Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-09-05
ALEYA. GAZETTE & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
A RellainiScence.

ing eight lines fifty cents.
A Reminiscence.
Moncure D. Conway is writing some very
sossipy aud interesting letters from the French
watering. places to the Cincinnati Commercial
The letter from which we make an extract is
written from Trouville, and the distinguished
American referred to is the late John NJ. Daniel
the editor and proprietor of the Richmond EX
amiucr. The letter says:
Madame George Sand has gone to Cabourg,
where she promcuades the sands all day with
her grandchildren. There is any amount Of
choice watering places in the mel ghborhood from
the most ornate, like Trouvile, to the most
primitive like Iport. Saint Adresse is this
year rather popular The most interesting re-
sidcnt of Saint Adresse was Madame Pauline
de Noirloutane who died there last week.
Twenty five years ago her drawingroom IN Paris
was noted for its soirecs, attended by the most
eminent people in that metropolis. She was
hospi,able to persons of all shades of politics,
bat her particular friends were among the Re-
publicans who aferward caused the events of
ISIS. NJ Louis Blanc and Marshal valiant
there met iu 1854 But her salon was particu-
larly noted as that in which the famous cairvoy
ant Alexis began his seanceS when be produced
such profound sensation in Paris do not
know whether Madame de Nolrfoutalne was one
of the innumerable converts who hocked to Alex
is, and who did nothing for the rest of their
lives but try to galvauize or magnetic them
selves and other people; but her house was the
chief centre 1rom which first spread the psy-
Geological epidemic which has since survived
in so many shapes. She was long the pereonal
friend Of Queen Christina, who had marine
villa at SAINT Adresse, and to be near her built,
several years ago, the pretty chalet IN which
she has just died.
Very different associations are aroused by
the sight Of that brilliant Italian Countess
whom | have already mentioned as being at
Trouvil.e, but whom [ will DOW call Madame
r. Inheritiug one of the most distinguished
names that the world has ever known-but
uamc which covers as little moral principle as
any in recent history-she has for years
glittercd in every Court Of Europe. At last
she gained such notorlety that some OF the
Courts began TO close doors against her. 1t
was rather curious that one of the first to ex.
ciudc Madame r. (then Madame b. from Its
receptions should be that whose moral odOr Is
the very worst in Europe that of Italy But
so it was that some years ago, when. grand
ball was to be given at the palace in Turin, the
beauty sat in her villa expecting the invitation
which did not arrive Her most intimate
friend there, according to Italian gossip was a
Young American, who, after having achieved
the reputation of an intellectual phenomenon
streaming through the southern skies with a
brilliantly edited newspaper for his comet-tail,
had been made Charge Affaires at Turin
This young Minister was man of genius aud
scholar, but he was very erratlc: tie had
fought dozen duels in his native Virginia aud
politically he was a fire-cater. Yet /, who
knew him we'll through many years, knew that
he had true aud tender heart deep beneath
the proud and formidable exterior he chose to
put forward iu the eyes of the world She
who has since become Madame r. found out
the same, and managed to become the object
of as deep passion as man ever felt tor wo-
man. Despite the severe exclusion OF the lta-
liau Court, all the more because OF 1t, the ln,
trigauta resolved that to that ball she would
20 and she invoked the aid Of her lover, the
American Charge, to take her there. Take her ne
did, He asked an invitation Tor her 1t was re-
fused. Nevertheless, when the ball was at its
height in walked the American with the
ostracised beauty leaning on his arm, and dress
ed in a way that light have excluded her even
had her character been less the subject OF goS-
SIP In the great day when the sea gives up
its dead the correspondence which this event
occasioned between the vlrtuous John Is. Floyd
and the Charge at Turin, and between the
Turincse and Washington Governments, may
see the light. The row was tremendous,
though it was carried on in diplomatic circles and
thepublic heard only little oft. a gentleman
who saw the lady-now Madame Ron that &C.
casion declared to me that she was the most beau
tiful being he ever behcld, and filled his ideal OF
Roman goddess. [ remembered the remark
when saw her at the last Carnival in Rome,
dashing along the Corso in a fine cquipage.
gaily dressed, and throwing bonbons and how
ers to the crowd The masses did homage to
her beauty. Her husband one of the most
eminent Italian statesmen, stood, remember,
with us iu the crowd, and as he smoked his
cigar looked with half comical, half cynical
expression upon the sensation his brilliant wife
was causing.
But when met her the other evening, in
room for the first time, wondered where the
beauty had fled. | saw woman, not, lndeel.
without some attractions but with great deal
of boduess and strong inclination to be tat.
Her complexion was artistic, and she had that
most painful expression OF a women clutchlng
at her vanished youth. May 1t not be that the
ancients, in what they narate OF talthless,
unchaste veStals buried alive, cunnlngy slgnlh
ed the tendency of luxurious ladies to become
entombed in heavy masses OF heshI At any
rate, Madame T. seems to be here at Trouville
person whom a,n glad my poor dead south
ern friend cannot look upon. lie took her to
the great hall; he offended the Court and OF
Tended his own Government by it, he escaped a
recall by the skin of his teeth; all for her-and
she fitted way from him like butterfly at the
first call of some martinez in scarlet and gold.
Hithar, thither, from flower to flower she pas
ses, knowing very we'll that IN the Courts OF
Europe virtue is light cloud, while beauty
and wealth and grand name are keys which
will unlock any courts She became by mar
riage the first lady, officially, in Italy next to
the Queen-this woman who had to cling to
the skirts of her American lover to get to a
Court ball Meanwhile the American no sooner
hears that the war between North and South,
which he had long expected, had begun than
he throws down with scorn the commission
which no longer represents his beloved Virgin
ia, and hurries back to join in the struggle.