The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-02-23
The French President at Home.

The French President at Home.
1t is to be remarked of N. Grevy
that he is an eminentlv correct Presi-
dent; he gives his master OF the cere-
monies far less tr u lie than NJ. ihiers.
The latter delighted to have a military
guard, and to be received by roll of
drums wherever he went. He put on
the cross of the Legion of Honor as
soon as he came to Office, though he
was only a grand officer of the army be-
fore: he required that ambassadors. on
introduction. should make him the three
customary bows. as to q sovereign. and
he expected that all the honors paid to
himself should be rendered to his wife
| likewise. But then NJ. Theirs, when he
was giving audiences in the morning,
| kept rushing out Of his study every
| quarter of an hour to espy who were
| waiting to see him in the ante-rooms.
| He shook hands with some, scolded
| others, made straight for any newspa-
per editor who might be present, giving
| him precedence over dukes or arch
| bishops, and talking with him pretty
audilv in that shrilI falsetto of his about
the views which he desired the editor
to promulgate. When he gave dinners,
| again, NJ. Thers could not be prevailed
upon to sit whilst his guests were 60
| ing through the customary series of
courses. His own invariable menu was
a cut off of a joint, with some vegeta-
bles and few spoonfuls of jam; and
when he had dispatched this fare,
which he did in ten minutes, he either
| frisked about the room or retired into
| the next one to take a nap. If he lin
gered longer than usual at the table it
was to start some political discussion
which made his guests uncomfortable;
and all this was very grievous to the
master of the ceremonies. Marshal
McMahon had served an apprenticeship
in court pomps during his Governor
Generalship of Algeria, and under the
auspices of the Duchesse de Magenta
the etiquette or the Elysee was modelled
on that of the Tuileries during the EN-
pire. The servants wore the Mcmahon
hveries of gray, scarlet and silver. with
aiglets and powder. There was always
an aide-de-eamp in full uniform and an
officer of the palace guard to attend in
the MarshaHs ante room; and the Ouch
esse herself was constantly attended by
one or two ladies-in-waiting. When
the President and Duchesse went to the
races they and their suite occupied two,
sometimes three, carriages, with four
horses, which were preceded and fol
lowed by outriders; and when they
Travelled they used the saloon carriages
which had been built for the Emperor.
President Grevy neither keeps so
much state as the Marshal nor trans
gresses the minor laws of etiquette so
cavalierly as M. Theirs. Before coming
to Elysee he has inhabited apartments
In the Palace of Versailles, by virtue OF
his position as President of the Cham
Der of Deputies; but his style of living
was of the simplest, and his attire was
that of country gentleman. He never
; wore a high hat or gloves. He had q
property hat, which was kept under
his desk in the Chamber ready to hand
, in case it became necessary to ''cOveI
himself,n and thereby to suspend tu.
: multuous sitting abruptly; but in the
, streets he wore a wide-awake. He was
very fond of strolling about the boule
wards for hours at o time, looking into
the shop windows; and he was passion
, ately fond of billiards, nor did he care
. whom he played with. One of his fav-
orite opponents at this game was NJ
, Paul de Cassagnac, with whom he ha;
|, not an idea in common; but the editor
of the Pays and he never exchanged
, political views while making carroms
, Sport, agricultural and music are the
topics on which M. Grevy converse!
with most pleasure; but he is a silen
man, who talks no more than is neces
I sary to make the time pass, and he new
or lets conversation run into argument
, When he became President M. Grew
J had to give up his wide-awakes and hi
: boulevard strolls, and to moderate hi
7 ardor for billiards. His most frequen
: companion at this game has been of lat
!, M. Wilson, who is gong to be his son
in-law. M. Grevy, as President, ais
! had to don the broad ribbon of the LIE
= gion of Honor, but he did not do thi
|, until after much hesitation.
M. Grevy's salary is 1000, and h
. probably lives within it. Marshal Mac
: Mahon, on the contrary, spent a grea
deal more than his salary; for, beside
I keeping up a large establishment Q
!, servants and many horses and carriages
= he entertained a good deal. He use
:, to give at least a couple of dinners
!. week, whereas NJ. Grevy scarcely give
: one month. M. Grevy has as man
servants as the Elysee requires, but nc
!. one over. They dress in black, like th
= hotel walters. The Presidents coach
= man also wears black, without a cockade
= and the carriages he drives are smal
= plain broughams. black, and with DARK
- blue wheels, and no crest on the par
= els; they are drawn by a couple of bays
When the President has to attend
great open air pageant, as when he di'
v tributed new flags to the army last yea
y he has barouche with four horses, bt
a he has no outriders. His cook, too,
q no grand artist, receiving the salary {
a Prefect, like the famous NJ Iron
- petite, who lords it over NJ. Gambetta
,S saucepans at the Palais Bourbon. A
N the housekeeping arrangements at th
= Elysee are under the control of Mdll
T. T. Grevy, and will remain SO after he
~ ~ marriage, for she and her husband al
10 10 going to reside in the Presidential pa
" ace.-jSt. James Gazette.
90 About Money Orders.