The Columbus journal., 1893-06-14
A MEAN Pn,LAN rnRoPIsr.
PeeuliAritles Of the Man Who Founded
the Montyon Prizes In Paris.

PeeuliaritIes Of the Man Who Founded
the Montyon Prizes In Paris.
Every year the French academy, q
learned body Of Paris, distributes
wreaths of roses to certain young
girls who are found to have distin-
guished themselves by feminine vir-
tues and by exemplary devotion to
duty. These wreaths are accom-
panied by valuable prizes in money,
they are the '.Montyon prizes Of vir-
tue, so-called in honor of the baron
de Montyon. who founded them early
in the present century with q large
gift Of money to tho academy for the
purpose, and the girls and young
women who receive them sre called
rosieres, says the Youths Companion.
Baron de Montyon who gave q
great deal of money to other charities
as we'll, possessed the most singular
character, perhaps, Of all the benevO-
lent men who ever lived. He was
miserly to the last degree. The full
extent of his penuriOusness was never
known until the correspondence be-
tween him and the steward or intend
ant of his estate recently came to
light and was published.
Montyon economical every copper
that was possible to go to swell his
benefactiOns, even to the extent of
cutting off sources of income. At
one time he wrote to this intendant:
..CnO tho por;o v,,oro ou1 <hc l;%%lr
white mare for whatever you can get
for them I cannot afford to feed
them any longer. Keep the others as
long as there is carriage for them. but
feed them no more than l have Or
dered yOu--a measure Of oats and q
bundle of straw a day."
He found out that passers-by were
occasionally helping themselves to
some unripe cherries in front of his
estate. "Pick the cherries at once
and sell them for whatever you can
get" he wrote to the intendant
The old intendant wrote him that a
COW had died of cold in the stable for
want of boards to stop the cracks
and that still others would perish.
As for the house 1t was so cold for
want of fuel that ink and pens were
frozen up. '.Bah!" the philanthro-
pist wrote in response; ..the winter
will soon be over"
He was hard master, and if ten
ants on his estate did not pay what
was due him on the instant. they were
turned off, no matter what their con-
dition might be.
When the French revolution came
baron dc Montyon took refuge in
Switzerland and then in England.
The old intendant wrote him inter-
esting letters about the exciting Oc-
currences around him in France.
..DO not use so much paper in your
letters" the baron wrote; 1.-The post
age costs altogether too much"
The intendant, who was very faith
full to his masters interests, in spite
of tho mean way in which he was
treated, continued to give him full
accounts of matters on the estate.
Il want no more of your useless dis
the philanthropist wrote
back in haste. Ibid l not tell you
to ecOnomlze your paper?"
At this very time the baron was
making gifts at regular intervals to
the poor, and he was capable of pri-
vate benevOlences.
While he was in London a French
lady, who had lost a fortune in the
remarked in his presence
that if she had 600 francs, to return
to France, she might recover a part
of her former possessions. The next
day she received the sum of 600
francs from some unknown person.
She went to France, did succeed in
a part of her estate, and
returned to London.
MOntyon promptly presented him
self to her. declared that it was he
who sent her the 600 francs. and de-
its repayment. The lady
paid it. That night MontyOn
gave the sum to q poor refugee in
London.
Such was the life of the most
mlser who ever lived.