Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-10-15
ALEXANDRIA DUMAS
The Eminent French Author as lie APP
pears In His Luxurious Home.

nj. Alexandra Dumas, writes a Paris
correspondent of the New York Times.
is tall and thin. If he were not very
careful people would say that he stoop-
cd. But in order to prevent any such
adverse criticism NJ. Dumas draws
himself up on every possible occasion,
and looks fully six feet in height He
is pale and somewhat sallow, and this,
with the bushy white hair that curls
vigorously round his oval-shaped head,
gives him an out-of-the-common look
which budding author would sell his
soul to possess. He must be 65 if day.
and though he is what his country
men call bien conserve, there are certain
wrinkles on the forehead which time
will not allow to be concealed. NJ.
Dumas wore glossy-black suit, ire
proachably cut, and fitting like glove.
A conventional black necktie and the
immaculate cuffs and collars so indis-
pensable to the successful outfit of a
French gentleman completed the ex-
ternal attire. The drawing-room in
which found him was comfortably
furnished. though not very luxurious.
apartment There were velvet chairs,
few pictures which seemed to be
good. a couple of statucs-nonc of
your draped figures, plcase-and a
grand piano, Theoretically closed. and
with no music near it. There is no
denying the fact that it was very
comfortable room, and one in which to
pass an agreeable hour. II like to see
people look surprised when they come
in and see me lounging on a COUCH"
said NJ Dumas, still continuing to
smile. and still looking intensely pleas
ant, but the fact is, he went on, II
work in the country. Imagine me sit
ting down here to write chapter. and
in the most engrossing moment hear
ing Alphonse come in with his placid
'un monsieur qui veut vous parler
The fact is, people won't let me work
in Paris. They are incorrigible. and l
know it. Perhaps they think hat
folks with gray hair ought to be salts
fed to retire upon their laurels. Per-
haps they do. Who knows?" NJ. Du-
mas stroked his white locks, and glanc-
ed in the direction of mirror, in
which, however. he could see nothing,
as his gaze fell merely upon a large
vase placed before it.
Il write just as easily now as / did
twenty years ago." he said, "but it
amuses me less. The game / play now
has less intoxication in its successful
results than it had quarter of GEN.
fury ago. Now ! need no money.
need no reputation. In fact, / don't
know what | do need, though | am
convinced do need it. One gets phil
osophical as he grows old. l knew
that by hearsay when l was young.
Now | know it by experience. There
was no necessity for me to have writ
ten my last play. now being performed
at the Gymnase-.Denise,' / mean
but l never can rest. | need never
again have appeared before the French
public, but have not yet learned the
art of retiring gracefully. am glad |
wrote Denise. But / am not nearly
as glad as should have been thirty
years ago. The profits of a successful
piece to-day are enormous. 1t is won
derful to think of it. l have already
made 22,000 francs by the book of De-
nise.' | had an agreement with the
house Of Calmann-Levy by which they
were TO give me 20 confines for each
copy of the book sold, and to guaran-
tee in any case $4,000 francs. Well. as
| said, have already made 22,OOO
francs. From the book of La Dame
Aux Camellias, which wrote when l
was 20 years old, | only got 1,60O
francs, though at least 800, 600 copies
were sold. The profits of the stage
representation of Denise, if all goes
as successfully as it promises to do,
will bring me in at least 800, 900 francs.
Ohnet made that sum of money by his
lie Maitre DIES FORCES, known in your
country as Lady Clare An Ameri-
can offered me $4,000 francs for the
manuscript of Denise if | promised
that it should not be printed in France.
l declined with thanks. / refused an
other offer made me by an American a
short time ago 1t was to 60 10 Amer
lea and lecture. can't lecture, you
know, but that made no difference.
was to cross the Atlantic and show
myself rs though l were some freak of
nature, some wonderful physiological
phenomenon. Merci, Monsieur, /
think not" NJ. Alexandra Dumas
grew indignant at the idea of such a
trip, and, rising from his chair, paced
slowly up and down the room before
could recall him to the subject of him.
self.
81 am not very fond of speaking
about myself" said M. Dumas, "for
the simple reason that had father
and such father. So much greater
than could ever hope to be. Alex
andre Dumas pere is immeasurably
superior to Alexandra Dumas fils."