Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-22

NJ. DE LessePs, the OctOgenariam. and
HIS Large Family Of Chtldren.

THE STAR last week printed the following
cable dispatch:
"PARIs. Dec. 17.-Madame de Lesseps, wife IF
N. de Iesseps, the well-known engineer, has
been delivered Of q daughter. u. de Lesseps Is
now In his eighty-first year."
The Philadelphia Telegraph says-At the be-
ginning of his long labors in Egypt In conhec-
ton with the Suez canal, NJ. de Lesseps had lost
his wife. nee Mile. Agathe Delamalle, and two
OF their children. Five days after the close Of
these labOrs by the opening of the great artificial
waterway. he was married at Ismaiiia to Mile.
Helene Autard de Bragard, a daughter of NJ.
Adolphe de Bragard, OF The Mauritius young
and most accomplished Creole lady with an ex-
quiste figure and magnificent velvety-black
eyes, Although of French origin, Mile. de Bra
gard was Of English nationality, her father
having filled an official position under the Brit
ish in the Mauritius. The perfection Of the
Creole type and very romantic disposition, Mile
Helene, while making long visits at the cha
tress, had been in the habit Of listening to ac-
counts Of the diplomatic and materia' difficult
ties which M. de LessepS overcame in Egypt,
Paris and London, and Of the courage and hui
Frenchmen when he was consul at Alexandria.
as the narrative Of "Othelio's" adven-
lures impressed "Desdemona." Mile. de
Of MODERN saw tmes
manners, and vivacity enchanted q girl used to
the fndOlent planters of the Isle OF France. She
about the ACHE vement Of the suez enterprise
kilograms were arriving from the great ones of
the earth accepting invitations 10 the inaugural
Il French war ship, to lead a fleet composed of
vessels of all nations. with heirs apparent and
81 on
silent and solitary. One day, in the garden, she
saw NJ. de Iesseps walking on terrace She
MIN tor her sake to wear it at dinner lie asked
her whether she did not mean it for his son?
No, 1t was for himself. Her host explained to
while she was not yet nineteen. That did not
matter. What his age was had never occurred
to her. She had only thought of his greatness
and his goodness. In short, he was her beau
ideal. How was it possible for man reared on
reason down T;a the feelings this confession
to reflect, and she was made to understand
that no friendship would be lost were she to
change her mind after the bans had been pub
lished.
The marriage, as already stated, was cele-
brated contemporancously with the Suez fetes.
Ismail Pasha delighted to honor the bride and
with his presents. And SO far as it was posi-
BILE for servant of the prophet to be god
hrst,born Of the remarkably large family of
children. Two sons of NJ. de Lesseps by his first
wife are still living, but these are now com para
interesting. Eleven, we believe, is now the
number OF children by the second marriage,
and the eldest of the group is only fifteen. But,
then there were twins on at least one OF these
interesting occasions, the frequency OF which
in the De Lesseps family has been the cause of
establishment and delight alike in a country
where the birth-rate has long been at the mini
mum. A Paris correspondent gave, three years
ago the following pleasing account of Nine.
de LeSSepS and her charming brood:
1.-The amiabe Nine de Lesseps is one OF the
most guileless, disinterested and transparent of
women. She has seen very little Of her hus-
minded and literally idolizes NJ. de Lesseps
She took all that he said about Arab and Eng
land without single grain of salt. Nine. de
lent suavity of the Creole, which Is very attrac-
tive In the feverish society in which she moves.
Although by no means woman of fashion
she overtops the fashionable world. AS the
but twelve years old, ellie marque dams lie
monde ParisieE. They and she in the DAYTIME
are inseparable. The Hotel de Lesseps is in
the Rue st. Florentin, not many doors off from
pants play, when they are in town in the gar
dens OF the Tuilleries. They show in their games
and romping matches the agility of circus chill
dren. One can only discern the daughters from
the sons by their longer and more silky
hair and larger eyes. All are dressed alike.
Their clothing Is miDimiZed as far the re-
quirements OF European civilization admit
Neck. arms and legs to the upper line OF the
knee-cap are bare The costume OF each is a
loose, sleeveless flannel frock. an unuergar-
ment, socks and buskins, and round hat. The
hands are unaccustomed to gloves. The
younger girls are images of their mother, and
give promise Of beauty. The eldest, Fernando,
Is very like her father. In a country in which
society Is cast in a narrow bourgeois mould,
and In which mere infants are subjected to the
tyranny OF fashionable conventional is refresh
ing to meet with group of children who are
thoroughly childish, perfectly natural, and by
virtue Of hereditary Influence perfectly civil