The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-04-07
How President Grevy Lives in Paris

NOW 1IcSIu6ub UICVy AlVCo An al 10
Jules Grevy keeps the thrifty Mrs.
Gilpin's maxims in view, who, though on
pleasure bent, had frugal mind. M.
Grevy was o well-to-do bourgeois when
elected for seven years to succeed Mac
Mahon. His home was far off in the
east of France, in the Jura Mountains.
In Paris he had modest apartment"
on the third floor in the Rue st. Arnaud,
just off the Boulevard des Capucines,
the quarter best known to Americans.
From the 500, ,0O0francs and perquisites of
his place he has already saved enough to
enable him to buy three imposing build
ings in the court quarter of town, near
the most perfect bit of park scenery in
the world-the little park Monceau,
whose shaded streets are inhabited by at
least three royal personages during GER
tain months in the year. We are apt to
grumble a good deal about the expendi-
ture of the White House, but it is very
little, if any, more than the budget
given the French Executive. 1t is true
that the French President, being in a
great capital like Paris, is compelled to
entertain more than is considered neces-
sary in Washington, but Grevy has not
followed the precedents established by
Theirs and MacMahon. The hospitali-
ties under Theirs We'd with the most
sumptuous fetes of royalty, while the
Irish in MacMahon led him to keep the
Palace of Elysee-the French White
House-open every day in the year to
the young military men and mobiles of
the Republic, whose pay gives them lit
tie opportunity to live well. The most
showy entertainments of the Republic
are, curiously enough, those given by
Gambetta at the Palais Bourbon-the
place assigned the Speaker of the As
sembly. It was originally the Palace of
the Princess of Conda, Of the house OF
Bourbon, and hence derives its name.
Under Napoleon I'LL it was known as
the Palace of the Legislative Corps, OF
Congress. Here Gambetta lives in more
regal state than Grevy. He is sur
rounded by aregimentof the Republican
Guard, strapping six-footers, with brass
helmets and long yellow plumes falling
down their backs. When he goes out
officially company of this glittering
corps guards the Speakers carriage,
and on public occasions surround him In
his official promenades. Anything less
democratic than the state and ceremonial
of Gambetta can not well be imagined.
It was this weakness for ceremonial and
luxury that first broke the cohesion oi
his support in the Legislature the dep.
uties who had known him living merrily
on roll and glass of wine at the cafe
Procope rejecting with scorn and bitter
ness upon his giddy adoption Of the
forms Of Imperialism that he had in his
youth and poverty cauterized with such
eloquence and persistency. But though
weakly fond Of ostentation and high
living, Gambetta is not charged with
parsimony. He has grown rich, but
legitimately, through the lucky estab
lishment of his now powerful journal
La Republique FrancaSse. The French
too, are not apt to be severe on lavish
display. It makes trade brisk, and the
Frenchman of to-day has become what
Napoleon sarcastically called the Eng
lish seventy years ago-a nation Of shop
keepers.