, 1876-11-12
extended to me without tormality her hand, and
invited me tn bn seated

extended to me without tormality her hand, and
invited me to be seated.
It was the breakfast hour, about IL o'clock In
the forenoon. The whole family sat around the
table; her son Maurice, who has taken the
name which his mother has made famous, anu
Ms sister, both with their consurts and children
INC breakfast WAS already over before Madame
sand, who shortly before came from her study,
had partaken. ''Good morning, my children"
SAD s., she after she had hidden me welcome.
praced by her grandchildren, and had 3
hearty word for all. During this scene l
6tood aside, and had a rich opportunity Of con-
slaerlng the appearance OF this famous woman.
George sand WAS thicksct, somewhat bent by
age, yet in her movements there was not the
least taltering: In Paris, years ago, they took
execution to the severe remark OF the incorri-
g1ble Hclne. who was near this lady for some
time, and y ho cherished for her a sincere i'd
miratton; he compared George Sands head
spect as this truly Heinean comparison Is, a
certain truth cannot be denied it, Above ali
the hairdresser Of the authoress is at fault, who
gives to her head. as seen from the front, q
rich hair a little alter the Grccian
style. TIVE eurled locks bordercd the
low forehead almost to the edge Of the
eyebrows; under long, full puff. the ears ara
almost wholly concealed. 1t was universally
thought that the authoress, Fincc her typhus
fever, had aided Nature BY the use Of false hair.
At the last toilet there was found the most
beautiful natural ornament Of hair, with few
silver threads, and no one could conceive what
strange caprice made The old lady SO careful to
heavy upper lip likewise suggested Hcnc's
comparison. What struck me most forcibly in
this countenance was the bold delincation Of the
lines Of the face. The features were large-al-
most too {nasculinc. And then those eyes! OF
the same black as the hair, they had still much
Of the inward fire. Yet at rest
this appeared tempered, and lent
to the whole counteuance-::a something
melancholy and thoughtful. One3ee6 bathe
IN her great untathonablc eyes. dnec thought
ready distlgured by age, the latter appeared
small and without energy, aud the mouth with
coarse lip may never have been beautiful. Her
complexion, ONE fair, was now the yellowish
tint OF certain Flemish portraits With which the
white neck and aristocratic hand are in bold
contrast The whole breathed rest, beneyolence,
and genius.
T kucw from mutual friends that George Sand
With strangers often betrnyed sllyness, res, even
awkwardncss, and upon no occasion was brill
liant III conversation through wit Or genius.
Musset confirms this, who truly was no stranger
to her, that her mind worked slowly, and that
she was very deliberate In conversation.
Soon she rose from the chair ''Let us, as we
talk" said she, "takc . walk through the gar
den and about the village" Hcinc once said Of
During our walk, in which she showed to me the
beauties her home, espoke very little, butwas
all car, and observed me most attcntiyely. Often
saw how her penetrating glance rested on me
some moments, and she did not allow the
most indiHetent word to escape. II perchance
our eyes met she looked timidiy down, and that,
too, with girlish expression which clothed the
venerable lady with peculiar charm. We con-
Quoted our conversation partly in French and
partly in italian. II the word failed me, as it
1f% Il hos c1,r
came to my assistance, which was to me proof
how attentivcly she listened to my chattering.
In this assistance she showed peculiar skill.
One could easily see that in her difficult art Of
entering into the thoughts and words OF others,
she had attained rare faculty: So much more
delightful it WAS to open ones heart to her,
because She knew SO well how to compre-
bend it.
We sought out the most beautiful spots of
the garden which surrounded the castle in which
the authorcss was born, and where she had
spent two-tlli:ds Of her life. Firs, poplars, and
fruit trees shaded the park and almost wholly
concealed the uaguiticence Of the house. " II
winter it is cold aud inhospitab1e here" said
the novelist; aand then We busy ourselves less
with sleeping nature than with our own re-
sources. just behind the garden is, our private
theatre. We began to kill our evenings with
dramatic charades, then came the pantomime
which Chopin introduced He improvised on
the piano while our young people set bis inspi.
ration into pantonimc OIL the stage and danced
comic ballads. Now our iMario,tettes, which my
son designs, paints and sets in motion, do the
acting, while and my daughter look after the
costumes"
s'Afy Nfaurice,'' said George Sand to nc,
II wholly resembles his mother. He has a
sensitive, passionate heart, which must always
be in a glow or in ashes. He shares also my
passion for the theatre In Paris, not long since,
1had lodgings where often remained weeks
long Every evening we visited play, yet I
always preferred the 1iavrs pieces, the panto-
mine, the fairies, to the more solid dramas. Not
/ visited the Fo'ies- Bayere."
I manifested some astonishment at the men
tion Of this questionable opera hail: She noticed
it, but undisturbcd, continued: 8 In boz we'll
aud behind curtain which hid me |
wholly from public view, I enjoyed the dances |
has has fcit H me the blessing Of childish joy: nd
nire, laugh, and wonder, and enter into the
life Of Others just as children do. The word |
sutui does not exist for me-"
As with such conversation we went through |
he park and the kitchen garden, she showed nc /
little knoll oycrgrown with flrs whose
branches shaded family tomb. It IS the parish
.hurchyard, and the parents and two grand
hidren Of the novelist rest there.
hcrs M too sleep psSags s9Set said d,ss she
nc yet q little while to those to " hom can be
IscfuI. Besides wish first to tocomplctc SO much.
lot that would be SO foolish as to fear death,
nut am, in spite Of my age, fresh and active
eHsSa eS5ots te 4 nea" nacrs ashs aad nsh bE M
Yes, the busy woman who first found rest in
cath, and yet found time to play as a child,
nth birds and flowers, departed unwillingly
rom this world, where she left behind SO much
ore. Grandshild, on the maternal side, Of
ird-dcaler, there @as secret magic between I
er and the featherel world. Like Goethe's
Lili," or the heroine in her "Tevertno," she
osscssed the magic power to lure the little
lngers and call them to herself. She herself
Tho oraninrr hrnusht thekzn11 snh hold fnrefher |