The Portland daily press., 1874-09-16
ERMS $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE.

is lined with books looking as if picked up on
tne Qual Voltaire. The door is opened by
the cousin, private secretary of Gambetta,
young man OF thirty, also brought up by the
lhaiuen aunt, already at the Palais de Justice
noted for bis ability in dealing with crotcbety
law cases.
The visitor passes from the narrow MASSAGE
INTO small, uncarpeted, meagerly furnished,
but very neat dining room, where he finds
the lady Of the house on guard. She ushers
him, according to tie degree of confidence
he inspires or the intimacy he enjoys, into the
study, which is the showroom of the estab-
!ishment, a drawing-room, the elories of
which are flower-stand, the gift OF Stras-
bourg, and carpet worked by the Alsatian Ia
dies-or into Gambetta's bedroom. This
apartment is heavily curtained with cheap
reps, and the bed being IN an alcove, it can
be turned at will into sitting-room. About
the fire place the easy chairs are well brushed,
but tbreadbare. The looking-glass frame is
stuck around with photogiarh h cartes. A ta-
BILE beside the above is ladened with books.
Books burst out of wall-presses, and invade
the dressing table. Those lying just now at
the bedside are the speeches of great for
eign statesmen. Bismarcks are scored in blue
pencil and annotated in black. On the mar
gin OF speech of Ccbden's is written a auo-
tatiOn from Montesquieu, to the effect that
whenever England shall cease to exercise a
direct influence on continental politics,
militarism will prevail in Europe, and then,
"Cest Qui est drrive.-L. g."
Gambet.a receives in brown cloth Dress
gown, which gives him the appearance OF a
Capuchin. When conversation grows brisk,
which IL nearly always does when he is not
busy and is with persons to whom he can
freely talk, he unconsciousy takes cigar out
of his pocket and putfs away. Political cli-
ents from every part of France, belonging to
every profession, including the army and
navy, pour in. Americans visiting Paris ara
sure to call upon Gambetta; but to see him
it is necessary to be well introduced. The re-
ceptions take place early in the forenoon.
Very intimate friends or persons with whom
he wants to chat unreservedly are sometimes
asked to stop for dejeuner. This repast, the
only one at which Gamhetta offers hospitali-
ty, is served at II O'Clock on q round table,
covered, in old-fashioned bourgeois style, with
plain brown Oil cloth. Nothing can be un-
pretentious. The service is done by MEN,
beis of the family, the single do
nestle keeping ou. of ear shot all the
| while that Gambetta is at home. On an
| occasion of this kind Gambetta appears to
| greater advantage than in the tribune. He
| does not speak in well-balanced, ample peri
| ods. His ideas come rapidly. They are
| vigorously conceived and given in short,
| pithy sentences. well pointed, and often
4 SLilhluS lOi tuC picturesque OESludutl Vi LUG
| diction. Somebody argued with him against
universal suffrage, alleging that until the
| young generation has arisen France will not
| be ripe for it. Sand what will the Bambino
| be doing in the interva?' asked Gambetta.
| "You know very little about the poor, If you
are not aware that the ignorant fathers or
mothers are the docile pupils of their chill
| dren who go to school. When they see the
| young things coming home with their heads
/ et, Ed f,l
| ally speaking, on their knees before them,
| and take their opinions from them. No;
| give France enlightened schoolmasters, and
| Through the children) you will have, In
| few years hence, an enlightened population.
| The Italian masters understood human ma.
4 ture better than you when they represented
| st. Joseph in loving reverential attitude
before the Bambino. Let the Republic put
| out her hands to her little children; the
| adults will soon rush to kiss the hem OF her
| garment"
| Gambetta can be very ironical, but / have
| never known him to be sardonic. His irony
/ is accompanied with deep chest laugh,
| telling plainly as laugh can tell that no
| poison turks beneath his tooth. The sun
does not often go down upon Gambetta's
| anger, which is fierce while it enGures, but
not binding. His incapacty to halbor mall
| ice, or to feel jealous OF other political men,
adds to his usefulness as party leader. He
was inimical to Thers in 1870, because he
| thought him tool of M. de Fallouz and the
Orleans family; but since he has declared
tor the Republic, Gam5etta has stepped aside
to let him pass before him. When his Lieu
tenant, Challeme Lacour, revealed himself
great Parliamentary debater, Gambetta
| was the first to acclaim him, aud he classes
Louis Blanc, since his last speech, as not
one Of the first, but the first public speaker
| in France.