The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-12-23
A Visit to Dumas.

come with even elusive warmth, shook
hands with us most cordially, and declared
that his friend was very wrong not to have
apprised him Of our coming beforehand,
50 that he could have shown US through
the house himself. IIud we scc.l every
part of it ? tho library2 the drawlng-room :?
the picture gallery If we chose to 70 all
over 1t again he would be most happy to
accompany us. But we disclaimed any
intention Of occupying 80 much of his
time, SO he declared ho must take us over
his Swiss chalet. This picturesque struc-
turc was bought by him at the Universal
Exposition, was put up In his garden, and
now serves as a place Of deposit for a por
ton of his overwhelming wealth Of artistic
treasures.
What delightful half hour ensued
Dumas talks as well as he writes, and
there Is straight-forwardnes and frank
ness about him that is altogether captiva-
ting, He is fine-looking man, tall, and
of Vigorous physique, with blue eyes, a
pale yet. healthful-looking complexion,
and prcnlatufely silvcrcd hair and mus
tache, The chalet, to which he conducted
US was so crowded with pictures, busts,
and tcrracOtta, and other curiosltics and
works OF art, that it would have taken a
whole day to inspect them all. Hc pointed
out to US ghastly picture of dead wo-
man with her baby trying TO draw nourisll-
ment from tho lifcless breast, a study by
Delacroix for one of his groups III his
MdSSacrc Of Sci0. Then he showed us a
veritablc art curiosity in the shape of u
three-quarter figure of Luke painted by
Nlcissonier in 1888, to fill an order for a
publisher who was getting mp al illustrated
edition Of the Now Testament This pic
turc was sold by the artist for six hundred
francs,
When we returned to the house, NJ.
Dumas kindly brought down from his bed
room the gem Of his whole collection and
displayed 1t to our admiring gaze. 1t is
the famous t1rtist at Work, by Mcssonier
painted in 1868, when his talent was at its
apogcc, u small sized picture of such mar
vcllous execution Of perfection, that "tIlo
! sense ached at it," And yet it represents
merely painter Ill black, eighteen ccn-
tury costume, with his ,npowdcred hair
gathered into Il club bohind, seated before
his easel with his back turned 10 the spec
tator. This picture. originally sold for
2,OOO francs, was purchased some years
ago by M. Dumas for 10000, and within
the last few days he has refused 80, 900
francs (Sl2, O0O, offered by picture
dealer. Vol, it is worth it. 1t is u AIeis-
sonicr of first quality, and such work rs
tho Old man no longer has the patience, or,
perhaps, the ability, TO execute.
NJ. Dumas told me he could never write
IN Paris, rs he was 80 exposed to Interrupt
tions. His just completed tlree -act comedy
which he wroLe in six days, was composed
at the country house Of friend. Its pro-
vislonal title is IHe Princess Of Baut5ud.
IL ia inia".ied for tho Gn,nn.ii.. -ICrn mna iua
and Mile. CrOiHette ts to take the part or
the heroine, Lionnette. Hc laughingly re-
ms rkcd that he did not write for young
girls, and that his own daughters had never
seen any OF his plays Till Mile. Colettc
I,rofited by her marriage to so to see the
Ff(s Nut"rCf. He spoke rather bitterly
OF tie fact that LA Dame uuG Cuuclias
has been played lully 5000 times in the
United States since it was first produced,
and had never brought linn in one single
larthing. | agreed with him heartily, for
tho non. existence OF any copyright laws in
0ur country, SO far as the writings OF for
clgn authors are concerned, is positive
shamc and scandal. flo took from his
writing desk and showed us model in
bronze OF broad, powerful, fleshy hand
the hand OF his illllstriols father, and also
Il model in the same material OF an cxqui-
sitely female hand, that Of tho well known
watcr-oolor artist, Mile. Madeleine Le-
maire. And SO, charmed with our visit,
and still more 80 with oilr gracious and
courteous host, we took our departure.