The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-10-02
L DEVOTED DAUGHJER

Anne Louise Germane Nccker Mad
anne de StaeD was born in the spring OF
1866. She was the daughter of the Gene
vese banker afterwards so famous as the
minister of Louis the Sixteenth From
her earliest years until his death her love
Tor her father was almost idolatrOus
like the maternal love of Madame de Sc
vigne, it is almost unique in domestic
annals. VI owe 10 the wonderful pene-
tration of my father" she says, "what-
ever candor my character possesses. lie
unmasked all false pretences, and from
him 1 acquired the habit of believing
that people saw straight into my heart. "
lie was TO her the model of all that was
great and good-a man endued with all
the virtues of an ideal Roman. SO alb
sorbing was her affection that she was
jealous even of her mother, and her
mother was jealous of her.
There is very good story told by
Madame Necker Saussere, in her intro
duction to the collected works of Mad.
anne dc Stael, which, as illustrating
her fllial love and certain vaingloriOus
traits OF character, is worth repeating.
On the occasion of certain visit which
the narrator paid TO the Neckers, at Cop
pet, the carriage that had been sent TO
Upon hearing Of this accident, Madame
dc Stael was agitated by the widest ter.
ro", not, rs it may he imagined, on ac-
count Of her guests narrow escape from
injury, but from II possible contingency
which the accident suggested TO her
mind. All, heavens" she exclaimed
lit might have been my father" she
ran 10 the bell, rank it fu1iously, and in
a voice trembling with agitation ordered
that the cOachman should be ir 'antly
sent for In a few moments the offender
stood before her. Have you heard that
| am a woman of gcnius:" were the first
words she spoke TO him. Her question
was so odd and her manner so excited
that he could not find u reply. Have
You heard that / am woman of gcnius:"
she repeated, yet more loudly and angri-
". The servant, more confused than
ever, was still silent "Well, then, an
a woman of genius" she said, hotly, " of
great genius, of prodigous genius. And
| tell you that all the genius l possess
shall be exerted TO secure your rotting
yopr days in dungeon, if ever you
overturn my father" When her agita-
tion was over, her friend rallied her upon
this curious speech, but she failed TO see
the absurd side of it. What had TO
'hiCutCil MN WITH cAtcpI my pODI sc-
nius:" she answered, naively.
The only injuries she could not forgive
were those offered 10 her father; she
could never endure TO think that he was
growing old, and mere hint of such a
thing would drive her into fury. When
he was dead every old man She saw re.
called him TO her memory, and to watch
over the comforts and alleviate the suf.
ferings Of age was her greatest pleasure
She believed that her soul communicated
with his in prayer, and whatever piece
of good fortune befell her she would say,
My father has obtained it for me"
g In Madame de Staels case says
Saint Bcauve, "there is no difficulty in
accounting for the enduring warmth of
her filial devotion. Amid the ruin which,
as she advanced in life, succesSively
overlook all the illusions of her heart
and thoughts, one single mortal, only
one of her old loves, retained his exalted
place in her memory, untouched, un-
tainted, without the slightest stain OF
infidelity to the past; and the immortal
and purified flames Of her youthful devo-
tion still playing about the august head. %