The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-06
And may God save the State of Maine.
Chopin and George Sand in Soc
ETY..


The Marquis de Cuisine of Prague, cele-
brated for his many literary works, the best
known of which is that on Russia, possessed
large fortune, an aristocratic name, and
inhabited splendid mansion in Paris. At
the brilliant soirees he gave one met the
greatest artists and foremost men of science
in the French capital. l cannot quite re-
member, relates Friedrich Won Flotow in his
'Recollections,' how I, at that time I'M
known as | was, received an invitation to
that circle of renowned and eclectic people.
| only knew the marquis by name, and was
quite a stranger to him. The we'll known
fajhon of a servant announcing the name
of each guest upon his entrance into the
drawing room would, knew, help me to
learn the names of the distinguished persons
who were to appear. In order that should
succeed in this, determined to be one of
the first to enter the Hotel de Justine I
was the first, aud was so early, indeed, that
there was not a servant present in the ante
room, and walked into the drawing room
without being announced. | told my name
to the friendly marquis, who advanced to-
wards me, and introduced myself as Ger
man. He perceived my embarrassment, and
came at once to my help, praising the pune
tuality OF my countrymen in general, and
above all that of the German artists. They
certainly never seek to produce sensation
in drawing room, through an affected late
appearance.
After short time the arrivals commenced
and heard the name of Horace Vernet, the
celebrated battlefield painter; he looked like
Bedouin sheik, SO dark was the color of
his face. Then came Baron Marochetti, the
sculptor, young, but already famed artist;
Graaf Won Nieuwerkerke, his colleague; the
sea painter Gudin; Tissot, professor and
member of the Institute de France; Balzac
the author; Appert, who, through his active
exertions to benefit the French prisons, re-
ceived the name of "bienfditeaT DIES prison
niers"; Artot the violin player, and Franc
homme the violincellist.
AT last heard the name of Chopin an
nounced, and my entire interest became
centred in him. He appeared to me suffer
ing and nervously excited; in stature he was
large, but at the same time painfully thin.
He quickly approached the marquis, and |
heard him ask quietly, SIS she coming?' II
hope So" was the answer. asked of gen.
tleman standing near who this referred to.
"Do you not know was the answer, "that
the Baroness Dudevant is expected?o Find
ing that was utterly ignorant as to the sig
niicance of this name, he added, s'rhe Bar
Oness Dudevant is the most celebrated au-
thoress, and signs her works with the name
of George Sand.'' This nom de plume was
certainly well known to me; had read and
admired most of her works. In the course
of conversation with my friendly neighbor
discovered that George Sand had taken up
the literary career in the later years of her
life, and that she was separated from her
husband. The well-known man of letters,
Sandeau, first discovered her great talent,
called her attention to it, and directed her
steps up to the first stage of fame. Out of
gratitude to him she adopted the first half
of his name and signed her works with
Sand" Just at this moment, | was told,
she was at variance with her friend and adj
mirer, and this was perhaps the cause of his
absence at the soiree in the Hotel Justine
Whether this statement was true or not
cannot say, but heard later from others
the some tale with little variation. Informed
by the servant of fresh arrivals the Marquis
de Custine hurried away, and Immediately
appeared again, having lady on his arm.
the servant following behind, and with a
stentorian voice announcing "Madame
George Sand" All hurried to meet her.
Each wished to be the first to greet or see
the honored one. Here she accorded a little
laugh, there friendly words, and to special
favofites she offered her hand. To the last
named category belonged Chopin. After the
first excitement was over | succeeded in OBJ
tanning favorable place from which coua
watch the distinguished authoress. She was
not beautiful and not young; could per-
ceive nothing out of the ordinary in her out
ward appearance.
The onncart fhap hnoan. affair -four Y,ianoc
had been given, Chopin was called upon to
play. He seated himself at the pianoforte
and performed one of his much admired
maZurkas His friends declared that upon
this evening there was a greater depth of
feeling in his music than usual. l had new
er before heard him, so | could offer no
opinion; but was enraptured with his play
ing, After Chopin bad finished there was
pause, and then something happened which
at that period was indeed most peculiar and
extraordinary George Sand demanded a
cigari Not ladys paper cigarette, with
perfumed contents; no! a real, full-sized
mans cigar. Those who had lived thirty
years in Paris can well understand that an
impression such demand land especially
from LADY, must have made at what time
on the assembled guests of the Marquis de
Cuisine. We young people, when we APP
preached lady, carefully avoided carrying
with us even the smell of cigars. We did
not even smoke in the morning when we in
tended going into society the same evening.
Since that period it is indeed otherwise in
Paris. The cigar which George Sand had
desired was brought, the door which led to
the garden of the mansion was opened, and
the performance" began. Furnished with
hat and cloak flor it was cool outside). the
celebrated lady, without any one to attend
her, walked up ard down, putting mighty
clouds of smoke in the air. Unconcerned
she stood the glance of hundreds of eyes,
which were directed ON her through the win
dows. The young ladies found it original,
the elders uniting; the young men were en-
hanted, the married men were uneasy, chief
ly on account of the bad example. Every
thing in the world comes to an end, and SO
did the cigar of Nine Sand. She threw the
fragment left ON one side and returned to
the company.
Chopin was now called upon to play some
thing. At first he declined, but afterwards