The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-02
MONTE CRIsro AS A GUEST.
Some Curious "reminiscences of Alex
andre Dumas Visit to Russia
From the Philadelphia Press

formerly editor of ST. Petersburg review,
the Contemporary, is publishing her iemi-
uiscenses. No man, we know, is hero to
his valet: and it would seem that famous
narsonages are not always much thought Of
nv the wives of their hosts. Mime. Panaiew.
although a writer herself, snlaced herself
with the cares of housekeeping as other
women solace themselves with novels, and
Daid lint little attention to the intellect
ualsp of the many distinguished friends
whom her husband gathered around him.
FOR their happiness they needed dainty
dinners: and the lady judges many of them
nurelv from the point OF view OF the thrifty
housewife. Regarded in that light, Alex
andre Dumas, it is easy to understand, may
have been a trial to her. One of his old
friends recently described MN as an grdnd
hoInme tres sale"
H was in 1858 that the great Alexandra
visited Russia. He was staying at Oranien-
baum with Count Konchelev, III villa al
most adjoining that Of Gospodin Panaiew.
There Dumas picked up very treasure of
a friend TO a man of his temperament-none
other than Grigorovitch, a Russian literary
man of high distinction. Grigorovitch was
cav and spiritual. and loved good dinner,
even as Dumas did himself. When he told
Panaiew that the author of "Monte
Crisson was anxious to make his ac-
ouaintance, Madame insisted that the pres
entatiou should be made at St. Peters
burg. and not at Oranienbaum, since the
tiny villa in which they We're lodged was
not well suited to entertaining. 1t was
therefore decided thai Dumas should
breakfast with him IN the following week
at st. Petersburg. Two days later the
Panaiews we're about to sit down to break
last when, very much to The astonishment
of monsieur and madame, who did not
expect visitors three carriages drove up
TO the door, containing Grigorovitch,
Dumas, his secretary, and two other
French friends, who descended upon
the unprepared household with
remarkable sharp appetites for
breakfast. Nine. Panaiew fed to the
kitchen to arrange for tue five additional
breakfasts. Grigorovitch followed her,
swearing that he had doe all he could to
hold Dumas to his bargain; but he had
taken il into his head that he would pay his
visit there and then, and no persuasion could
hinder him, and two friends who called to
see him were hidden to accompany him.
That's all very we'll, said the irate house
keeper, "but what shall / do if he stays to
dinnerw for it was by no means an easy
matter to obtain provisions at short notice
81 Oranien aum.
MONTE CRIsTo's AGREEABLE DAY.
1t was speedily evident that Dumas did
intend to stay to dinner, and poor Nine.
Panaiew had to send her coachman to Peter
hof on a foraging expedition. Dumas
enjoyed his breakfast amazingly, praised
all the disues and ate the whole of some of
them. After breakfast he was with diff
Guilty induced to take a walk, aud only
consented to 60 when he was told that
there were seats and a kiosk in the
park, where he could make him
self comfortable. When the chatelaine
refused to accompany the party
because she had to superintend the dinner
the creator of Porthos was delighted at such
devotion to housekeeping. THAT, of
course" she says spitefuliy, twas simply
because he thought he would get better
dinner" AT dinner he was in ecstasies over
a pate of chicken and eggs, for which h.
took the recipe When he left he assured
his hosts that was the first really agreeable
day he had spent in Russia. The perUurbed
houSekeeper was delighted to be rid of him,
and trusted that she would never see him
again.
HOW DUMAS WORKED.
But Nine Panaiew had counted without
her Dumas. Three days later the irrepress-
lille rOmancer returned, accompanied by
his secretary and large portmanteau, and
calmly announced that he intended to stay
the night that he might the longer enjoy the
charming and hospitable society of his new
friends. AS soon as he was installed he asked
permission to take off his waistcoat and
wear his slippers, that being his
not see much of Dumas during this
visit, usually meeting him only at meals
but she extracted from his secretary sundry
informing details about the vagaries of his
famous employer. He could not, he said
Keep quiet for day, but was always COM
hitting some new absui dity, usually in
volving the expenditure of a good deal of
money. The secretary gave the lady a
pleasant account of the masters method of
work His habit was to die ate to a secre-
tary, who had much ado to keep up with
him, the while he walked up and down the
room, reposed upon an immense divan, or
lay in hammock; but such was his rest
Iessness that he was constantly changing
his attitude.
The unfortunate secretaries, who appear
to have been ignorant of the noble art of
shorthand, had SO elaborate a code of abb
breviations that no printer could read their
copy" Therefore, while one took down
the masters torrent of words lother fair
copied the sheets which flew from his hand.
Ihe secretaries were sometimes pressed so
hatu-DuInaS was always a prOdlglous
worker-that they had to rest from sheer
exhaust n. Alexander was an early riser,
and worked at high pressure until noon.
After dejeulaer he recommended and kept.
onuntil O'Clock. Then he would dine
always in joyous company-go to
the theater, and "xeep it up' gener-
ally until the small hours. A marvellous
man! The secretaries received no regular
salary That would have been far too bust
ness-llke for Dumas. When he had received
payment for new story he would open q
drawer and give them whatever money
came to his hand If they were bank notes
SO much the better for the lucky scribes: ii
IL was only small change, they took it con.
tentedly and returned to the charge when
more money came in. Thus the secretary
10 Mime Panaiew; but it should be added
Vhat NJ. Dumas ills denies that his father
ever dictated at all until the last two on
Three Years of his life
INCONVENIENCE OF EXPANSIVE GENIUS
IL will have been seen that the expansive.
ness of genius was lost upon Nine. Pan
Anew. She did all she could to get rid OF
Dumas and once even gave him purely
russian that is to say, an exceedingly indi
sesu6le) dinner, in the hope that he would
ue driven away by SO barbarou:
a feast. And for three days he die
Aeep away from the house, and ther
nad happened. He had the digestion OF
On ostrich. Shorty afterward madame
uad prepa ed her best spare room for her
sSler and her nieces, who were going to sec
%e Feterhof fetes. Hearing an arrival
tN fI,,I d.. -. I