The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-12
,ur GREAT FRENCH JoURxAL1s1'
Henri Roehsssrt 1esoribsd y o
p~n.eeHehrf Lsbouchsrs

London Truth. !, late
N Rochefort has been so much OF ~.
before the world as an .,,.ne
tempted ut this moment co give yoGr a"i;sh
;.n,,ress;ons of him. Idare say the Ens''sn
s.ncv that he hates them so much rs " rs
-. nable of rejoicing were woes unut'el"I.e
~ uvertake each and all OF them. o on
fort has nerves, but no bile. 1~i'g %" .y
deteeted those whom he abused. ~ 800
eplenetic, NJ well rs u penetrating ooee. he-
R,ch.fort il neither one nor the otne.'
II. seps uuickly, and with clearness sr'zss'
"a f.w others can, u situation, ana ne
scribes it in a few pungent phrases. III "ni.u
there is a spice IT droilery. Nobody P.ays
bet ter rs a writer, the tOnfnrI. WINE a.ee.-
inv to he bitterly in earnest. lie De"e'.o
generally what he say y when saving IL: 40
time goes this ia II good deal. Ihere 10 nv
s~r,mnnre'' that he il not capable III swan
lowing, provided it initiates 's''n.t some,
body whom he il engaged ~ attacKiis' ""u
in any case he will half believe tt. .:.
A friend Of his said to me: "ROcheior1 10
NOT a liar, but he is ready in good 1a'th 10
indorse any amour Of lies Having u
passion for horse raciDg-without being ~"
al hursey-he is frequently br pught In con-
tact with the worst kinds Of English men
and women, including men nf the peerage.
ladies' Of quality who are little better than
hussies grDoins, trainers, jockies and book
makers. They and oilers from the north
of the ,hannel who swarm on the
beaches OF French bathing places in summer
represent t him the English people. Ang'l'
cans setting up as ~fashionables are often
snnercilous, W, ich, in French eyes, is u So
vice Of first magnitude. A Lady Clara
We're deV We're excites no ~ miratiOnln France:
The vicious or fast man here is ambitious 81
being reputed amiable or bon garcOn.
L'amiabilitie used to be counted as a sign
of the highest breeding. Inc it still passes
for being the most charming quality that
man or woman possesses. No doubt the
number of those Frenchmen who chiefly
look for it's cultivation in others thar
themselves is inc1 easing, because every one
who has money travels; and what Is more
conducive to the hoggish temper than the
constant rush for the best places IN The
railway carriages. hotels r~ace-course
sta and steamboats,? Rochefort is es-
penciaIly bon enfaate and bon namarade.
The levity Of his disposition has not pre-
vented him froll being one OF the best sons
and fathers that ever lived. His family
fell upun his back Just az he left school.
Do o dance, NJ. Rocefort?" l inquired
Of him at a hop" where we were both
looking at young couples whirling round in
n waltz. No, but l adore dancing
Why did you not, then, Learnt" 1T was
not easy to do SO; avec toute ma tamllle
sur lie dos, car j'etais dams cette
en- %sortant du college. My YOUTH, he
proceeded to say, "was in such hard lines
that | was not able to cultivate q single
taste. had a small %sinecure at the Hotel
de Vile, and had to spend the best part OF
my time spinning copy for journals, and
in the Joint authorship of absurd plays
only good to make people laugh. l am
SPOKEN of as the best judge II pictures
going, vet ] never drew a line in my lie.
Drawing was not encouraged in lyceums,
and pencils and paint would have
cost more than could be easily
paid Tor by my family. 1 have a pas,
sion for music, and l now that l could
have been q composer had l just beer
afforded the elements of a musical instruc-
ton. l often whistle melodies OF my own
and that reflect the mood which happens
to dominate me. When once l hear a
score l remember it ever after. The men,
ory OF my ear is as strong as the memory
of nv eve, and music has been the great
CONSIDER CT the black periods OF my life"
How so?" | asked. "Whenever l was in
jaiI at Ste. Pelagle l had the good luck to be
near iy always on the same floor with a
musician who was allowed to practice his
art by the head jailor. One OF my prison
chums was the most accomplished viOlinist
| ever knew. At New Caledonia l was
equally fortunate, and in sailing to that
Of the world my torments were
greatly lightened by the concerts which
the officers of the vessel often got Up.
He still makes a large income. Though
his hair is white, his vitality is unimpaired
Rochefort has a vast head, and the widest
and deepest chest of any Frenchman that
1 know. The bulk OF his frame d,luinishes.
in appearance, his stature. The nerves
are as excitable as the muscles are strong
and he vibrates as readily as an BnlIat
harp. He produces his best articles when
he has put off work to the last moment
and printers are clamoring for copy.
The brain then gets finely congested, and
he covers page after page without knowing
what runs from his pen, but is pretty sure
that his readers will like it. In correcting
the proofs he is in too great a hurry to ex-
ercise his critical powers and merely accen-
tuates what he has done to be very SURE
that it will tell. People OF all classes read
his leader in the Intransyeant.
When | was returning from Trouville
was in the carriage with a wealthy conserv-
ative OF a Bnnapartist SHADE, his grown up
son, s%On-in-law, two daughters and vile.
The former bought Rochefnrt's journal as
the train set out. He read it with the sort
OF pleasure that aco%nnoisseur feels in look
ing at a capital picture. even though de-
testing the artist from whose pencil it EN-
anated. When he had finished it he hand
ed it to his son.in-law, saying rs he did so:
'.Rnchefort is iInpayable to-day. His arti-
Gle is the triumph OF wit and nerve. and so
drolll What u pity that q sorry fellow
like him is able the whole year round to
turn off such things. and in defense, too. OF
n dirty cause" All the younger folks read
with evident pleasure. The article was
about Bismarck, King Alfonso and the
Caroline islands. It did not bring round
anyone in the compartment to the writer's
but it diverted them i'm.
mensely.