New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16
A PEASANT PRESIDENT.
PATTI AS JULIET-THE BOULANGER d.
VORCE.

November
I had a slight personal acquaintance with thu
late President of the Swiss OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Hertenstein He was what the Scotch would cal
douce well respected body" and originally
was not above the rank of cowherd. lie had
some traits of character that rcsembled Scotch
ones-was never above his business, was OF an
inquiring mind especially when he had State
accounts TO audit and had an unusual degree
of moral courage. His woodland experience
might have enabled him to write book on the
fauna and flora of Switzerland, like Gilbert
Whites Shelburne forest
Hertenstein was Zurich Switzer, and was in
the forest service before he went into politics
and military administration. He was for some
years in the government of his native canton.
When he was brought into the Federal Council
he took the direction of the military department,
which at the time he did so stood much in need
of being braced up and quickened Hertenstein
learned, he said, two things as forester-to re-
fleet and to be watchful They were of immense
use TO him in directing q service which is beset
with contractors who well aware that tempta-
ton makes the iobber as well the thief, and
who are quick TO tempt 1t was borne upon his
mind that in the next war between France and
Germany the Germans WILL if they can, invade
France through Switzerland, He accordingly
set himself to bring up the Swiss army to the
highest degree of efficiency of which militia
with permanent artillery is capable, and devoted
ten years to the task After he was named
President of the Confederation he continued vir-
tual War Minister. There detail too slight
TO escape his notice
Moltke, when last in Switzerland. said that
Won Room himself might take lessons in admins
tration from Hertensten. The head of the Swiss
War Department when Moltke in Switzerland
had him closely watched in his eXcur-
sions. Ordnance maps were given 10 the
youngsters employed TO dog him-au sons
OF friends or relatives of Hertensten;
and they were enioined 10 mark down carefully
the places where the then commander-in-chief of
the Prussian army stopped to make observations
The course taken by Moltle was proof TO the sa-
gacious old Switzer that Moltkc was studying what
resistance might be expected from Switzerland
were German army to try to bear down on
France through the Basic, Champfonds and BRINE
Railway, and what measures were to be taken
10 keep retreat open. After Hertenstein was
informed OF the treaty between Italy and Ger
many, he said: We Switzers must look sharp
and prepare TO resist breaches of neutrality. The
allies should their treaty have the ending which
they contemplate will try to effect IL junction
at Lyons This means that they will, if they
can, pass through Switzerland
IIertenstein often warned France through NJ.
Arago never to forget what temptation there is
to concentrate South German troops at Basic
should French resisting power toward Champ
fonds and Brinne be weak. France not being, from
a railway point of view, SO well organized TO
break through the obstacle of neutrality Ger
many, was not therefore much to be feared
as the German Empire by the long-headed men
of the Swiss Bund.
Hertenstein had q salary Of So, 900 year. He
kept no carriage and used TO walk to his office
every day. The amount OF work that he under
took to do confined him 10 his desk and deprived
him OF that exercise which man used IN
early life to outdoor activity requires.
The malady of which he died was senile gam
creme, although he only sixty-three years old
This was because he did not eliminate through
exercise the waste mattec that clogged his Or
ganisr,. Not long ago there were artillery ex-
periments to be made. Hertenstein went TO
watch them. He stood on half thawed ice A
chilblain ensued- This led to a bad inflammation |
of the great toe, which removed and gan |
creme followed The left leg was cut off above |
the knee Amputation relieved the pain, but |
the poison was too much in the system for this
surgical treatment to save life Morbid sylnp-
toms showed themselves in the pit of the stomach. |
There were two days Of lethargy, followed by two
of delirious fever The latter were, however,
broken by lucid intervals in which the President
gave directions about the current business of his
Office. He then sank grew insensible, and went
out
President Carnot sent his condolences by NJ.
Arago the French Minister at Berne, to the Her
tenstein family, and countermanded shooting
party which was TO take place on the day APP
pointed for the funeral He could not, how
ever, resist going to hear Patti sing in Juliet"
st the Opera House Madame Carnot went with
him dressed in white satin, gold embroidered In
the Directory style and gold jewels.
And of Patti? Well considering how taste
has changed since she used TO be idozed here,
she had a wonderful success. The house on the
night in which she first appeared in Juliet
very plutocratic but not of an exalted
social character The families of money-lenders and
Bourse spectators were numerous and conspicuous.
Patti keeps her soft black eyes and winning
physiognomy There were tears in her eyes when
she came the stage. The character of Juliet
matches with her temperament, and she knows
how love ought to be eXpressed-a knowledge
Sarah Bernhardt has never been able 10 acquire. 4
The style of the singer has more breadth than
1t used 10 have. but she has been too long revelng
In Italian to be at home in any Others, and
she did not do as wen as she would have done
in II Barbiere' in Lucia" Where she was
best was in the waltz song in the first act, and
In the lark song IN the balcony scene. She
tried to get rid of her tricks Of mechanism, but
was not quite able. Patti will never know c
bow to dress. She looked more tawdry than
elegant in the ball room scene. >
Jean de Reszlc was wonderfully good Romeo q
yentlemanly, passionate, feverish, and one of h
hose imprcssionable men who offer next TO no Il
resistance to fate when it is evil but are drifted
aither and thither by the currents with $
he circumstances Of his environments. There d
8 nothing epic about him. The gods love Juliet n
md so never let her realize how badly she has n
invested the pure gold of her affections Were
he more experienced she would lose in loving 0
him her claim 10 sympathy a