The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
DE- MAUPASSANr PROsrRArED.
overworlS Leaves Him in state of Nervous
Exhanstion.
IspecIaI Dnnlap CahIe b ID TImesl

Especial Dunlap Gable to the Timesl
Paris, Dec. l9.-There has been q great
deal of disturbance here this week in literary
| society at the report that has been flying
| about in regard 10 tho celebrated novelist.
/ Guy De Maupassant. it was said that his
mind was a total wreck and that he was
confined in private maQhOusc. These stories
turn out % DO without foundation and are
due 90 the jealousy and spleen of certain un-
successful rivals IN literature blaupassaut s
ono of the most successful writers
OF to-day. ms works having been trans
lated and circulated all over Europe
and America. lie is somewhat broken down
with soyerwork and suffers from that kind Of
nervous exhaustion usual IN all exhaustive
professions. but there ls no reason tO say that
his brain is weakened or his rea-Ouimpared
Just as Dumas. the elder was never SO
happy as when he left Paris for his iavorite
his most famous novel. 20 De 5laupassant
finds his chief pleasure IN visiting Port
Kivor.a IN hs yacht Bel Ami" which he has
named after his most popular work. For the
last few day he has been on a cruise.
lie left Cannes this week Tor Nee. where
he las many friends and some near relations.
Much interest is felt M the case hy the emil
nent Or. Charcet. who said "All men Of let
ters. poets. musicians have IN my opinion a
screw loose more or less. What astOnshes me
is that some Of them are still sane. but
mark ny words their turn viii come Look
here at this little English work called In
sanity and Genius 10 points out that all
men Of talent a.e mad because OK insomnia
and undue pressure on brain power. Shake
speare Byron, Victor Hugo and Gounod were
all crazy
TIE Will. or 1fARcHoSEss CONTESTED.
The leading subject Of conversation al
1rfte orI O. l44n nf il ia al tad
viii case now being tried m the courts of
Montdidier in which the relations of
Narchioness Tlessis Belliere contest the va
lidity of her legacy OF several millions OF
francs 70 Ills Holiness the Pope.
The counsel tor the family of the
Marchioness argued that tine Holy See IS not
recognized either by the cOncordat or by
law guarantees as temporal body, there
fore special authority IS necessary to make
bequests 10 that See valid He also warned
the court OF the danger OF establishing
q precedent by which papal right
of eminent domain might be re-established in
France. as Il had existed IN centuries long
past. ~ bat an an0m0ly would 10 be-" the /
learned gentleman exclaimed, III the Pope |
could hold property in France when he is not /
allowed TO do 80 in Italy, h.s own homen /
The elatlcns OF tho MarchiOuess approve /
in spirit OF the gilt. but are not IN q
position 10 spare the money. aud have asked
us itOlhess seFeIal times I'd compromise the
matter by division of the property. but hav-
ng received no answer from the Vatican. they
have at last reluctantly had recourse 10 set
.lement by law OF one ot the most important
questions of the age. The counsel for the Pope
lenied that any pressure had been brought 10
lear on testatrix and that her testament ex-
'cuted IN the year 1860. was Identical with
hat of 1850 He accused the family OF trying
o break the will through animosity 10 the
loly see and hopes Of profting by the wreck
ii th9ir kinswoman' fortune. adding that the
'ope is unable TO give aims 20 a family
lready rich. which has obtained a million
nd half francs by legacy.
In discussing the legal question the coun-
ell declared that the Holy See was capable of
oding property abroad in like manner as
be proprietorship of foreign embassies which
- described as an attribute OF monarchy. all
[ whose atttutes were posses ed 10y HIS Holi-