The National tribune., 1884-04-03
A Sketch of the Anglo-Norman Lord Soon to
Marry Mrs. Frank Leslie.

Marry Mrs. Frank Leslie.
Mrs. Frank Leslie, who has become famous
for the prodigious business feat she performed
in rehabilitating the wrecked business of a
great publishing house, is soon to be married
to a very wealthy and equally famous Anglo
Norman nobleman, the Marquis de Leuville,
best known in this country as the author of
Entire Nous a book of poems which became
the rage at once in London, and has already
passed through eight editions. The marquis is
at present in New York, and the center of at
traction of a wide circle of literary, society and
club people. He is a yeritable Admirable
Crichton, being besides, writer, over whom
the London reviewers have gone mad a fine
artist, great traveller. master of five languages.
an athlete, an expert swordsman and the best
pistol shot in Europe. He is forty-three years
six feet three. full beard, and long raven hair,
very much like that of General Logan. He
has a slight halt in his step. from a thigh
broken in an accident of the chase.
AS an author, the London Graphic has
brought out his salient characteristic most
terseIy. as follows: His pictures of love and
life are painted with powerful strokes but
their almost painful beauty is never marred by
coarse touch Essentially human as they are,
they are SO full of music and manly sentiment
that only prurient mind will disapprove of
them as being too feshly." His writings are
strongly tinged with the realism of literature
founded by Baizac and disgraced by lola, but
he never approaches the uncleanness of the
latter He is at work now upon metrical
translation of the Saphic odes of Horace.
Although rich. he works hard and one of
his eccentrcities is never TO work for nothing
If poem from his pen or picture from his
brush is wanted by any one he must pay the
price his lordship thinks it worth. He says he
will only compete on fair terms with those
who make their living By similar labor.
l had very pleasant interview with the
marquis yesterday, and took advantage of
the opportunity TO learn something of the
methods of a marksman who had put 249 sue
cessive pistol balls through six-inch target in
Paris at twenty two PAGES.
/ asked: I" How do yon do it?"
On the table lay half dozen pistols of rare
and costly pattern, and taking magnificent
Hungarian weapon, he assumed an easy posi-
ton at once, and replied, :" / will give you all
the technicalities. The only object in shoot
ing, Of course, is to hit the mark, and do 1T
quickly. See. / hold the pistol we'll home,
resting the third joint of the fore finger on the
trigger / never jerk the trigger, but the shot
should identify itself with the man. / do not
straighteu the arm, you see, but bend it short
at the elbow, covering the side, so that the
weapon is close to the eye. Then / close either
eye. and shoot as well with the one shut as the
other. Now, | can cut toothpick with this
three times out of four at dozen PAGES, -
he said as he snapped it.
Have you ever used the American re-
volver2" asked.
Eyes he said; "but the pistol, a muzzle
loader, is better for fine shooting"
Amid the profusion OF pistols, sample targets
| and souvenirs of travel from Cape Horn TO The
| Sahara, the room contained a collection Of
| swords, aud taking one in my unframed hand
/ asked How do you fenee?"
4 have two faVorite coupS," he replied-ex
| tending his muscular and strong forearm a
| you see, practice both the school of Cassagnat
and the Neapolitan with equal readiness. Ont
of my favorite coups il faint en- fierce, followed
| BY a swift degagea.0at in quartz basse."
! So he went on TO explain his system of ath
| letics, which has been with him life study
and caused him to be styled, in the Figaro o
| Paris, the founder of a new school. Thii
school is that of athletic aesthetic" as op
posed to the speculative, effeminate theories O
Oscar Wilde. Indeed, the papers some mouth:
ago, it will be remembered contained an &C
count of a sensational duel in Belgium, il
| which the Marquis of Leuyile severely wound
| ed his antagonist, who had insulted an Ameri
can lady. In the practice of his system of fenc
! ing with an adversary. / made bold to ass
| him what exercise he adopted on this occa
sion-
He replied, quietly; /" The second coup de
scribed to you"
| He has figured, by the way. as principal il
| four duels. The marquis is not one of thos
titled poor who is seeking rich alliance in re
| turn for a bona-fide coat-of-arms. because, il
! the first place. with his estates in England. hi
| house in Paris and his palace in Rome, he j
| rich enough; aud, in the second place, he pro
| posed TO Mrs. Leslie over three years ago, when
| from worldly point of view, she WAS not VIVA
would be called a good match. The marqui
has waited patiently, however, and expect
soon to be rewarded by bearing off the prize
In point of fact. Mrs. Leslie will secure in he
prospective husband very valuable profes
sional assistant, and will remain at the hea
of the business Of issuing the even dozen pub
/ LEGATIONS which bear her name.
In bearing and manner the marquis IS VIVA
! those Americans who meet hiIn viii call
real good fellow" His title, going back as
does to 1850, does not hurt him bit.
/ As viii be inferred from his name he is c
| Anglo Norman stock, his ancestor being Oh
! Oliver of Lorncourt, who went from Normand
| to England in 1910, and whose descendants fel
heir to the title 500 years later, in which the
were secured by letters patent from Louis XIV
SONS OF VETERANS.