Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-06

From the London Truth.
Louis Blanc was one Of my best and dearest
friends. He was made up of great virtues, with
some OfWhich amiable weaknesses were mingled
Coquetry entered into all the acts and deeds of
his life, when he was not carried away either by
pity or indignation. There was fine art even in
h most intimate conversation. At his fireside
he was as careful to appear in the most agree
able light as when he was in company When
his poor wife died he retired from the world for
two rcasons-grief for her and despair at being
unable TO get through his toilet in satisfactory
manner without her assistance. She was one
OF the kindcst women that ever lived. and. in
deed, an angel of the earth. Although a Ger
man, she had an espieg1e eye, refined profile
and dressed herself with taste. There was in
her much native ladyhood. If not an intellect
ual woman, she was rock Of sense. Her hus-
band was at once her idol and a kind of toy.
She called him ''LoO," made all his clothes,
and dressed him, 'titivated' him. Owed his hair
and put touch of rouge upon his cheeks when
he was bilious, '' just to keep down de yellow
in dc complexion" Sometimes she criticised
his theories with an "Oh! you know Loo. dat's
all nonsense" He used to say; II was al exile
in spite Of myself; my wife is an exile for my
sake" She pinned in the Rue de Rvoli for the
house in Montagu street, and for excursions to
Brighton. which she used to call "de BouIe-
wards, mid de sea in front" Louis Blanc
treated her opinions with affectionate Difference.
He carried chvalry into his home circle
A favorite maxim of his was taken from Mo-
hammcd, who said: BEAT not woman, even
with flower"
The apartments of Louis Blanc were furnished
in comfortable and respectable English STYLE
He liked the sodity of the square mahogany
dining-tabe at which he used to work There
We're bookcases all around the room filled with
nlcely-bound books. Decorative art was only
in its infancy when Louis Blanc set up as house.
keeper. Many false notes were to be detected
in the internal arrangements OF his home which
was on fourth floor. he being too poor to live
On lower one. The steel Britisl,-fender. with
its highly polished and blackleaded apron, Jared
with the French gilded 'dOgs" or chenets on
which the flrewOOd was laid. The carpet was
from kidderminster. 1t used to drive Charles
Blanc out Of his senses. Louis Blanc would,
when the Objectionable carpet got upon his
brothers nerves. try to argue him into better
frame OF mind, and to persuade him that there
was no such thing as absolute ugliness or
beauty. He confessed he derived pleasure from
looking at the kidderminster. If he were travel
ling in some Outlandish place like Central Asia,
and came suddenly upon carpet like 1t. his
first impulse would be to kneel down and kiss
it. The day upon which it was put down in
MOntagu street he had returned greatly ia
tigued from delivering lecture. His wife was
| sitting by warm fire and looking the picture
OF happiness. When he entered she started up,
and after she had taken off his coat she pushed
back the table from the center of the room. and,
with the JOY of child to whom new paything
had been given, cried "LOOk at de new carpet
Loo. Isn't it beautiful" From that day it was
beautiful to him.
Charles Blanc rode esthetics to death. His
high and absolute ideal rendered him hyper
critical. He taxed the patience of his gentle
| sister-jn-aw In teaching her how to DRESS Just
as If she did not understand better than he did
| what most suited her. She had big full and
| rather square forehead. AS it was white and
unwrinkled it helped to give charm to the face
which 1t appeared to light up. Charles insisted
| upon her hair being drawn down over it in q
| Partisan style. She was fond of cheap English
stuffs, tastefully made up. Her hypercritcal
brOther-in-law insisted upon her wearing costly
| textiles from the looms OF Lyons. In her sump-
tuous belongings she often sighed and looked
| unhappy. Why she was uncomfortable she thus
explained: 81 was not brought up to go about
like Queen, and do hate all those velvets on
my back that Charles is SO fond of. If l spend
all Loo's money now In looking grand what will
he do when am dead? Even If his books go on
selling well he would be, without me, wretchedly
| Off, for he is such bad housekeeper. and is al
| his poor electors. How ! wish there was no
| point Of Nine. Louis Blanc's housekeeping was
she did not speak French, she was obliged to
in a stove. often thought the meat aad pota,
| toes, baked in grease, kept Louis Blanc and his
wife in the doctors hands.