The morning call., 1892-02-28

Nine Natter, feels that terrible revelations
are hanging over her head, and as she loves
her usDand poison is her only refuge. In
her final agony her husband cOmpels her to
confess, but he feels that even in her last
moments she has not told all, and throws
her with violence against the wall, where
she lies-dead.
1t must be acknowledged that good novels
do not always make successful plays, and
La MentGuSe" may be taken as an eX-
ample Successful or no. the author, Al
phOnse Daudet, is one of the men Of the day,
as he was at this time last year. aud regu-
larly each year for the past twenty years.
And twenty years ago, when the "Lettres
de Mon Moulin" began TO make DaUdet
famous, he lived in the Place ROyaie. After
ward he removed to Avenue de P0bserYa-
tOire, and from the windows of his a art
ment he could see the flowery hedges of Meu-
don and Ivry. There he wrote Roi- en- EXil,'
SFFvangeliste" and lie NabOb" During the
past six years Alph0nse Daudet has lived in
a spacious house, Rue de Brllechasse, aud
there every Thursday evening he receives
his friends. In the hall are two pieces of
furniture that attract the attention of all
visitors. One is a cabinet of carved oak
such as is used in Daudets birthplace for
flour; the other, a marvellous basket, des-
tined as a receptacle for bread. In this hall
are also a Louis XIV fountain and a
wr0ught-lFOn lantern. dating from the if
teentn century. At the right of the hall is
Ile study, VIII It's immense BOOKCASES.
The wrting-tab!e is extremely high, be-
cause Daudet is very near-sghted, and he
does not like to lean over his paper, On the
wall are sketches OF GOncOurt and Flau-
bert, and on the mantel a statuette of the
authors son, dressed as a toreadOr. Beside
the mantel is a little table. and near by are
small chairs. There arc some bibelotS, some
curiosities, but all has been collected and
arranged without reference to effect.
The salon is at the same time grave and
gay. The four walls are covered by superb
ighteenth-Century tapestry aud the ceiling
is draped with a curious antique stuff.
There are many pictures, among them
portrait Of Daudet and a canvas repre-
senting NJ. and Nine Daudet reading
the proofs Of "L'Eyangelste." Next
the salon is Nine. Daudet's boud0ir.
and the dining-room is large enough
to seat fifteen persons. Above are the
sleeping-roOmS. billiard-rOOm and fencing
room. At Nine. DaudetS receptions there
is an atmosphere Of delicacy of intellectual
culture not always found in salons of French
litteTateurS. AlphOnse Daudet is very
musical and admires Beethoven. Gluck and
Wagner, but he is most touched by the COM
positions of Chopin. Once heard him say:
How that man suffered OF how he believed
that he suffered! Whether pain really eX-
lists or whether one believes that it really
exists, the effect is the same, the suffering
equally profound"
Alphonse Daudet prefers no school, but
he IS enthusiastic when Wagner's music is
performed and "LOheugrin" he knows from
beginning to end Every summer Daudet
goes to his country home at ChamDrOsay,
between the Seine and the forest of Senart.
There he rests, and there he tries to obtain
relief from nervous disease that at times
prevents him from working
Only tifty-twO years old, and what a cata-
lOgue OF booksl "AmOureuses, "Chaperon
Rouge" "Gueux de Province "Absents,
OF oric Inf
tres de Mon Moulin" Jack" "Frere
Aine," lie Nabob. ""Rois en- Exil, "'Numa
kOumeStan," ''LEvaugeliste," ''SapphO,"
"LImmorteI." "Trente Ans de Paris"
"Contes de Lundi." "Arlesienne," "Lise
Tavernier," etc. His career has been indie
fatigable and most brilliant AT the age of
II Daudet began writing, and at that age
he displayed the same emotion, the same
Irony that later made the success OF his
works.
In his youth Da udet had no money, no
assistance, and for two years he was an
under-teacher. Determined not to vegetate
as a simple teacher at Mines. he renowned
everything and came to Paris. Here for
five years he was secretary OF the Duke de
Morny, Atterward, as journalist and writer,
AlphOnse Daudet was among the most ac-
tive.
One of his greater successes was the carl
cature of 'Tartarin de TaraScOn," and an
other "Froment Jeune ct Risler Aine,"
perhaps the NEST sincere, the most complete,
the nearest perfection OF all his novels.
Who can forget the good Risler, the little
Chebe; the aYenger. Frank Risler; the seri-
GUS cashier, Sigismond PLAINS; Father
Chebe, Delooelle and little DeSiree Deo-
belle-all original types?
What variety in all his work There is
never a slovenly line, never a lifeless page,
because all is most carefully studied, most
accurately expressed. Who. more than
Daudet expresses pect, friendship for
life, interest in human suffering, in animal
suffering, knowledge of individual rights
and love for virtue?
Monsieur Ledrain in his work called LA
Bible" says that ''nations OF powerful brain
and strong culture do not write novels" to
which Alphonse Daudet replies, IF the
learned man who speaks thus of the novel
knew how complex is the art, how difficult
of execution, he would reflect longer before
expressing so haSty an opinion"
Daudet'S son, who is represented on the
mantel his fathers study in the costume
of toreadOr. married Jeanne Hugo, the be-
loved granddaughter of Victor Hugo.
Within the past few days AlphOnse Daudet
has new role, that of grandfather, and the
child, ushered into this world under very
suspicious circumstances, ought to inherit
some of the genius and versatility belong
ing to his two llustrious grandfathers-the.
sons of whom France is most justly proud.
BARONESS ALIHEA SALVADOR.