The Cecil Whig., 1885-06-06
THE EX-GOVERNOR ABROAD.
United States Minister CurtIm au.i Gcuci,

United States Minister CURTIN aud Gcn",:i
Fleury at ST. Petersburg.
WaShirgton Letter 10 Nc,r York IrorH.
When cx-Governor Curtin, of Penn
sylvana, was United States Minister to
| st. Petersburg, General Fleury was there,
the right arm of Napnl.om Ill. of France.
| The latter had a salary of 1000 a year
as minister and an allowance OF $50 0GO
besides for entertaining. lie occupied
an entire palace and entertained! upon
| tha most lavish scale. When Mr.. Turtlm
entered he found the large rooms ni the
palace tiilsd with brilliantly uniformed
officials. lie WAS in plain evening dress
AMI attracted hut little attention. When
he advanced to be presented to the Min
lister and Mmc. Ficury, General Tl.ury
bowed slightly aud did net speak Mime.
| FIeury bowed very cnlIly and said moth
| in~. The Governor stood in II very an!i-
warn position for Il moment anH then
wheeled about aud marched paci: into
| th.. .trncIai saloon. The marked coOluc
| of his reception made a good deal nf 20.
! sip, and the Governor had his carriage
called aud returned at one tO lbs 0Tii
! f"artegs. THIS affair created great cx
Immediately buzzed about that the
| American Minister. on account Of the
rldenCSs of his reception. had gone away
in great rage, vowirg he never would
return. The next day Secretary OF the
French Legation called upon Mr.. Curtin.
He called he said, .or the purpose OF
apologizirg for the manner OF his rccep
ton the night before. Mr.. Curtin said
that no apology was necessary. and very
automatically refused to acknowledge
that there was any cause for grievance.
Finally the Secretary asked him if he
would receive General Fleury. He re
piled that he would always 'e pleased to
receive the French Minister. A few
minutes after General Flcury arrived.
Then came Madame Fleury. Tncy told
the Minister he was unknown to them
by sight, and when he came in in plain
evening dress they thought that he was
some wandering English tourist. Their
regrets We're SO warm and earnest that
| Mr. Curtin became very thoroughly rec
onciled.
They became quite intimate after
wards. Towards the close Of the war
between France and Germany Governor
Curtin gave dinner, at which General
Fleury and his wife were the honored
guests. During the dinner despatch
was brought in to the French Minister.
He opened and read it, and handed it
to Mr.. Curtin without a word. 1t was
the despatch announcing the surrender
of Nepoleon Ill. at Sedan. Fleury at
once left the house. lie was obliged to
leave St. Petersburg almost Immediately.
Notwithstanding his large income, he
was head over heels in debt. He was
obliged to sell everything, down to his
wife's furs. to satisfy these debts.
In St. Petersburg they have a custom
"liSu Il inc'IlttI VI luc ~ IilItiiiii.t - NtlllS
goes away for his associates to 60 down
to the station, with flowers and presents,
to give him brilliant send off. The
morning Of the Flcurys' departure Gov
erno1 Curtin and his wife purchased a
huge bouquet of flowers, and drove to
the station. When they arrived there
they found the once popular Minister
and his wife alone. Not single one of
the people whom they had 50 lavishly
entertained in st. Petersburg had come
| down to see them eft. Nine. Fleury
came up to Mr.. Curtin with tears in her
eyes as she said: ''Iou are the only one
of our old associates who has had the
kindness of heaIt to remember us this
morning, and you Of all others, who
thought when you first met us that we
were rude and insulting in our manner
of greeting you"