Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-25

st. Louis Republic: Every now and
then, in walking about Paris, sometimes
( in the libraries, sometimes in the book
shops, sometimes along the bOulevards,
you meet a man with nothing paticu-
Larry striking in his appearance who
seems, nevertheless, to attract atten-
ton. Every one turns to look at him.
Men whisper mySteriOuSly as he walks
| by Women look at him admiringly
And yet, for the life Of you, you fail
to understand what there is about the
man worth looking at.
He has an auStere face his body is
bent at the shoulders, he is dressed Sc
verely in black and attends to his bust
ness quietly without the least diSpo-
sition 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 the ImmOrtalS,' is the
answer, and your informant points to
the little button on the lapel of the
gentlemans 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
a great stir in literary Paris. A great
many people pretend to be sorry the
great man is dead, but are not really.
In their hearts they are glad, because,
they say to themselves, that now an
other chair is vacant and somebody else
will have q chance.
No sooner is one of the world
renowned forty laid away in the
cemetery at Pere La Chaise than the
gossips in the world of letters begin
wagging their tongues about his prob
able successor.
There are great discussions and argu-
ments on the subject over the o'clock
abSinthe in numerous Bohemian cafes,
and fair ladies in the salons of st.
Germain quarter discuss the chances of
this one and that one with familiari-
ty which testifies to the important role
women play in securing the coveted
places. No one will ever know, for the
the simple reason that no one will ever
tell just how much a particular can
didate who has been chosen owed to
the persuasive elOquence of a soft and
caressing voice. That is part of the
unwritten history of the academy.
The last Immortals to pass away
were Ernest Renan, Camille Rousset
and Xavier Mariner. In the election
held a few days ago to choose success
ors Viscount Henri de Barnier, the poet,
and M. Thureaus-DOngin, the historian,
were elcted. Emile lola, who comes
up serenely each time a vacancy occurs,
with the stern demand that recognition
be paid him, was a candidate, but was
defeated for the third time.
Victor Hugo was defeated several
times. There are usually dozen as
pirants for an empty chair and their
life during the canvass for they make
a regular canvass, just as politicians do
is a burden to themselves and all
their friends If it We're not the Gus
tom it would seem undignified for the
most famous literary lights to be thus
running about from house to house,
from one person to another, using such
| influences as they possess with each
to further the great end in view, and
for the time being turning themselves
body and soul into literary wirepullers.
Many of the details of the canvass
are intrusted to their wives-if they
have any-Or to the next best available
female substitute, if they have not.
OF course the great points to be as
sailed 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 to receiving the various candi-
dates, who, great men though they are
already and famous and rich, present
themselves with futtering hearts at
the doors where they knock so often
in vain.
The Immortals make it point to re-
ceive these anxious guests with bland
and encourag ing manner. The trouble
is that they are apt to encourage all alike
which does not mean very much, and
it has become a prOverb that a man
who bases his hopes on these perfume
tory promises is tWining rope of sand.
| Nevertheless there is strict etiquette
! in the matter and these ceremonious
and rather humiliating calls must be
made today as they have been made
/ for 200 or 800 years past, ever since
/ Cardinal Richelieu founded the acade-
my in 1886.
! At last the day Of election comes,
after all this talk and hope and effort,
after many jealousies and heart burn
] ings. The Academy assemblies in the
somber hall of the Mazarin Palace set
aside for important deliberations It's
walls are lined with marble busts Of
Immortals who have passed away, and
over its huge fireplace hangs a paint
ing of Cardinal Richelieu, who looks
down, smiling, upon the scene His
crimson robes of office brighten the
dark wainscoting of the room, and his
wonderful eyes furnish inspirat ton to
his disciples.
The Mazarin palace, which is the
home of the ImmortalS, stands on the
southern bank Of the Seine, just OPP
posite the Louvre. In front of it rises
in the open place statue Of Voltaire,
who was an Immortal in his day, but
had to wait like lola for the honor.
The building is old and rambling, with
high stone walls around it and rough
~ paved courtyard inside. At the top
of the main structure rises a massive