New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-03
PARTISAN CONTRASTS
AGED FANCIEs AND YOUTHFUL SPORTS


fros THE REGULAR cozREsrosDEsr or TIE rmsuNO
Paris Jan TO-
NJ. Chevreul tells his friends that he has lived
10 his great age because he always hated everr
kind of drink save milk or water. A man VI his
age. who has just died, and who lived in q shsucy
on some waste ground near the Pare Moncexa.
.ascribed his longevity 20 an Opposite courss.
His name was Dronin and he was born, ~ I
Navy Office certificate established, ut Plonaret II
Brittany, on May Is, 17S7 was conscribed fou
naval service in Ii sos the first year Of The En@
Empire) and left it after two re-engagement.
lie was never i'll day in the Navy though he hsd
seen much hardship and gone through many
dangers, from Trafalgar TO Navarino. The an
occasion on which he wore sailors uniform was q
the funeral of Napoleon.
/ don't know why he was often called Tie
Wandering Jew. since he did not look Jewish
the face being rather Socratic; but the nicknsms
Of Father Christmas, which be more generally
went by, suited him. Bearing from the Madeleins
flower market load Of holly and mistletoe "a
Christmas week, he looked figure TO tempt the
pencil of cartoonist. But it would never occur
TO any one that he was over eighty. BALE and
hearty. was he. On Christmas Eve he invariably
went to midnight mass. Nearly thirty years ago
Father Christmas was given leave by the Police
to sell small wares in the street lie held moss
Of them in his hand and the pictorial ones
generally gaudy Epinal acknowledgements, wers
pinned to his breast The old man stood In front
OF the Madeleine and fetched and carried for the
flower dealers in the flow market. His days
harvest made, he went to a cheap eatinghouss
to dine, taking at his meal bottle of wine, gen.
orally white, which was followed By a small glss
of brandy. On NJ Chevreuls hundredth birth
u v
colleague They exchanged old impressions, and
one tried to top the other in recounting what be
Remembered
/ suppose said NJ. Chevreul !" that your long
life is the reward Of sobriety.'
Not bit Of it," was the answer. neyer
knew any one belonging to me who was not fond
Of cider brandy. Ny father was drowned ont fish
ing at the age of seyenty-two. My mother lived to
the age of eighty-nne. Ny grandmother was said TO
be the Oldest woman In rae country. ALI Of them
died not of old age, but from accidental causes.
I, who salute you as colleague, go to bed every
night slightly elevated. However, find thst
drink is not what it used to he. Ii had money
saved l should 90 to some place where wine 10
cheap and good"
NJ. Chevreul thought his visitor had better
content himself with little and stay in Paris.
Content!" cried Father Christmas, va
never discontented in my life. and so long -
can stay all day in the fresh air I'll be happy
Father Christmas when rich almsgying peops
were out of town, and not much TO be picked
up at the Madeleine, had company OF trained
rats which he used 10 take TO low eatirg-houses
TO give entertainments. He taught them him
self, and they were very sagacious The favon"
was big white one, aud his constant companion.
he carrying is about in n little cage in his
breast. A short time ago he let IL run free 40
restaurant, where a dog that had been lying
out OF sight under a counter pounced upon ana
killed it, The poor Old man was inconsolable'
and unfortunately for himself he tried 70 drown
his grief. A few nights ago he drank too mucn
after his dinner at cabbies' restaurant IN tne
Boulevard de Courceles and went home upsy In
mounting the stairs of his lodging he fell down
fight, wss picked up IN eomatose state and taken
to a hospital. He died yesterday from the shock
causeds by the fall The doctors who
examined the body were astonished at Its genefai
soundness They said that but for the accident
he might have gone on for twenty years longer
The New Years dancing parties have been ves1
gay. Some nights ago was at a lively one whers
heads alone were travestei. The effects were
rather droll A beautiful young girl had lobster.
head makeup. Another was like a cat A third
had an arrangement which made her resemble
King Charles lapdog There were poodlesi
moths, tas moths vastly magnlfed might look3
bees, wasps and so on. The gentlemen wore fsss
heads-and all borrowed, save those OF few
apes, from birds and quadrupeds. Queen lss-
bella gives very smart dinner and evening parne&
She only invites Spaniards 10 the former The
honors Of the Palais Castillo are done by te
Marquis de Villa Segur, a naval officer who is On
half pay as such, and on full psy as H2
Majesty's major-domo He Is stin young and
great Improvement on Senior Puente, whom be
superseded The Duchess de Hijar de Lacerda
presents the ladies. She is Lady of soft manners
and has remains of beauty. The Queen delights
in music, is herself an accomplished hsrpist and
has highly cultivated voice, which, strange 70
say, is we'll preserved notwi outstanding the Queens
ago and the emotional life she has led. Last
Sunday evening her young relative Senorita San
Carlo sang to a harp accompaniment by Godefroy
and electrified the audience The San Carlos are
the children of the Infania Louisa, sister of Doa
Francisco de Assist. u. U