The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-21

PARm. Jan. Tho accident or adventure
which led TO Gambetta's death occurred In tho
very house where Balzac wrote the last pages
OF his Human Comedy" Of which Gambetta's
own career might we'll have formed q chapter.
I say accident or adventure. What Is the truth
1t Is almost impossible to ascertain. 30 care
fully has the whole affair OF the Illness OF M.
Gambetta been enveloped In mystery. 1t will
be remembered that In the very beginning Of
December It was reported that NJ Gambetta
had accidentally wounded himself at Vile
d'Avray, where he had his country house. The
report affirmed that the ball had entered the
palm Of tho hand and penetrated along the
forearm and found an issue noar the elbow.
This description OF the wound seemed queer
and Immediately another report WAS circulated
that NJ. Gambetta had been shot at. Then II
was affirmed by persons who were reckoned
among the friends Of NJ. Gambctta that he had
been shot at by Nine. Lcone Leon OF bordeaux
the mother OF his illcgitimatc son. French.
men In their thirst for gossip and in their love
OF scandal and depreciation are SO VIGOROUSLY
regardless Of facts that must disavow NIL re-
sponsbility for these details. Since the acci.
dent II accident 1t be. have conversod fire.
quently with many persons who were intimate
with Gambetta without having acquired abso-
lutte certitudc on any one point relative to II.
For instance there is this son OF Garnbetta.
the Young Aphonse Loon. who Is studying at
Dresden under the care Of NJ. Hessele tho Ger
man correspondent OF the RiDuJliQue FRANCHISE.
Alphonsc Loon is now II years Of ago. Is he
the son OF M. Gambetta? Some OF NJ Gam
betta's friends say that he ia only IN adopted
child. and neither tho son OF NJ. Gambetta nor
of Nine. Leon. The legend. nevertheless. re-
lates that 1t was in the course OF discussion
on the subject OF this boy that Nine. Loon fired
Mt NJ. Gambetta. Another legend current. not
In the newspapers. but in the salons. is that the
discussion was not on the subject OF tho boy.
but of NJ. Gambcttas proposed marriage with
the Marquisc Arconati Viscont.
remember some three years ago. when NJ.
Gambetta was at tho apogee Of his glory. a
marriage was projected between him and Nine.
Arnaud de rArogo. owner Of the splendid
Chateau des Crites. nour Carens on the lake OF
Geneva. whore the statesman used TO go regu-
larly for several years and play Mt ninepins
with the faithful Spuller and tho genial Leptre.
Suddenly this projected marriage was broken
off. and tho Interference of Nine. Leon was
spoken Of rs tho cause of the rupture.
At that time NJ. Gambctta had taken 1t into
his head that the republic was wanting in
women. and he encouraged several Talleyrands
in pctticoats TO open political salons in Paris.
Among these ladies the two leaders were Mme
Edmond Adam. who had too much personal
ambition to continue long the friend OF the
cult dictator. and the Marause Arconati Wis.,
cont. This lady Is tho daughter of the repub-
lican pub!icst and Deputy. p"yrat. who distin-
guishcd himself under the empire in the Bau-
din affair and lin the Roman question. Milo.
Peyrat after a miscellaneous and stra nge edu-
cation. conquered marchioness's coronet and
immense wealth simply by force of her wit and
beauty. say nothing about the heraldic quail
ity of this coronct. The Maruuiso Arconati Is
no ordinary woman That suiiices. However
after the Chateau des Crctes. it was the Chateau
Arconati on the lake Of Como that had tho
honor of shctering NJ Gambetta during his
summon vacation. and it was at tho request Of
NJ. Gambctta that the MarIuisc Arconat left
the blue sky OF Italy and bought u fine mansion
in the Rue Barbet-de-Jouy ut Paris. in the tlt-
ting IN of which NJ. Gambetta had u hand. 1t
must be confessed that II NJ. Gambetta was q
great orator. he was IL poor house decorator.
He made the Arconati mansion remind one at
| once Of the Cluny Museum and OF the Turkish
baths of the Hannah.
Once more l repeat that do not guarantee
the details OF this current gossip; but II l had
not reason to believe there was some founda.
ton OF fact should not record them.
THEODORE CHILD.