The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-11
n. DAUDET AT HOME.
(Csnei.sed frc. Rspe -

finish with existence. II requires great
deal Of courage 20 Be . suicide. From the
age Ct ISL to the age OF 1871, l was an
usher in school ~ Alais- The children
~ the school we're very cruel 70 me. They
laughed 1t me for my shorssiZhtedness
They played impssh tricks upon me BE-
cause | VAS shortsighsed. Yet | tired to
conciliate them. remember that used
20 tell them stories which made mp As
went along The misery that Afterwards
suffered in Paris vas nothing compared to
that year. ! WAS free in Pans There was
slave. . butt. How horrible It was. and
/ was 30 sensitive lad. ! have told OF
this in the preface to Petit Chose which
by the way. wrote too early. There was
chi d TO whom / had been specially At
tentive, Who had promised me that he
would take me to his parents house dur
ing the vacation. l was 50 pleased and
did 30 look forward to this treat Well,
on the day Of the prizes, after the distri-
button 1t which my young friend had re-
ceived quite . number Of prizes, which he
owed TO my coaching, he led me MP to his
parents, who were standing waiting for
him by grand landau carriage. and said,
Papa. mamma. here is Mr.. Daudet. who
owe all these books.' Well. papa
and mamma. stout bourgeois peo-
pie In Sunday clothes simply
turned their backs on me and
drove of with my young pupil, without
single word. And had so looked forward
to . holiday in the country with the lad,
whom loved sincerely. I could not stand
the life more than . year. and at the ago
Of II went to Paris. without prospects OF
any kind, determined to starve rather
than to continue life Of drudgery. Ny
crother, Ernest, was in Paris ut the time,
Is secretary TO an old gentleman. and he
gave me shelter. had two francs in
.nA evHp AvsA II
had to share my brothers bed. brought
some rubbishy manuscript with me.
poetry chiefly Of . religious character.
my first poem, indeed the first thing
of mine that was printed, was published
in tho Gasette de Lyon in 1855 l was at
that time Is years ODD. 1t was not long
after my arrival in Paris that was left
entirely to my own resources. for my
brother losing his place as secretary was
forced to leave the capital. going into the
country to edit provincial paper: / then
entered upon . period of the blacklist mis-
cry Of the most doleful Bohemianism. l
have suffered in the way of privation all
that mar could suffer nave Known
DAYS without bread; have spent days in
bed because had no boots to 60 out in. /
have had boots which made . squashy
sound each step that / took. But what
made me suffer most was that had often
to wear dirty linen. because | could not
pay . washerwoman. Often l had to fail
70 keep appointments given me by the fair
Il was handsome lad and liked by the
ladies-because vas too dirty and shabby
to 90. / spent three years OF my life in
this way, from the age Of is, when my
brother left Paris, to q
Sat that moment De Morny offered me
employment. His offer came to me in the
midst of horror. shame and distress. He
had heard of me in this way: Some time
before had published my first book Of
poems. . small volume Of eighty pages,
entitled Les Amoureuses.' This book
made my fortune. De Morny had heard
the Brothers LyOnnet recite one of my
poems out Of this book, . poem called
LES Prunes.' at the empress, and l be-
quiries about the poet. Morny sent to
ask me what needed to live on, and. ac-
cepting his patronage. I entered his ser
vice as attache de cabinet. passed at once
from the most dingy Bohemianism
to q butterfly life, learning all that
there is of pleasures and luxury in
existence. But somehow the legend
of my Bohemianism chung to
me. as it has chung 70 me all my life.
Some people could never take me au sericux.
remember that I once dined with the
Due Decazes for the purposes Of one Of my
novels. had written to tell him that I
wanted to make use of his experiences and
the whole meal he related anecdotes Of his
career, but thinking that he had to deal
with q Bohemian he arranged his anec.
dotes, as he thought. to interest me most.
Thus he always began each story with 4
was taking book. suppose he thought
that my idea of life was Of beer drinking in
a cafe. At last said: Your excellency
seems to be very fond Of beer and after
wards added: 1t is . drink that l have
never been able to support He seemed
tn understand what meant and changed
his tone. But just a. left him
IL was at 2 O'Clock in the morn
ing and the lackeys. l remember.
And now let US 60 and lay traps for Bis
marck.' / went away thinking what an
ass the man was TO think that should be-
iieve that he was going to do anything but
60 upstairs to his wife, and he no doubt
went upstairs to his wife thinking what
an ass must be to believe what he had
said. From the age of n only had hap
piness. may say that have been too
happy. ] am paying for iG now. ! believe
that people always have to pay for what
they nave done and what they have en-
joyed, and that there is in life justice and
compensation for ali even on earth. Ev-
erybody's account is settled in this life.
OF this am sure.
'As TO my success. About. writing for
ask me what l was earning. He was
writing something about the incomes Of
various men OF letters, and making up my
accounts / found that the amount OF my
average earnings at that time from litcra-
ture was 5000 francs a year. Two years
later. that is 10 say in 1874, l published
Froment JENNIE ct Riser Aine,' which
brought me great reputation and greatly
increased my income. Since 1873 l have
never made less than loo, eco francs q year.
including my plays and novels. The book
which gave me the most trouble was
'LEvangeliste, because my turn of mind
is not IN the least religious. II was
Il Evangeiiste, also. that provoked
the bitterest criticism, q book which
made me numerous enemies. After
its publication was flooded with
anoqDmoNs letters, some of the most
oifehSive character. l remember receiv-
ing one which was SO abominabie that l
took IL TO Paileron 10 show il to him. and
All who saw II said that it was the worst
thing Of its KIND that they had ever seen.
My way of working 10 irreguiarity
itseif. Sometimes | work for eighteen
hours day, and day after day. At other
times | pass months without touching a
pen. write very slowly, and revise and
revise / am never satisfied with my work.
MY novels always write myself never
could dictate n novel. As to my plays, l
used formerly 10 dictate them. That was
when could walk. had a certain tai
emit III my legs. Since my illness l have
had TO abandon tha. mode OF work,
and l regret IT, / am an impro-
from lola. l am now writing = novel
about youth. called 'Soutien de Fami!le.'
ana these notebooks of mine will show
you my way of work. This is the first