New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-11
PARODY or ACADEMICI4N TISITS

p4PODy or ACADEMICI4N T'TSTTS.
THE CANDIDATE WENT AROUND WITH ANA"'
CHISTs AND KETTLES FILLED WITH CARDS
Paris was amused quite recently for two days ny
the most laughabc series Of visits ever paid 10 n'S
would.be future colleagues by candida'e '"r INV
French Academy. II Is known that any man "N
plring TO occupy one OF the forty seats VI ''"
Academy IS bound by tradition to pay ior",.'
visit TO each one of the so-called "lmmortaN. W.
Achille lie Roy specialist bookseller for SOCIALISM"
work, and tenth-rate writer. became 'a'oi'"''
for tho Academy with the avowed intention of rin'
cul,nC that Institution I'm a manner 'hat wo"'u Nv"
make him amcnable 10 libel laws or o'her 'u'''"
prosecutions. In this he was mistaken al''r an o'
tho whole farce ended on the thiri day OF the per
Torrance In VI. lie Roy and his friends being haioiou
rather roughly by the Paris police.
|. The would be Academican secured al trst inc SET
,,cos ~ NJ. Marus Tournadre. a Socialist writer.
who had been impr soned for some time IN 'n'
lannon's political fail Of Sanc Paage IN ra''S'
During the whole comca "o'ySsea OF me "''"'"
cdcs, as Le Roys followers liked TO call thems'i''s
Tournadro 6cd the Office OF the perpetual secretary
who Is regularly attached TO the Academy. l"rh''
colonel Of the Commune Bat'alionS OF lo'l' M"Ni'e
Lsbonne who had been sentenced to death 10y Inc
Versailles court martial and who had returned 10
Paris after the proclamation OF general "''"',S'
furnished the old stage coach which had appeared III
some theatrical plays on the Boulevard anu "h'"'
drawn by four white horses was l" carry "'"'s ~"
ocademicdc,' caravan. Lisbonnc has aire"oN """
a reputation In Paris by giving himself up 10 '"e
Barnum.likc exhibitions Of popular theatres ann ~
pccially Of cafes where the customers ar" some
times served by walters wearing the convict e"'o
and fail chains lie Is the best representative oi Inc
fumista or Joking Bohemian school In PnnS anu
he pronercd his help to IL Roy and 1ournadr''
The latter secured some thirty six Old kettles
answering to the number OF the living " im'h'''"''
10 each Of when it intended TO pay visit ana
also III. cooperation of Chason and simon, TWO real
and thorough Anarchists. They declared 70 'De IT,
nor,er OF lie Temps who expressed his surprise
IN see such convinced and real Anarchists 'ahlhI
par, in such burceois' and cOmical Undertaking
that they we're In il seriously In any schcm" which
might throw Iidicule upon and prepare thc rum o
the Academy or any other such Institution
Til. expedition lasted three days. with To" same
rro,csone ccrcmonials. In the forenoon. AT public
square near M0ntmartTe and the place where la
bonnie kept his cafe which he had just called " Inc
Janitor,' Casno.' tie old fashioned stage coach was
In waiting. Then appeared Achillc Le Roy IN" far'i'a
ACadcmclan candidate. dressed up IN the snowy uni
form Of a Bolivian general and hi, hcnd covered with
a tremendous hat loaded with gold ribbons. The kct
ties carefully filed with sociallsc pamphlets but
looking like the dynamite engines too often used In
Paris were placed in the coach with an ai"c'a'ion
o care. About fifteen reporters belonging 10 fhri,
papers of all political shades crammcd In The
stage. and the visits began
The party driven excessively 10 the houses Of
Mcssrs. C,aretie Jules Simon A. Dumas, Mchic
and other Aca1cmcians. Achlc lie Roy. til" can
didate, the first to get out from the stage :
Tournadre. the perpetual secretary followed with tn"
others In the party, and all OF them passing by the
stupencd janltors like whlrlwlnd went up the stairs
and rang the bell Of the apartments. In some places
valet answered the call. reported TO his master
who the callers and returned saying tina, nobody
In. Then Tournadre, IN trigca tone. OK
claimed, like Mlrnbeau "YOn'll tell your master
that have come to lot him know that our friend
lie Roy must have his voice for the next vacant
seat at the Academy for the hitter badly needs 10
have young blood infused into it," Then he called
to i> followers and the reporters to pat their visiting
cards In the Kettle which he had taken upstairs with
him. and he placed /, forcbly into the hands The
apron OF the terrified valet, and the whole party
wen, downstairs laughing Mcilhac received the
crowd and told them that II was well TO attempt TO
rcjuvcnate the Academy. but that II would De more
Agreeable il they could make the Ac.icmlcans younger
than they JuicS simon TO whom TOirnairc
promised his protection when the socali, revolution
should come answered: Make haste II YOU want
To protect me- for at my age - "Dh.7 an
swcrcd Tournadre. the old men themselves will scc
thc rcvoluiion.7 After each visit the cor,cge
stopped to take drinks.
At the house OF Alexander Dumas, the orator OF
the comical party said 20 the valet You tell your
master, who wears usriOus name and a Chris
nan first name made listriois by a King Of Mace
donia, that. after having made with rs appoint
mcnt he Is cheating us Then. turning 10 the
Anarchist carrying III" kettle. he added Place this
carefully here, and do not overthrow IT, The fright
cncd valet fed hurrlcdly In terror, samming the
door the unwclcomc visitors. The valet Of the
Duke d'Anmalc, had no, the same fears and he
threw the kettle violently upon the ground The
Duchess dues. 10 whom a visit paid. because
she literary woman. worthy, said Achilc lie
Roy, TO he AcademIcIan. received the candidate.
his friends and the reporters cordially and shook
hands with them, assuring them that she pracisrd
Socialist doctrines In her relations with her vine
yard workIncn In Champagne.
On the third day OF these p"regrinatons the police
nierercd with the promenade OF the party, becais"
Achille lie Roy had made the steps OF the Pan.
tIIeOn. eulOgy OF MiIlcre. a member OF the Paris
Commune who had been shot al that place. The
candidate. his friends and the reporters
rested and roughly handled by the policemen. The
fardcal comedy was ended but Il protest against
the police was signed by all the reporters.