pride and growing dielike prevented he,
e from attempting her dawuing geuil- strug'
q Cling for opportunity her heart unrs,isiicd
i I her lopE1ngs for guidance and sympathetic
4 | cosnranlonthip daily Strengthening these
It combined at l,st forced ller away from he.
l. own home for that which sl.c could not e1isi
C without From wounded pride, AMI sensi
q der the frcqucn. .css'fr- and satirical attack.
II | nf her husband, sl'e was brought to that un
Il llapry state II snind which hasts not at imag
IS inaI! suffering. Freedom, with 1tarystion
i Is! torture inscparab'c from longer associa
Is tion with one Who 70 ppo-ly reckoncd on he
h | zeal worth.
IS To divert her mind summer t.nr was "a
y kcn to German Spa, where an aelWaitsalt:
IL was formed with u Young author. jalcs San
j, .lcsa. 1t vas the turning; point IN her life
i Tium tl1at acquaintance the way WIS opaac
y for future culeavcr- Returning 10 S,han
y tl1e placed her ron in clssrSc OF 4 tutor, an
siaricd for Taris with her iufant lauyht.,
il leaving thc Bacon Duderant III n,'s'isl'u'e
II possession OF i,er estate, so cam iic1 reaG
l. ,r,idcl by the friends she had known in aiils
r rncc, and wns firm in the conviction that
10 ttout hca1t and willing hands would at Is.
i. hing fuo1 and contentment OF mind.
r. on reaching Paris tho independence OF hi
he course somewhat startled her, but when reco
Il 1rcting that il Was only with her own indivldu
no self that sfe wss dealing. her coursu havin
causcd none but herself uneasinoss+ Apeas
4. in1efc1ibaflc took possession Of her to wliic
y her past enjoyment Of wealth and society ool
.sa | NO compare on.
as OF her requirements rl.e says: u ha
I'D \ never worked tut for pleasure. I knew, Ill
~. everybody else, little Of everything. II
,1- nothing thoroughly. I did not understand II
Of oeu language Uncertain in what occupatit
hc fiowcr- upon faus aud siluH boxes, and 20
r., traitf, at fifteen francs apiece. wrote mic
ne, AID it did appear to me that should sucee
,ch in literature, though the trst ro1nauce
nls predilectiou. Occupying the fiita a:oEy Of
the wood aud food. hushine the plainsive cries
tho her homcsiek child, tired OF its solitary Ii
a. Madam Dndcvant ~as.on .he point o. tetnt
her ing TO that life which, hut montt, before,
Inca | eeencsI 20 intolcrablo. But wishing 10 oht
his the judgment Of = man Of learning u1'on
Ais writings. sehe sensht she journalist Dc1atou:
;ose Who observing ,iu.,,. IN her conve1
the rightly conjccturcd that her mind was Of
who common mould. Ills advice to her, howe,
y or NEE equivalent to tho saying shAt sit is
Keep ! out Of every log Of wood that Mercnry
aoEs. | lie htnasclf barely made living bS Journal
, tho after ycsra o{ effort.
,r nt Uuable to discourage her he consented to
D 10 como her critic, and Also offered her empl
sron mcnt upon : daily paper, IL E7aro.