Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-09
GAMBETTA'S POWER.
with an AnecdOte showing the
Tact of a Lady of Breeding.

Ns ~ - A<e~~~y -. -
The great force of Gambetta lay in his
faculty of translating currents of opin
ion into words, which had no real value
in themselves, or, at any rate, value
which they soon lost, but which at the
moment caused each ones spirit of in.
quiry, and were the exact impression OF
the opinions of all. His speech in de.
tense of Deleschuze, which caused so
much emotion, and rendered so admira-
bly, and completely the explosion of the
general conscience of France, seems
nothing exceptional if we read it over
now. but you can feel it in the vibration
of q soul which Others made to vibrate
Between Gambetta and public opinion,
so far as he Abandoned himself to opin.
ion and did not try to oppress it, there
was an extraordinary sympathetic COM
munication. He gave back one hundred
fold of what he received it, satisfy
ing it in just the degree to which it
wished to be satisfied. He was the
mcdel of democratic orator. Often
have l seen him at the time when we
were intimate, hesitate in his reflections,
question. grow excited in order to pro.
woke contradiction, exercise his oratory
In our little circle as if he were trying to
feel the pulse of opinion, juat as for
-merly he used to exercise hiu self in the
midst of his comrades so that he might
Judge the resources of his eloQuence.
But in the presence of crowd or of n
assembly, whatever his preconceived
idea might be, his mind would catch,
with marvellous facility, the general
tendency of the mind of his audience,
and there would take place within his
mind, as it were, a chemical process, the
formation of a sublimated mixture of
diverse elements. How could he fail
to force the attention of those to whom
he returned their own thoughts,
strengthened, broadened and adorned
with superb flights of eloquence?
Before our departure for the South 1
sent note to Gambetta inviting him to
dine. He imagined, as he afterwards
told me, that he was coming to the table
of a literary woman, blue.stocking,
and so he arrived dressed in one of those
costumes that one wears in the morning
for want or something better. His coat
was neither frock.coat nor jacket,
baS something between pilot-coat and
an overcoat. AS he was subject to bron-
chitis, he wore a check flannel shirt, on
which he had pinned a white collar and
cuffs, but the flannel was visible in
certain places, and he pushed back the
recalcitrant folds with an ease that be-
trayed long habit.
Adam and our friends were all in eve
ming dress, and l decollete gala cos
tune. Gambetta looked at us with
amazement, Eugene Pelletan, who
asnew him, introduced the newcomer to
me. Adam was chatting in another
room. Gambetta apologized for not
having a dress coat. 81 never wear
one," he said; "and if | had known"
"You would not have come, monsieur.
That is very unaimable on your part"
l Ireplied, laughing,
Pelletan, with his usual kindness,
Madame Adam prefers that her friends
should not come 10 her house in evening
dress"
However, the appearance of the room
demonstrated tho contrary. In such
cases as this everybody is embarrassed.
My old friend Jules Lasteyrie, "Lafa.
cite, in manners and generally so kind,
ssid to me in whisper: "a frock. coat
/ can admit--yes; but cannot go SO
far as that"
1t was Lastsyrie's arm that should
have taken to go to dinner, but / re-
piled. ''And yet my dear friend, the only
way to rehabilitate that at my table Is to
rive it the best place. 1t is you whom
deprive. but you will approve me.
~ pqtea ~ air Of . grand aenfIenan