The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-30

fail to understand what there IL about the
man worth looking at. He has an austere
face. his body is bent at the shoulders, he
is dressed severely in black and attends to
his business quietly without the least dis
position to assert himself or intrude upon
other people. He is advanced in years,
with hair gray or silver white. that is, if
he has any hair left. for very often his
head is quite bald. You wonder who he is
and ask some one.
He is one of tho Immortals," 10 the
answer. and your informant points to the
little button on the lapel of the gentle
mans coat. which tells of his glory.
Whenever one of these Immortals dies.
for die they do quite regularly in spite of
their immortality, there is great stir in
literary Paris. A great many people pre-
tend to be sorry the great man is dead, but
are not really. In their hearts they are
glad, because. they cay to themselves,
that now another chair is vacant and
somebody else will have chance.
Perhaps will be the next man, who
knowsf" is the reflection of many an
aspirant. but he keeps it way down in his
own breast and tells it to no one, for it is
bad form to acknowledge that you would
like to be an Immortal.
NJ SooheI IL olS "a tn0
"forty" laid away in the cemetery at Pere
la Chaise than the gossips In the world OF
letters begin wagging their tongues about
his probable successor. There are great
discussions and arguments on the subject
over the o'clock absinthe in numerous
Bohemian cafes, and fair ladies In the
salons of the ST. German quarter discuss
the chances OF this one and that one with
far, rstx Ia rl, tsoo 10 fh,f
portant role women play in securing the
coveted places No one will ever know,
for the simple reason that no one will ever
tell, just how much a particular candidate
who has been chosen owed to particular
pair OF bright eyes, and to the persuasive
eloquence oil a certain soft and caressing
voice. This is part OF the unwritten his
tory of the academy.
There are usually a dozen aspirants for
an empty chair, and their life during the
canyass-for they make a regular canvass,
just as politicians dds a burden 10 them
selves ana all their friends. If it We're not
the custom IL would seem undignitied for
the most famous literary lights to be thus
running about from house to house. from
one person 10 another, using such int.u-
ences as they possess with each 10 further
the great end in view and for the time
into literary wire puilers. Many of the de-
tails OF the canvass are entrusted TO their
wiyes-f they have any-or to the next
best available female substitute, il they
have not.
OF course the great points to be assailed
by the respective applicants are the homes
of the men who are already immortals and
upon whose votes Will depend their
failure or success. These venerable
gentlemen have to give many hours
10 receiving the various candidates
who, great men though they are
already and famous and rich. present
themselves with huttering hearts at the
doors where they knock SO often in vain.
The lmmortals make 1t a point 10 receive
these ANXIOUS guests with bland and en-
couraglng manner. The trouble is they
are apt 10 encourage all alike, which does
not mean very much, and IL has become a
rroEern that man who bases mis- hopes
on these pretunctory promises IS twining
rope OF sand. Nevertheless there Is a
strict etiquette III the matter and these
ceTemonions and rather Illuminating calls
must be made today as they nave been
made Tor 1p or 80 years past, ever since
oaFdlnal Aichelieu founded the Academy
IN loss.
At last the day Of election comes. after
al! this tax and hope and effort, after
many }eaiousles and heart Durnungs. The
academy assem- n.es in the somoer hall OF
the Mazarl1 palace set aside Tor i'm portant
dei!oeF4tlons- rs walls are lined with
marble Dusts OF Immorfals who aave
passed away, and over It's huge fireplace
hangs painting of CariIna! Elchelleu.
who looks down. smiling. upon The scene
His crimson robes of office brighten the
dark wainscoting of the room. and his
wonderful eyes furnish inspiration 10 his
disciples
Ihs Asxazin palace, which u the home