Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-04
DE LrssErS At HOME.
His Wife and Chiidr~n shield HIa From
News

news.
Paris Letter tothe san Francisco ,rzonaat
The di-sance from The railway station to the
Chateau de Ia Chesnaye-whero the Grand
Francois" lives whose name Is in all mOaths
today. by reason Of the great Panama scandal
is abou, four and half miles. over which We
drove few days ago in a dense November fog.
The chateau, where the De Lcsseps family has
spent i,a summers aud au,umus Tor the la.t
twenty-five years. is situated in a fat, open
country three miles from the little hamlet of
Yatsu.
As We lef; the village discerned through the
fog. standing out between the buildings OF the
large farm attached to the chateau and the
woods Of the adjoining park. the two slender
towers o. the antique residence Of Agnes Sorel.
VI. de Iesseps. as his young family increased.
added new buildings 90 tie former old histori-
cal chateau, and thus transformed il. LITTLE by
little. into n vast phalanstery. where his thir-
teen chiidren-the eldest OF whom is ffty-two
ana the younges; seven wears of sge-and a
number of friends. for ne is most hospitahle
and always has his house full. have passed
happy seasons until these last few dire weeks
Contrary 20 what ovid's proverb SAWS. his
friends have not deserted him in his misfar-
tune, and when we reached the chateau il was
to fud about twenty there who had lately
rived TO offer their assistance aud sympathy.
those who have visited Paris since some i've
/ or six wears ago will remember having seen the
merry procession of children and sraall ponies
scampering out 10 the Bots re Boulogne AZ
break neck speed. accompanied bv their father.
the Comte de Lesseps, who was then y capital
horseman in spite of his wears. OF his re-
manning eleven children seven are at home
studying with two governesses and a tutor. of
his three eldest sons by his second marriage one
IL at Paris preparing to enter the military school
of Saint Cyr. the second, Ismaii. has enlisted an
h. IL r
and is at Saint German. and the eldest, Matthew
dc IeSseps, Is an officer in the regiment Of
Sensalcse Spahis and is at present with thea army
fighting in Africa. This last fact adds much TO
the anxieties of the Comtesse de Lesseps. u
whom the events Of the last two wears
and especially of the hast two weeks. have been
so distressing. but whose courage IN al her
trlais is most admirable. Be-ides being the
great moral support Of the family in these sad
'iays she Is the Lady Bountifrl Of the adjacent
country. the Chateau de In Chesgaye beng the
place of re,ieZvoust for al the poor peasants nthe
neighborhood. who are never sent empty handed
away. TIE state Of her llustrious husbands
health has cast upon her shoulders all the heavy
responsibilities aud cares of her large fatally.
For three Years past the old mans health
has been gradually failing. The Panama dis
aster has completely broken him down. Public
opinion is, even at present. almost unanimous
IN The belief that VI. de Lesseps was ignorant of
the errors of this lamentable affair. But he
felt from the very beginning of the catastrophe
that he-and he alons-would be held respon-
sible for them by ill-informed public. and
his courage. which had never failed during all
the trials Of the last thirty wears was com
pletely shipwrecked by the Panama affair.
On asking. when arrived. how NJ. de Les
seps was. We were told that, having caught cold.
he had been obliged for some days past to Keep
his room. and that his doctor. who had come cat
from Paris the dav before 10 see him. had for
hidden him TO continue .he promenades he had
been In the habit OF taking ia the park. some
times on foot but oftener in bath chair, and
therefore it is needless to say he will be unable
to appear in court tomorrow TO answer to the
grave charge of gigantic ssindiing which Is
brought against him.
About IL O'clock. while We were waiting for
the breakfast bell 10 ring. the Comtesse de
Lesseps took US to see her husband His
physiognomy is bat little changed: his large
black eyes still retain the intensity of their
look and a rare expression of vvacity: his
smile is still youthful and charming a. il WAS
wont to be. His first movement WAS to hold
out his hand to his visitors and his first words:
You will STAY TO breakfast with us, will YOU
not?''
He now spends the greater part of his day ia
reading. His conversation lapses frequently
into long silences. as is often the with old
people He talks but little; his Deafness which
hes lately much increased, prevents him from
joining in general conversation. He does not
know that his Matthew Is in Africa. He
thinks lie has only been ordered TO Marseilles
But his familys greatest care is to keep con-
cealed from him the last terrible news from
Paris. aud he does not know tina. be is sum
moned TO appear in court.
The Comtesse de Lesseps, though full OF sor-
row, looks hopefully to the coming law suit as
the sole solution 10 deliver her from an anxiety
that has become intolerablc.
Il am, she said to us. somewhat of a fatal
list. as INV husband has always been. In the
1 trying DAYS of i- b,, l.alf
in ultimate success; he ALWAYS awaited calmly
the end of events. /, also. am Philosopher of
the same eastern school. From the very first
believed this law suit inevitable. Bnt have no
fear abou. it except for the effect the accusa-
ton would have on him should II come to his
ears. There is final truth and Justice in all
things. and this law snit will prove it, am
sure of one thing and that Is of the absolute in
tegrity and honor of my dear husband and Of
his sons. Errors may have been committed.
false hopes fostered and listened TO. but dis
honest act committed with their knowledge.
neverr
And after she had spoken thus from
her heart when breakfast WAS over the
children and the acknowledgements gath
cred round the old man. They placed
him gently in an arm chair in a boudoir
adjoining the great drawing room. where in a
large. furnished gilt frame, The faded portrait
| of Agnes Sorel, the former chatelaine. smiled
down upon us. One of the old mans elder
daughters went TO the piano and playing softly
a slow waltz lulled her father to sleep. The
younger children went off to play in the park,
and. gathered around the fireplace. we talked in
low voices, every one having but one thought:
IF only can keep him ignorant: il
only he does not see the papers, And
thus sheltered behind a rampant of affec-
ton whose sole aim is to endeayor to shield him
from the terribly imminent sorrow the Grand
Francois" continued to sleep, smiling the peace
ful smile of a child. 1t was a touching sight TO
see this devoted wife and these loving children
united in one thought-to keep him from fur
Their suffering. For three years they have done
this and he is ignorant today of all that has
lately TRANSFERRED TO attack his honor.
Used RARy As A RAIL-