The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-06-29
COUNT wALDEcK.
The CAV Old parisian who Died At no.

100 years in America? IN Europe there
are always few obstinate fellows who
persistently refiiseto be buried. M. dc
Fontenelle, of illustrious memory, who
always had his hands full Of truths, and
took good care not to open them; whose
eminently French wit was free from any
taint of the Gaulish---M. Fontenelle, in
short, died few hours before compleL
ing Ills hundredth year. When imbe
Giles asked. him his age he would say,
"Hush! Death has forgotten mew
But Fontenelle has been left far be-
hind. People in society in Paris re-
Gently received the following notice:
"You are requested to assist at the
funeral OF MIR. Jean Frederick Maxi.
milan Count Waldeck, officer Of the
Order of Genius and Merit OF Venezuela,
honorary member OF the London Athe.
nmum, member of the Geographical So.
clety of Paris, member OF the American
Society of Archaeology, Honorary Vice
President of the Universal Alliance aud
author of several works, who has died
in his 10th year, furnished with the sac
raments of the Church at his house No.
IA Rue des Martyrs"
Since Count Waldeck, who had been
successfully page of Marie Antoinette,
soldier OF the Republic and of the EN-.
pire, prisoner of Canibals, ranger in vir.
gin forests, explorer on American ruins,
three times shipwrecked, left for dead in
duel, smitten by ievers of all colors--
white, yellow, green and blue; married,
kalso, when SO years OF age--since he had
neglected so many chances OF d, ing, one
can not help asking how he came to die,
M. Flourens, who occupied in the Acad.
envy the seat of M. de Fontenelle, was
himself ambitious 10 live hundred
years. 1t was he who invented "the
third youth" beginning at so years, which
we call "St. MarJin's Summer" He
published learned book 10 prove that a
man never dies, but commits suicide,
whatever his age may be. Count Wal
deck, therefore, must have killed him.
self, for he had no more reason to die
this spring than last spring. On the con.
trary, he felt himself in better trim.
Death seized him, pencil in hand. On the
fatal day, he rose as usual at 5 o'clock In
the morning. He said that he had ten
years Of work ON hand and did not wish
to lose an hour.
/ met him some ten years ago. The
minister had asked me II his archaologi.
cal discoveries were serious. l went, as
Inspector General OF Fine Arts, to see
this monument Of another age. found
that this page of Marie Antoinette still
possessed all the impetuosity of the
French Guard. lost sight of him AFTER
ward; but a month ago met him again
at dinner at the house OF charming and
eccentric Irish woman, known here un-
der the name of Marechale Lopez. l had
Count Waldeck in front of me; 1 sat be-
tween his wife and his son. AS this
young gentleman was about "a years old,
| supposed that it was step-son, and
scarcely knew on what ground l was
standing while chatting with his wife,
an English lady OF great beauty and dis
tinction. At last took the bull by the
horns. "Madame," said, ''you made q
heroic sacrifice in devoting yourself to
this gallant gentlemen Of another Gen.
Jury"
"No," she said, "he is not of my cen.
tury, for we feted his hundredth birth
day nine years ago; but he is OF my age,
because love him."
81 never doubted, Madame, your love
for M. de Waldeok. l love him too, as
one would love the eighth wonder Of the
world"
81 understand you, sir; but love him
as a woman loves her husband. do not
lieving that he Is 100, and am only a."
"Pardon the curiosity OF philosopher
whose study is woman. Permit me to
place an Interrogation point before your
heart. Did you love him at SO because
he was gentleman in spirit as we'll as
birth, or did you love him from loveY'
81 loved him from love. was at that
time somewhat IN demand. If among
all my suitors chose Count Waldeck, IL
was because found him the most irre-
sistible." Here is something to console
those who are entering N. Flourens'
sThird YOUTH"
"And why. Madame, was he the most
because he was the youngest. He
was not 70 years OF age. He was 20, four
times over"
At this moment Count Waldeck rose,
took witha firm hand glass Of Cham
payne, and improvised pretty stanza
in honor Of Madame Lopez. After
which he emptied his glass at breath,
without winking. When it was empty
he turned 1t upside down on the hand Of
peerly drop. "That," he said, sis what
he did at the Court of Louis XVI"
Nothing could have been more gallant
and gentlemanlike.
proposed toast In my turn to this
living history Of a century, to this man
who had seen and judged everything.
After dinner we had a long conversation.
He spoke of the future as of the past, as
if he had only gone half way as yet. He
talked of doing this and doing that.
sand still how much" he said, ssmust be
left unfinished" He related unpub-
lished witicisms of Marie Antoinette and
Louis XVI, He said he was present
when Rivarol, after the taking Of the
Bastile, was summoned by the King, who
wanted every ones advice. s'Sire, y said
"my advice is very simple. Ii
you wish to remain King Of France, act
the Kingp
Louis XVI did not act the King, and
instead OF mounting the throne again he
the scaffOld.
This was the last time that Count
Waldeck dined out. After that memor-
able evening he never again left his
fifth floor in the Rue
des &artyrs-u he left it for
eternity. To-day all the old men are
out Of patience with him, and are accus-
ing him of having been criminally impru-
dent. They propose as an epitaph to be
engraved on his tombstone, "Here lies
one who died at hundred and ten for
having Lived too fast.v
His wife is in despair--noble woman
and brave heart. But after all, since
she married the Eighteenth Century,
perhaps she will console herself by mar
rying the Twentieth.