Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-29
The Greatest French Editor.


neel following since Lord Palmerston's death.
L. j. J.
The Greatest French Editor.
New York Home Journal
The real king OF Paris is EHile de Glrardin,
tue editor OF In FJaaoe, its best newspaper. II
Is tue that the great French editor is also the
finest gentleman OF his time and nation, though
his birth Is doubt, and he fought his Own way
upward he f1rSt advertised himself into fame
and though wise men may have now and then
read bis advertisements with a smile he took
care That they should be worth reading. There
is hardly anything which human Wit can do
mat ne mas LEFT undone, and his long life has
bten almost one unbroken series OF lucky hits
no tbink that among other things, he was the
inventor or CHI ap journals, is alone enough 10
take ones breath away, so stupendous thing
II was rightly considered
He SEEMS TO have teen always thought too
frequently desired IL; yet he is not only one OF
the founders OF the third republic but he over
threw the Due de Broglie almost single handed
SO The ambition OF his life remains ungratihed.
though there was at one time some gossip
among his friends about running him for the
presidency. IL could lot have come TO any
Thing had the project been actively worked out,
but lie was rel urned deputy for Paris by an I'M
mense number OF votes. Outside OF Paris he Is
little known, for he has nothing OF the stump
orator In him, and his writings, though amaz-
upon politics. have ne yer been widely popular
Perhaps. though himself q man OF strong and
kindly feelings, he addressed himself more to
peoples head than to bis heart His ''suppice
dune femme" one OF the stock pieces OF the
Francois, is Indeed exquisitely tender ia senti-
ment. but he Is not by nature poet OF TO-
nance writer. He is rather grouper
with eonsummaie skill for practical and
immediate wants. 1t used to be said,
with re, reference to his active habits a2d
morning to make a new enemy" or laie be
does not go in search OF adversaries, but woe TO
ln.n II tney approach him with aggress ive
notions. He has a very old practice Of collect
tDg all the facts which come to his knowledge
relating to the lives of public men. He carefully
oockets tnese memoranda, and places them In
krupp guns loaded. When an enemy appears,
out comes the gun, and skaters him all TO
pieces with every proof, and date. and awkward
ruth that can be brought to bear against him.
does not want to fight" AS for personal en-
counters he had enough OF them In early life,
having shot Armand Careel dead In his fourth
duel. He then swore that he would never tight
again. and court OF honor to which he ap-
pealed held that he was justified In this course.
Therefore, when an adversary boxed his ears
publicly On the bOu,evardS, In French fashion
Girardin only called him a coward" Uache)
and so he was, for the oath above recorded was
known to all Paris.
In our DAY 10 one would think OF trying con-
ciustoDs with the famous editor, and even his
enemies affect to treat him with that sort OF
respect With which dwarf may treat prize
pghter. His latest quarrel was with V1llemes-
SAINT, or the FfgdrO. But 1t had not lasted two
days before Girardin had had recourse to the
particular pigeon hole in which Villemessant's
aniecedents were all stacked w, ana such
Figaro man to take flight Ia ten directions at
once. The quarrel is said to have FASTENED
Ftllemessant'S death. 1t had no effect whatever
on his adversary. He had net begun the attack;
he was merely amused at his victory.
The dinners at his house In the Rue de la
ptrouse are not only becoming historical, but
they deserve to be so. Dickens was filled with
amaZement twenty years ago at the splendor
or the genial Frenchman's hospitality, and still
he has the pleasantest house Ia Paris. Never
was there such company got together as that
The late duke OF Grarnont, With his diamond
star at his breast, 10 be met beside Cr6miellX
and Dumas, poor Guyot Montpayroux, and all
the chiefs Of all the factions in France from
Paul de Cassagnac to Gambetta, Then the
dinners themselves are excellent. Even the
cook of the Palais Bourbon must hide his head
before the Girardin cook, and the wine is OF the
rarest Fintages. What an assemblage OF
guests meet at table ia the Rue de la Perouse-
an English premier and his wife, Russian
spy, a fashionable courtesan and a wandering
with each others society; and Madame Alex
andre, the most charming and loveliest OF
daughters iD-law, says grace for those who
want II, SO everything is quite proper.
The breakfasts in the Rue de la Perouse are.
II possible still better than the dinners. Every
day at noon there is table open to all Corners
WIN udsC Tue IlSut VI entry ana PROBABLY such
Charming gossip is hear0 nowhere else 10 the
world. All that has happened TILL an hour be
1ore, all that will or can happen an hour hence.
Is known to everybody present, or they are
specify We'll iEfurmed and now au actress
1iutferS III full OF laughter and prattle, now
minister OF state, grave with toll, takes his
place anlonS the guests, or a foreign amoaSsa
dor, eager fer news he cannot get elsewhere.
Emile de Girardin was Dorn 10 SwitIer-
laI q on June 22, 1906 or elsewhere In 1902. on
an unknown day OF an unknown month. There
is even dispute about his name, for ne was at
hrst called Delamothe, and spent muca OF his
time while young ln search OF rather. Finally
he adopted a father, Who kicked furiouSiy
against the operation, but ultimately seems TO
have got used TO 1t, and when the unexpected
son " no had taken posse ss;on OF him was 40
years ol0, and one of the most successful men
In Europe, his father "a general much unknown
politely returned the compliment, and adopted
him. He might quite as well have stuck to the
name or Delamothe, which Is much finer one
than that he chose for IL has the noble aDpela-
tive tackled 10 it OF .'Delamothe- aux Gentils.
NOMINEES the title given from time imInemorial
TO Their ancestral seat, which was sold but a
few days ago.
The foregoing facts seem to show that NJ de
Glrafd1n must be either "a or IS years Old
Happily he shows no sign OF mental or physical
decay. His igure-always well built and strong
ly knit together, though graceful in outltne-is
still upright The expression OF his features is
still lively and Whining. He dresses admirably
Is what was said Of Thomas Grenville SO
model which may teach us all now 10 grow
Old