The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-17

realistic novels, that the books OF the
elder Dumas are still sold in France in
the same numbers as they were forty years
ago.
Auguste Maquet had drama in his own
life He loved, not wisely, but too well, and
the best part of his existence was spent III
faithful loyalty and affection for the woman
who had beel the idol of his youth, and was
ever his tender, devoted companion W hen
she died her place remained unified in his
heart at his fireside. He came more rarely
to Paris, never except on business, ana
buried his grief at st. Mesme. Another
sorrow in Maquets existence was the differ
eace eliminating in lawsuit that arose
between him and Dumas on the question of
their respected royalties. The suit began
in 1853, after the recognition of his collab-
GRAFTON and authors rights. The Judges
found it difficult to ascertain the share which
accrued to each. 1t was not possible to
! make Dumas refund the royalties received
previous to the recognition. He was gener-
Gus, prodlgal, and open-handed. The money
had long since been spent. So, in consldera-
ton of these facts, the Tribunal allowed
Maquet two-thrdS instead of the customary
half in great number of books and plays
forming the subject of litigation. The cool
ness resulting therefrom between the friends
was always more on the surface than in their
| hearts, their love was of the quality that
cannot die
The books Maquet wrote avowedly alone,
such as the belle Gabrielle" and others are
talented and cever, but lack the dash and
brio which are of Dumas alone.
il fortnight before his death he was in
Paris, at the Grand Hotel, watching the
staging of the Dame dc Monsoreau" at the
Opera and experimenting a'revival at the
Ambigu Theater of thatsa 'JeuneSse DIES
Mousquetaires," which inaugurated his
fame. One evening he left party of
friends somewhat late, and, regardless Ol the
bitter cold-trustug to his herculean
strength of constitution and hardy habits
he started to walk home insutficiently pro-
tected. He caught a call, neglected 1T,
grew rapidly worse, and died on the follow
ing Sunday.
AS before said, Maquet had dwelt for the
last years almost entirely at his Castle OF
Ste. MeSme, a splendid property he had
purchased, with its huge Louis XIV. resi-
dence, its park, woods. and coVerts, out OF
the proceeds of his pen. He was great
sportsman and to the last went out on his
domains shooting hare and roebucks, con-
tent to be forgotten. But to be forgotten
or set aside seemed to be his destiny; cele-
brity seemed to drop from him almost as
| suddenly as it had been vouchsafed. Not
many years ago, having been propo ed by
some friends as a candidate for the French
Academy, people asked: Maqueti Who is
| UnaJ MaQueJf' Alu WHEN HIS CldllilS W Uie
| great honor were recalled, the answer was;
"Well, WE'LL he should not bury himself
| alive; let him leave Ste. Meslne, come to
Paris, marry a widow of a suitable age, give
dinners, and in two years his election viii
be a settled thing" But Maquet did not
follow the advice, and his nomination was
never mentioned again.
He was loyal, delicate, generous, chival-
rous, unassuming to a fault. With the ex-
terror of a hero, his long hair, his tall stat
ure and upright figure, his long moustache,
he was at heart as gentle and retiring as the
modest scribe he portrayed in the charming
tale of the Chevalier d'Harmentnal, of
which the greatest part is his own; though
pOsperity may, perhaps, never render full
| Justice to his deserts. While the glorious
name of Alexandra Dumas must shine as a
bright star in the armament of letters, it is
much to be feared that the humber one of
Maquet will slowly fade out of the memory
of men, as his personality remained in a
certain measure effaced among his contem-
poraries and yet, perchance "Monte
Cristo," 1.-The Mousquetaires," Twenty
Years After would never have electrified
young and old had the silent partner not
existed. M. DE S.