The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-27
Gaubeffa's Son.

THE YOUTH WHO INDIRECTLY CAUSED TIE
1 LOSS or FRANCES LEADING STATESMAN.
\ Paris correspondent OF the PhilaGel-
mia Times saws: Alphonse Leon, the
cause OF the fatal quarrel between his un-
married parents, whose result has plunged
France in mourning, Is tall, slender lad,
inst turned sixteen, who resembles his
mother more than he does his father,
although he has all the turDu-
lence. violence, and excitabiity OF the
latter. when he was old enough TO
BEGIN his education his mother placed
him at the famous school oil ~. Barbe,
entering him by the name OF Alphonse
| Leon, the latter name being accepted rs
patronymic. Very soon after this VI. Gam
BETA called on the principal OF the school,
and, taking care to make clear the motive
| for the interest which he took IN the future
OF the young Alphonse Leon, recommend
ed him 10 the especial attention OF ms mas
ters. The same explanation was maze 10
Bishop Puyol. the chaplain OF the school.
who. nj the fathers especial request, pre-
uared him for his first communion and con-
J firmati0n.
This Is a fact that Il somewhat curious In
the life OF Gambetta, aS II is In direct con-
| tradiction TO the open and marked manner
| in which in all other circumstances he mas
taken care TO manifest his indifference ana
hostility TO the obseryances Of the usages
and customs OF the church. Not only
does lie on the occasion OF any marriage
or funeral which he may attend decline
| 10 enter the church, but even the in
terment OF his mother some months ago
was a purely civil ceremony, from which
everything OF a religious character was
strictly excluded. Gambetla did not there
| fore assist at the first communion ana con-
| firmatiOn of hIS son, and il must also be
said that, in spitc Of the preparation OF the
good bishop. these sacraments did not seem
TO work any change in the character OF Al
phOnse.
AccorGingto the testimony Of his school
| mates and teachers the lad, while extreme
! IL bright and intelligent, j. laZy, undiscl-
! plined, noisy, and miSchieyOus, but not
! wicked, and these are the exact terms in
which all the old schoolmates OF his father
speak Of the character Of the latter during
/ his schoolboy days. As the lad grew older
! his father resolved 10 send him to some
school where he would be removed from
The dangers Of Partisan life and from the
lindulgent weakness OF his mother. He
selected the Polytechnicon OF Dresden,
among whose professors the RepuJHque
! Franchise had its most able German cor
respondent in the person Of Herr llessele,
and to Dresden accordingly he was sent in
! April, 1881.
The reader may perhaps remember that
during the month OF September OF that
same wear the deceased French statesman
visited Germany, and soon afterwards 1t
| leaked out that this visit had been made Tor
the express purpose of securing private
! interview with Prince Won Bismarck,
which the willy Chancellor saw fit to avoid.
! NJ. Gambctia had, or thought he had,
reason TO believe that il was through
| the indscretiOn Of Herr IlesSele
/ that this fact was made public,
and he not only quarrelled with Hes
sele and took away. from him the CORE
spondence Of his paper, but he also took
lis son awry from the Polytechnicon. Ih's
was done List April. but since that time 4
reconciliation between Gambetta and Hes
sele had taken place, and the former made
uphis mind to send his son backto Dresden,
which determination Is believed by many to
have led TO the quarrel and its disastrous
result. There are 4 great many well-in-
| formed persons WHO think that Jealousy
| had more to do with the quarrel than ma
tcrnal affection, and that either some one
| OF the numerous infideliteS OF her lover or
! the belief that he was contemplating form
! ing n legitimate union with some one else
was the cause OF the scene that terminated
| "a terribly