Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-21

Since NJ Gambetta has risen to power his enc
mics have been busy weaving fanciful web Of
fable about his life and his habits. The Palais
Bourbon and its portly occupant have been be-
girt with an aureole Of entertaining and menda-
cious libels. The Palais Bourbon has been re-
furnished en- prince to suit the taste of the scan
dal-loving public; the rose-colored salons have
reflected in their mirrors the seductive charms
of hours; the Turk Of the seraglio bathes daily
in silver bath-tub, and is given over to q Luz
cullian taste for the pleasures of the table, As
Napoleon the First cOurted Talma's intimacy
that he might learn the secret of the great ira
gedians imposing bearing and gesture. so Gam
beta, uoula,u Sc former as the French descrip-
lively put it, frequents the society of the cele-
brated Coquen, the finished actor of the Thea
tire Francois, that he may model his own man
ners after so admirable a pattern.
All these bubbles Of falsehoOd collapse at
touch Of the Ithuriel spear of truth. Gambetta
remains, in truth, perfectly simple and demo-
cratic in his habits He leads a bachelors life.
surrounded by his intimate political and per-
sonal friends, whom he receives with warmth
of hospitality peculiar to his southern nature
The favOrite gathering hour is the mid day
breakfast, at which the leading politicians, men
o! OF state, distinguished English or foreign Wis.
ltors. are frequent guests. Small parties of
friends are also always to be found at les Jar
DIES or at his villa in Switzerland, where Gam
BETA throws off the cares of state lives with
the utmost simplicity, and enjoys somewhat
lately developed love of sporting But az in
his earlier days, he is a tremendous worker. His
uotet de ctanab,e has strict orders to call him at
nine in the morning, at which hour he rises no
matter at what time he may have retired. 1t is
then all the newspapers are read. with light
ming rapidity for which he is noted. To those
who find pleasure in knowing the personal
tastes OF great men, it may be a matter of in
terest to learn that GambettaS favOrite authors
are Rabelais and Montaiene. in whose plain
spoken company, however. the busy statesman
finds few leisure hours to eniOv himself He
arts, and that nicely of critical taste which dis
tinguishes both the Gaul and the children of
the SUM-
In the self-contaned, dignified, somewhat
imperiOus- looking president of the chamber Of
1881. with his admirably fitting dress-coat and
spotless white necktie, who daily mounts to his
throne-like seat in the chamber, it would be
difficult to find traces of the carelessly dressed.
fiery young republican of the Baudn DAYS. NJ
Gambetta at fOrty-two has the prematurely aged
look of man who had made in youth heavy
drains on his mental resources. Far from
appearing like q man in his prime, he looks like
one who has passed it some time since. The
nSure is heavy and obese, although Gambetta's
movements are still. vigorous active, and alert,
and the gesture is as fluent as ever. But the
face in repose wears habtually fatigued ex-
preston 1t is when he speaks that his Italian
fervOr returns to him. His greatest personal
charm now is to be found in his voice. that won
derful. stirring, magnetic voice, whose sonOrOus
qualities seem to belong peculiarly to itself 1t
has in it the piercing, puissant vibrations Of
fine brass instrument, making the air thick and
yet sweet with sound. Gambetta's intonations
are such also that lie seems to add something to
the delicate idiom of Paris" He inparts to it's
lightnesS and grace all indefinable but noticeable
quality of richness and depth.
The French Chamber of Deputies is common
~ much more uninanageable body than the
American House of Representatives. n. Gam
betta's method of governing the house in
fractions mood was such as one might expect
from one of his eXcitable temperament. His
bell and his ivory paper-cutter-an instrument
which he used in preference to the gavel-were
the weakest of his scepters of authority. When
the excited buzz OF voices reached deafening
pitch, NJ. Cambetta's own voice rung ont like
clarion, or Numbered like an angry gods. His
I'm peu de silence messieurs!-un peu de ST.
lence!' was the never-ceasing refrain, uttered in
tones of command, of tntreaty. of cxpostula-
tion.-A. b. Blake, in Hd,per's Magazine for
Fetf7t01'y.