New-York tribune., 1879-05-31
GAMBETTA IN HIS NEW HOME.
HIS OFFICIAL AND DOMESTIC LIFE

Hque FTdpeaise, has given. for some time. a very
uncertain note Yesterday it was for Blaaoui
and showed its teeth at the Cabinet To.
day 1t is altogether ministerial, and re.
commends the Chambers not 10 toss the
Government over. From the Gambettist organ
il is no longer easy to guess what line of action
Gambetta pursues. My opinion is that the great
orator not himself how to set his sails. The
political wind in France often shifts round and
perhaps he is waiting for breeze that will rue
along with the tide and currents Of the waters in
which he will have to navigate Meanwhile he
lies in a remarkably snug berth. While the Speaker
of the Chamber was making an excursion in Italy
and Switzerland, fhe Petit Bourbon was freshly
fitted up by the Official upholsterers. The green
brocaded silk IN tho ante-rooms. the tone of
which was crude and out Of fashion, has been
replaced settees and arm-chairs by stamped vel.
| vet of a shade. The blue drawing-room,
near the Secretary's Office in which the Duc de
Morny used to ladies' has been restored, and
is in exactly the state in which it was sixteen
years ago. New carpets, manufactured at AubuSson
have been laid down in the long suite of reception
rooms on tho ground floor, which furnished in
the Louis Quatorze style in gilt furniture. uphol
stored with crimson Lyons brocade The taste in
which they fitted up seems TO me ques-
tionabe. One room is exactly the same
|
and the works of art on which the eye might
rest with pleasure were they lower down, are con-
fined to small alegoricsl paintings in modern
spirit. In the nearest to the gallery where DE
Morny kept his pictures and other works Of art
Gambetta usually receives visitors in the day time
The chairs are easier than the other saloons and
there are desk-tables on which are piled blue
| books magazines newspapers, and official
| reports: and drawers choked mp with let-
ters and other documents. When Parliament is SIT
| ting Gambetta s carefully "yaletcd" both at home
and abroad When it is in recess he the
| shabby " hand-me-down suit " Of coarse blue CLOTH
peg-op trousers and loose jacket, called rareus'
| in which used to see him at the Office Of the RE
publiqae FrdpcG3e, and dark crimson smUking-eap.
! This headpiece gives him Turkish appearance.
! When the visitor is on intimate terms, Gambetta
turns the back of a lowpadded chair IN the Vol
taire style toward him, and placing himself astrido
on the seat crosses his arms the back leans his
chin on his hands, and listens to what the new
conner has to say. When he wants to talk
himself ne starts mp and sticking his hands in his
trousers pockets walks about the speaking
voluby al the time. When he is thus at ease, his
conversation is much more original and striking
than when he is on his p's and as, and obliged TO
act like an ordinary mortal
Gambetta is not greatest in the tribune. His
! ideas are of gorgeous luminosity when he Is sneak
ing as have described, to an intimate friend, who
he is quite certain Will not report what he SAYS
to n newspaper. When tired of being on hls
feet he throws himself upon sofa
where he continues to talk and laugh. have often
observed that in a reclining position the process Oh
! cerebration in him is more active than when be Is
sitting mp OF course there is physical reason Tor
! this Gambetta is also, reclining. humorist. lie
] H. 4 c.tz h.r- l4rp IA
! ing. and keeps them in that happy state by the
rapid flow Of drOl fancles, which are mingled WIN
! puugenU remarks and strange na6heS ol elO-
! quonce. To those who knew nm wen before
! his rise in the world he IL the same Old
! friendly and OblIgng chum that he was IN the kne
| Montagne, and IN the Chaussee dAntln. VIVA
new acquantanceS and official visitors ne IS as
reserved as his eXuberant nature VIII allo" ah 10
| be. and he keeps up before them sumciehb
amount of state to remind them OF ms oihcal ee'%-
| ton Whenever visitor oI thlS category
granted an interview he Is passed on IRON one set
OF servants TO another, until he reaches the foot OF
! the private stairs. There he hands card 10 an
usher m black silk stockings and trousers and
! wearing sword at his side. This menlai.
who carries his weapon with the ar OF fencing
! master, ascends the stairs. Another Hunkey OF
| similar he ght and build and dressed IN cOrre-
| sponding suit. follows the stranger, who, when n9
gets to the lobby, has 20 wait lew moments unm @
! the card he has produced Is taken 10 the speaker:
The presence chamber in which the greatest amount
of state is kept up, is on the rs oor ana separated
by a snuglv curtained and carpeted vesubulo from
| Gambetta's bedroom, which i IN the end OF the
Presidential mansion nearest To the Oh ChalhDefO Oi
| Deputies.
Gambetta in receiving strangers Is careiuly
dressed His reception chamber upstairs il III criln-
son velvet. and painted overhead with allegoneal
! figures representing Spring and her attributes by
Bougereau. This decoration is conceived IN
fresh. Youthful spirit. As all the sitting
room, at the Petit Bourbon face north aud
| overlook the Seine roaring fires are kept up
| in them Independently of the hot air breathed
| into them from the braZen mouths OF a heater'
| Great biliets of oak wood burn on the Wlde
| hearths Gambetta does not with DAVE hheiy 10
repeat what he says them, wear his heart on hls
sleeve. 1hey~haye not the same Consciousness Vi
his superiority and of ms redundant power, Nn'0H
an intimate friend never talis 10 come away "i'u'
Gambetta's household consists, To begin with, ot
ten men servants on board wages which are paid by
fhe State These domestics wear the green and god
liyeries Of the Empire. Some of them were aP
pointed by the Duke de MOrny and the rest by his
successor II. Schneider. There is one them whose
father entered the Presidential service at the Paas
Bourbon in the second year of Louis Phlppes
reign He is still alive, and had on tbe occasion oil
my last visit to Gambetta the advantage OF long
chat with HIM. III which he related to me hS his
torical souvenirs. The son asked him 70 take me
over the Palas Bourbon and point out 10 me Whae
was remarkable and of interest Besides the yen
who wear tho green and gold iNeres theIe
arc the two individuals IN black VINO carry
swords. The intimate d0mestlclty Is composer
of Francois who attended table at the Chamsses
dAntin and "yaleted" Gambetta, and his wte FRAN
Cose. They are both from Tours, where Gam9e,ta
iell in with them the year Of the war Mau4ne
FrancOse has been so TAR the COOK ani cHain' 20
maid of her illusrious employer But since MS re-
turn fran Italy she has handed her apron ron
TO NJ. Tambour, the former chG oi n' tro
Due de NOailles. Two sculIions VIII De en-
ployed to assist this important pefsonage:
his salary is liked at - O0Oa year, ana Plia "
Gambetta The carriage Is driven by q bloJdet VI
FTancois who lives and boards at the Petit BouIs
bon lie has been three years IN the empoymentoi Oh
Gambetta who rarely quaIres with nls Sef'ah'''
and is an excellent master.
The secretary,s department includes NJ San