Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-02-11
q sajoE; WM4TMORE,
Publisher and Proprietor.
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HUmRR. radf.


M Alexander Dumas is person
whose sayings aud doings are furnishing
daily anecdotes to the chroniqueurs ol
newspapeEs | recently called on him
at his heuse ia the Avenue de Villiers,
and spent delighttul morning, convers-
ing with him about the incidents of his
Extraordinarily successful but laborieus
career. Willik be believed that the illus
trioue name be bears was at first an
almost iusuperable drawback to him ?
He was twentyfour when he wrote Via
Dame aux Camelias," and the now
famous drama which he drew from the
novel was refused by all the managers in
Paris, who declared with one voice that
such piece would scandalize the pnb,
lic, and be hissed off the stage. At last
the manager Of the Vaudeville, who was
on the verge of bankruptcy, reasoned
thus; This is q piece by AlexsndeE
Dumas son; it will cost me nothing to
putil on the stage; somebody is sure TO
come and see it on the first night for the
father sake. / have nothing to lose,
and &C, will risk it. " But the coup detat
8mneeded before the play could be per
formed The ,censors refused to license
it, and MsgLeon ERnohef, the Home
Minister declared cateGoricslly that it
should never, be put upon the stage so
long as be was in Office. Happily the
young author had powerful friend in
the Comte de Morny, who had not been
three days in the Ministry before he re-
moved all difficulties. Thus in the carly
part of 1852 the piece which the govern.
ment had tabooedq as, immoral, and in
the success of which neither manager
nor actors much belisyed--for Mile
Fargeuil had refused to accept the part
of tie heroine, and MI Fechters m who
played Armand DIVA" had propheSed
| q = dead fajiure--that piece was nrepre'
sented With a success SO immense, 30
startling, that no dramatic event be-
fore or since has, ever ,equaled it.
Fame anG fortune came TO the
young author in one, evening" 70 this
aay the piece continues TO yield him q
fine income, and he computes that under
any equitable international copyright
law the profits which he would have
drawn from the aUnited States alone
would have amountedto 3 million francs.
After the success of the755Dame aug
Cameliss," NJ. Fould, then Mihister of
the Emperor's Household, pressed NJ.
Alexandra dumas to write something Tor
the Theatre Franeaise, his object in this
beisg less to befriend the young author
than to play any evil turn 70 M lie
Rachel, who was ct once the pride and
the termagant tyrant Of the National
Comedy House. Mile Rachel had
brought matters to such pass at the
Francois, by opposing the engagement
of all actresses who would rival her,
that on the nights when she did not per
form land she performed about seventy
times year) the house was empty. 1t
occurred to M. Fould that If the Fran
cais could bring out some sensational
piece in whlch Mile Rachel took no
part her ascendsney would theneetorth
decline but when N. Dumas brought
him tie Demi-Monde he hesitOted. The
piece was taken to the Emperor, vbo
read it in manuscript, and said that il
would dishonor the National Theatre,
though it might do for smaller house;
and short time afterwards N. Fould,
having proposed the author for the
Legion Of Honor. his Majesty with his
own hand, effaced his name from his list
S--a very unusual occurrence. All this
did not prevent the Demi-Monde from
being played at the 0ymnsse with al'
most the same success as the Dame aux
Camelias-nay, more, jury OF disun'
guished plsywrights and critics recon-
mended it for the annual prize which M.
Leon Faucher, the authors Grst perse-
cutor, had founded 10 encourage the
niece best calculated to improve the
morals of the working classes" M.
Baroche, whose function it was to award
the prize, refused to confer it on M.
Dumas, whereou the Jury, declining to
reconsider their report. noyed that The
prize eashould be, abohshed--Thich TRe
done accordingly. T me- - - n, 20
NJ. ALExASDRE DUMAS SUBURBAN HOUSE
is like one OF those pleasant citizens
boxes out Of London, with q garden
round it. bare at this season Of the year,
but in summer all abloom with flowers.
The author does all his work in q spa
cious grsund.aoor study, with lasge-Iin.
dows overlooking this garden. and with
walls covered by artistic treasures, among
(which are two admirable pictures Of
Manoh Lescaut aud Marguerite Gautier.
Heis tall, stalwsrt, very pale, and his
first aspect is proud, cold, stern, and q
little defiant. Buthe quickly tbaws and
shows himself the most fascinating oi
eauseurs, He is gay, cordial, viysciout
and simple; full Of aneclote, wit and
blaughter & He seems to wear bis hear
\ upon his sleeve, and to hear bis conyer
cation is like drinking champagne of
7 Gne vintage. Hetalks freely shout any