The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-30
Germany's Perfect knowledge OF
French Fortifoations.
Courbet and Napoleon IA Boast That
Was lIl-Timed.
PARIS Jan. ID. 1877.


OF the deceased.
Mme Placide Rcyband, who mad disposed Of heI
fortune in SO unexpected manner, was during the
later years OF her life fervent believer in Spiritua
ism. IL also affirmed that she was the victim Of
frequent Authorizations She often spoke OF The trans
migration OF souls and of tho mystic bonds which
unite the living to tho spirits OF the departed
Some years since Nine. Rey bauds son Theophilua
died and she long remained inconsolablc. At length
the mother persuaded herself that she had power IL
call up the spirit OF her dead child and 10 hold inter-
with him. Many hours did she pass thus, and
many more in deep meditation. Mme Reybaud also
wrote poetry and romances, In which sho developed
her favorite ideas Her style is said 10 have been
nebulous The deceased passionately fond Of
music and short before her death set herself to
learn the piano, circumstance which, together with
the mstiness Of Der STYLE seems to have bcen noted
by her husband proof OF insanity II should seem,
moreover that she had fancy for playing only with
one hand.
Nine. Rcybaud was not only believer in Spiritual
Ism, but
A MEDIUM.
AS such she naturally in great request at stances
and her husband complained that she not only exer.
cised her medium power these gatherings but road
her mystic compositions and caused them 10 be
sung. Clearly, every author who in1cts his or her
compositions on evening party Is, in the opinion OF
the worthy NJ. Reybaud, hopclessly mad.
The only serious ground i4deed, on which the will
could be disputed was one particular inflammation
which does to have less affected the
judgment OF the testatrlx. Mmc. Reybaud who might
have boosted that she was
NO MORE MAD THAN PyTHAGoRAs
believed that the TREND to whom she lott her property
had been in former existence the wife OF BGranger
and that in the next world the person would be
her sister mother IL did not clearly appear which,
The civil court or AK upon this evidence annued
decision Of the inferior tribunal From these judg-
nents one may learn some practical rules OF conduct
i. Do not believe IN sprituasm.
2. Nor in metcmpsychOsis.
3. Cultivate a clear literary style.
4 Avoid the practice OF reading your poems to
friends.
g. Abstain from meditation
d. Do not DO absurd to entertain any serious
belief in the Immortality of the SOUL
Do not learn to play the piano late IN life
II you will bear these and few other rules In mind
you may be allowed 10 dispose oil your property you
please-subject 10 restrictions.
The decision OF the AK court by the way should be
enough TO I'LL some nebuous writer's on both sides OF
the Atlantic with alarm. Even man Of Mr.. brown.
ing's genius may feel uneasy. There Is
A CURIOUS STORY
told of the effect produced by ..Parace on the
late Mr.. Theodore Hook, VINO, being confined his
bed by illnoss, was sent copy OF tho poem TO
utmost agitation OF mind depicted his countcnance
thrust the book into his wites hand saying Read It,
read it." Mrs. Hook did she requested and
after two or three minutes looked up with puzzled
expression OF countenance. "Weu. asked her hus.
band, ..weIl?" why, | can't understand word Of
It," she observed. THANK Cool" exclaimed Hook,
sthen have not lost my reason"
better specimen OF
is to be found in the decision OF tho Civil Tribunal OF
Nevers with respect to breach Of promise case re.
Gently before It, In Franco both the issue Of law and
the issue fact tried by judges In these matters
without the intervention OF jury and the legal mind
is rarely disposed TO be unduly sentimental. In Eng
land the SUIT Of Gippon vs. Charroy would, It may
safely be asserted have had quito another ending than
shat which French law devised for It, Nine. Gppon
. widow OF thirty-ono autumns and the mother OF q
family claimed 81, 600 against young man OF twenty
three who had made her promise Of marriage which
he had neglected TO carry out Il was alleged for the
tona that the conditions had not been fulfilled on the
part Of Nine Gippon
The plaintiff produced document which ran rs fol-
lows
DKcIxn. Ncivre) Nov. s, 1874
direct contributions at Decze, hereby pledge myself
marry NINE Gppon in case: consciousness Of our rca
an eternal union the child which should be born to
BY and by Nine Gippon declared she about to
become mother statement which eventually
verified, but NJ. Charroy had grave Tor doubt
to the paternity OF the child which he refused to
legitimate ''by eternal union" Hence tho action.
JUDGMENT
Of the Court set forth that whereas tho widow Gppon
OF mature age and the mother OF a family and
therefore presumably able TO take perfect oil her
self and ncr honor; and whereas NJ. Charroy ut the
time Of making the promise was not Of age Ut
which he could contract marrage without his fathers
consent and whereas the contract immoral
every reason to believe that the widow Gippon had
cunningly specialized the unrefccting passion OF
young Charroy and hoped by the threat OF exposure
10 compel him TO pay heavy tine, the Court, taking
all these circumstances into account dismissed the
suit OF widow Gippon with costs Among the subjects
over which
PARIS IS LAUGHING
ut the present moment, though somewhat uneasiiy Is
the publication OF General Briamont's work on the
defence OF States and intrenchcd camps. While col
lecting materials Tor his book General Briamon. ap-
pllcd 10 the French government for the necessary
,aneg tlU n fnrft Darts rnr
French government refused to dvuise the the
State, whcreupon the Belgian author nothing dscour.
aged, wrote to Berlin and from the War Office OF that
capital obtained all information be concern.
Ing tho fortrcsses both of Germany and France In
10 communicate 10 him the plan Of tho unfinished forti-
hcatons around Paris anu several projects which have
been submitted TO the Minister OF War; When General
Bralmonts book appeared II was determined at
nrst 10 demand tho OF the work ia
order critic observed, 90 prevent the Prussaus
reading in French what they had communicated In
German IT. Is not supposed here that any treason has
been committed France possesses the plans Of
al The German iorts and IS well nigh Impossible to
Keep fortincations Before the fall En-
prc interesting models OF all tho strong places
frsnce were exhibited in gallery OF the Louvre
Emo rain OF
ANECDOTES
concerning poor Henry Monner continues. Here Is a
whimsical one which tells OF practical joke played
with his friend Romcn. The two had taken
their seats In omnibus which was already pretty
well filed, whom there entered an enormous man, who
seemed likely to squeeze two or three OF the passen
gers out OF all shape. Now the lat man wore several
gaudy looking rings his fingers, and Monnier forth
with devised plan for getting rid OF the tut man on
shat hot July afternoon. An exchange OF ganccs with
Romien was quite enough. Suddenly the latter
seemed TO undergo fearful ana wondrous change.
ATS eyes assumed the hxty OF docy. his lower lip
twichod convusIvey and slight foam was even vsi-
bic on his mouth.
The entertainment now commenced
RoxIKx Pointing To the lat man)-Ringl Ne want
ring!
MoxxrER ITO the gcntlcmanl--Pray, hide your
hands my dear sir: rirrtatcs him. don't give him a
rinx. OF you, pray, dont
Ing FAR MAx-i have no intention Of giving him
Dnv.
RomEx with increased encrgy)-Mc want ring.
want ring, oh!
MosxIEn--For heavens sake, hide your hands
vou'Il render hm furious.
The FAT MAN putting MS hands behind ns pack)-
rb,s ~ iptoIerabIe they ought not TO allow these
people TO get into omnibuscs
RoxIry Now quito furious)-Me VIII have ring
Moxx,yR-IIapg H. man Give him the ring and let
,..~ l,,,,a ,,e.c. Won soc I've no more pow er