The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-05

he was aware that L had had much practice
in that line
DO you remember the time when Gam
beta LETT Paris by balloon?"
Yes it seems only yesterday that | saw
him. then Minister of the Interior, sail away
in his balloon with his friend and assistant,
Mr. Spuler, to take charge of the govern
ment interest at Tours and yet that was as
long ago as the 7th of October, 1870, during
the German siege. The balloon as called
the Armand BGrbes. Gambetta had a very
narrow escape at this time as the balloon
passed over the German army at very low
elevation, drawing their fire.
81 suppose there were numerous exits
made from the besieged city by means Of
balloons?"
Quite a number, but it was hazardous
undertaking. and fatal accidents were COM
mon. This experience of Gambetta reminds
me of an equally critical one which befell the
private secretary of NJ. Jules Favre little
leave OF me and to say
that his departure might be
delayed by the high winds. He got off,
however, but in spite of all precautions his
balloon was eventually caught by ire
mendous gale, which hurried him along at
terrific pace. In attempting to descend
the balloon was swept through forest and
he was launched in the branches OF an enor-
mously high tree, from which he could only
descend through the assistance of the peas
antry who had gathered about it,"
"What position in French affairs did
Gambetta hold after his escape from Paris?'
He was virtually the dictator of all those
provinces of France which were free from
the German invaders. He Immediately
urged the people to continue resistance,
raise the Army of the Loire, and from Bor
deaux issued a proclamation advocating
resistance even to complete exhaustion.
When 1 came out of Paris, just before
Jules Favre came out to make the
terms of capitulation, l found that
the man whose name was in every mans
mouth, both German and French, was Gam
BETA, and no one has forgotten the excite
ment which ensued when he resigned his
functions in consequence of q decree signed
by all the members of the Paris government
annulling the proclamation TO which l have
already referred"
IN RETIREMENT.
Ibid you see much of him after his retire
ment%'
mot at first. After his retirement, in Feb
ruary, 1871, he resided in Spain, and did not
return to Paris until after the close of the
Commune. l then met him frequently and
formed a still higher opinion of his character
as a man and a patriot. His whole mind
seemed to be bent in the direction of the de-
fnitve establishment of the Republic. To
this all his indonitable energy and all the
resources of his capacious and vlrile brain
were given. At this time again heard him
speak in public, and no one who has enjoyed
this privilege can ever forget the magnetic
force of his sonorous vet penetrating voice
nor the indescribable sense of great and mex
haustive power which he seemed to convey
without an effort"
"How dio he compare with Bismarck"
81 was just about to say that the two men
who, In personal intercourse, have the most
impressed me by their individuality and
strength are Prince Bismarck and NJ Gam
BETA Both were unequaled in certain lines
OF effort, which, although apparently dis
similar, constantly brought them face to face
as public men. The one spoke with difficulty,
but each word seemed to fall with the force
of a sledge-hammer. The burning eloquence
of the other rushed from his lips with unn-
terrupted force, while his whole individual
itv seemed to dominate and rule the masses
before him. There is something grand and
massive in the presence and intellect of
Prince Bismarck. There was something es-
sentially great and especially magnetic and
courageous in the person and attitude of
Gambetta. Both were men worthy of the
century in which they lived One was the
guide OF a great empire the other was the
voice and the right arm OF great republic"
WAS Gambetta faYerite socially?'
GA great favorite After my resignation
of the post OF United States minister my in
timacy with Gambetta was of stll closer
nature, and | shall never forget the memoir
able hour spent with him at the Palas
Bourbon when he was residing there as Pres
ident of the Chamber. As | sat at his hos
ptable table | recalled the days when this
sumptuous residence was the abode OF the
Duke de Morny, and later OF NJ. Schneider.
The interior, with slight exceptions, remains
unchanged from their time. His II o'clock
breakfasts were frequented by the leading
men of his party, and the topics of converse
ton were not al ways confined to public Ques-
TONS but. under the inspiration of the host
literary artistic. scientific and classical sub
iects were frequently discussed. In all
these various fields Gambetta exhibited
his characteristic eloquence, which was
fortified by range and accuracy of
knowledge which often astonished even
those who knew him best. When l
heard of thesad wound which brought about
his death my first grief was the thought
that his inimitable right hand was manned,
for the great orator had two organs of speech
one of voice and one of gesture. 1t is i'm
possible to imagine a more graceful. a more
persuasive, more expressive a more emf
phatic hand, ana when at the end of some
glowing argument he brought down his
strong palm upon the tribune before him.
it seemed TO enforce beyond question the
fiery words with which he had SET forth his
propositions"
HIS LATER YEARS,
was not Gambetta prey to infrmity in
his later years"
''Nes, owing to his increasing stoutness
and some threatening symptoms, he was
Obliged to take active exercise on foot and
he averaged in ordinary weather not less
than seven miles a day. Some years ago,
when with HIM on the Lake OF Geneva, we
royed tooether from Clarens to the Castle of
Chillon and back, and nothing could exceed
the power and precision of his stroke. 1t
was at this time that he began to interest
himself in dogs in horses and in hunting,
because these ali gave him occupation in the
,at,