The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-01-29
GAMBETTA.


power, his enemies have been busy
weaving fanciIuI web of table
about bis lite and his habits. The
Palais Bourbon and it, portly occu.
pant have been besirt with an
aureole of entertaining and mendA.
cious ibels The Palais Bourbon
has been refurnished en- prince to suit
the taste OF the scandal-loving public:
the rose colCred salons hsye reflected
In their mirrors the seductive charms
OF hours; the Turk OF the sersQlio
bathes daily III a silver bath tub, and
Is given over to Lnculian taste for
the pleasures of the table. As Ma
poleon the I. courted Talmas int.
macy that he might learn the secret
OF the great tragedian's imposing
bearing and gesture, 30 Gambelta,
routGnt Sc former, as the French
descriptively put it, freauents the so.
clety OF the celebrated Ocquelin, the
hnlshed actor of the Theatre
Frsneals, that he may model his
own manners after so admirable
pattern.
All these bubbles OF faIseho1d
collapse at touch OF the ithurlel
spear OF truth. Gambe!tA remains,
In truth, perfectly simple and dam
ocratie in his habits. He leads
bachelors life, surrounded by his
Intimate political and personal
friends, whom ne receives With d
warmth Of hospitality peculiar 20
his southern nature. The fayorite
gathering hour ia the midday break
fast, at which the leading politicians,
men of state. distinguished English
or foreign visitors, arc frequent
guests. Small parties OF friends are
also always to be found at les Jardies,
or st his villa in Switzerland, wnere
Gambetta throws of the cares of
state, lives with the utmost simplicity,
and enjoys a somewhat lately devel.
oped love of sporting. But, a. in
his earlier days, be Ia a tremendous
worker. His valet de chambre mas
strict orders to call him at 9 in the
morning, at which hour he rises, n }
matter at what time he may have
retired. 1t is then all the newspa
pers are read. with lightning
rapidity for which he is noted. To
those who find pleasure in knowing
the personal tastes of great men, il
may De matter of interest to learn
that Gsmbetta's favorite authors are
Rabelais and Montague, 10 whose
plsiC spoken company, however, the
busy statesman finds few leisure
hours to enjoy himseli. He possesses
also the true Italians love of the fine
arts, and that nicely OF critical lasts
which distinguishes both the Gaul
and the "children OF the SAN"
In the self-contsined, digniied,
somewhat imperious.looking Presi-
dent OF the Chamber of 1851, with
his admirably fitting dEess-coat and
spotless, white nsCktie, who daily
mounts to his throns-like seat in the
Chamber. il would be difficult to
fad traces OF the carelessly dressed,
fiery young republican of BAudin
days. III. Gsmbetta as ~ has the
pFematurely aged look of a man who
bad made in youth heavy drains on
his mental resources. Far from |
appearing like man in his prime,
he looks like one who has passed It
some time since. The figure is |
heavy and obese. although GAM
betsa's movements are still vigorous,
sc.ive, and alert, and the gesture is
"a fluent as ever. But the face in /
repose wears habituslly tAsigued
expression L ia when az sp-aks
that his Italian !ervor returns to
him. His greatest personal charm
now is to be found 10 mis- voice,
that Wonderful, stirring, magnetic
voice. whose sonor0us qualities seem
80 Lelong peculiarly to itself. It has
In il the piercing, puissAnt vibra.
tions OF fine brass instrument, ma.
king the air thick and yes sweet with
sound. GEmbetta's intonsiions are
such also that he seems to add some.
thing to the delicate idiom OF
Paris" He impsrts to its lightness
and grace an indeinable but notice.
able quality of richness and depth.
ihe French Chamber OF Deputies
is commonly much more unman.
ageable body than the American
House OF Representatives. NJ. GAM
betsa's method OF governing the
House in fractions mood was such |
as one might expect from one of his |
exoitable temperament. His bell |
and his ivory paper. cutter-an in
stfument which he used in prefer |
ence to the gavel-were the weakest
OF his sceptres of authority. When
the excited buzz OF voices reached a |
deafening pitch, M. Gsmbet.a's own
voice rung out like a clarion, or
Numbered like an angry gods. His
Gun peu de silence, messieurs l-un
peu de silence ~ was the never.ceas-
ing refrain, uttered in tones OF
command, of eptreAty, of expostuls.
tioD.-A. B. BLAKE. in Harpsr's