The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-07
GEORGE SANDS cH1LpHoop.


In Bertha Thonas's George Sand" of the
Famous Women Series, just issued by Rob
erts Brothers, Boston, are some very enter
tanning sketches of this very remarkable
woman's early life. Born in a tangle of mes
alliances and of people of irregular origin,
Aurore Dupin was, &sshost from the begin
ming, remarkable person. Her paternal
grandmother was a woman of rather naughty
bearing, though having little cause to be
proud above thoseAbout her. Her father,
the only child of Madam Dupin, was a cap
tain in the army, winning his commission on
the field of Marengo in 1900. Her mother was
of the bourgeoisie, the daughter of a poor
bird-seller at Paris, and herself
mlliner. She was four years the
senior of her military husband,
and utterly without culture or education.
The match, however, proved a not unhappy
one, and so long as the husband lived Che
was killed four years later by being thrown
from his horse) the prospects of their only
daughter were favorable to life of quiet
and peace. The mother of George Sand was,
in her way, remarkable woman. She has
been described by her daughter as "a great
artist lost for want of development" show
ing wonderful dexterity in whatever she
put her hand to, no matter if practicedin it
or not. "She tried everything, and always
ucceeded"-sewing. drawing tuning the
piano-'she would have made shoes, locks,
furniture, had it been necessary" But her
tastes were simple and domestic. Though
married out of her rank, she was
entirely without any vain ambition to push
herself into fashionable society, the con-
straint of which, moreover, she could not
bear. ''She was woman for the freside, or
for quick, merry walks and drives But in
the house or out of doors what she wanted
was intimacy and confidence, complete sim
cerity in her relations with those around
her. absolute liberty in her habits and the
disposal of her time. She always led re-
tired life, more anxious to keep aloof from
tiresome acquaintance than to seek such as
might be advantageous That was just the
foundation of my fathers character, and in
this respect never was there better assorted
couple. They could never be happy except
in their own little menage. Everywhere out
of 1t they had to stife their melancholy
yawns, and they have transmitted to me
that secret shyness which has always made
the gay world intolerable and home neces-
sty to me-"
But Aurore was destined to not long enjoy
the home influences that would come from
such parents. She was not four years old
when adventures began for her in earnest.
In the spring of 1903 her father was at Mad
rid, in attendance upon Murat; and Madam
Maurice Dupin, becoming impatient of pro-
longed separation from her husband, started
off with her little girl to join him. The
hazards and hardships of the expedition, long
mountain drives and wild scenery, strange
fare and strange sights, could not fail wildly
to impress the child, whose Imagination from
her cradle was extraordinarily active Her
mother ere this had discovered that Aurore
then little more than baby and pent up
within four chairs to keep her out of harms
way would make herself perfectly happy
plucking at the basket-work and babbling
endless fairy tales to herself confused and
diluted versions of the first fictions narrated
to her. picturesque line in nursery song
was enough to bring before her world of
charming wonders; the figures, birds and
flowers on Sevres china candelabrum would