The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-07-06
THE PRINCE OF JOURNALISTS.

The Beautiful Home of the Late Emile do
GirardIn, and the Notables Who Visited
1.-THE Journalists Wives and Their Re.
ceptions-Exploits of Able Sicard-A Pa
7 risian Managerial Shark.
PARIS, Special Correspondence, May 90
1t was in 1875 that I visited, for the first
time, Saint Gratien, the country residence Of
the late Emile de Girardin, and Iagain visited
it in 1880 On the latter occasion was in
vited to do go by q very charming lady, a rep
resentative OF the photographer Won Bosch,
who had to arrange with the master Of the
house to sit for the picture, which proved the
last one that he ever had taken. On that occa-.
sion had long and pleasant chat with the
"king Of journalists" as: his French confreres
used to call him, and it was he himself who
showed ME over the place. This charming
morning when read that all the interesting
souvenirs of the long and busy life Of the cole
brated publicist that he himself had shown mo
at Saint Gratien were about to be sold at auc-
ton. There has probably never been man
who had more Passionate admiration for
went further away from it for any
extended period than his country
villa, where he had for neighbors
two ladies, who were the most Partisan
OF Parisiennas, and his two oldest and warmest
friends, Madame Fould and the Princess Ma
which, when he was there, became as it were
corner of Paris, for it was a neutral ground
where oil the various mondes Of the capital
used to meet. I did not know NJ. de Girardin
at the time when. his salon was presided over
by his first wife, the celebrated Delphine de
Glrardin. Later, when literary rivalry led to
separation between NJ. and Madame dc
Girardin, and the latter had passed awaY,a new
mistress ruled at Saint Gratlen in the person of
Nina Tifenbach, daughter Of the duke de
Nassau, who has survived him, .and.who never
caused him any anxiety on the score Of his
literary laurels. She is handsome woman
and did the honors of her salon with truly
royal grace. On the days when she was at
homo she received Ter guests, in little
boudoir hung with purple damask and filed:
This boudoir.opened on her bedroom, a mag
nificent room hung with blue. silk and fur
nished in. the Louis XVI style The cabinet de
travail of II. de Girardin was in strik-
ing contrast with the NERVOUSNESS Of his
wife's apartments-not that its appointments
severely simple. This cabinet de travail was
hung with heavy black velvet; and the ouly
decoration on the walls beside the cases filled
with handsomely bound volumes. was large
portrait Of ahandsome child, an only dAugh-
ter. Mhese death just as she was passing into
womanhcod, WAS blow from which her father
never recovered. On more ceremoniaus CO.
casions Nine. de Girardin received in grand
salon decorated and furnished in the come
what severe Louis XIII. style, with q vast man.
tlepiece that lowered up. to the ceiling, and
wido sofas OF red plush around the walls.
From this opened gallery filled with rare PIC
lures and statuaTy, the gem of which was .
magnificent life-size statue Of Rachel
PROMINENT VISITORS
But Of more interest than salon, cabinet de
travail or bordpir were the persons who were
TO be met there Among them was Emile
Olivier, the first minister Of the liboral EN-.
pre that Napoleon attempted to. found in or
which Giuardin, in spite Of his life long republi-
cauism, consented to lend the support Of his
pen. all the ministers or that famous cabinet
used to be frequent guests at Saint Gratlen,
and all the members Of the diplomatic corps
were only too glad to avail themselves Of the
opportunities which were to be found there fo,
catching those little and seemingly upimportan