New-York tribune., 1895-12-10
DCMAS'S LAST DAYS.
WHAT HIS FRIENDS THOUGHT OF III,


Paris Letter to The London Telegraph.
Alexandre Dumas fills in private life different
as possible from what he seemed to be In public. The
first @ 81 stranger pn PenE &
10 be naughty and reserved in manner; he had a
piercing eyes, and his replies even to compliments.
were OF the briefest ana most abrupt. He seemed
TO have assumed a habitual attitude OF mistrust,
such as we see in certain wealthy fnancers. who
behave they thought that everybody they sp ak
to wanted to get something out OF them Similarly
Dumas's retcence gave stranger the impression
that he set a watch over his tongue as strict as a
manner melted clean away under the influence OF
intimacy. and gave place 10 an Infinite charm; In
strangers / trying, indeed with some difficulty,
TO recall my own primitive impressions. must con,
him. partly because thought that his earlier writ
ings were calculated to do harm and partly on ac-
count of his apparent dislike TO everything English
AT the time failed to reaze the fuil extent 20 OF the
evoked in the breast of patriotic FTenchmen. They
could not forgive the fortune OF war Which & had
against them and in their Isolation they looked
Alexandra Dumas fills had moreover; personal
ing his works. they did not scruple to take them
without acknowledging. either financially or other
they avaed themselves of their legal rights. but in
the eyes of the person robbed this Is small consoa 20
has not lived in France to realize the amoun, OF i'll
feeling that has been caused by our formerly un-
1ust copyright laws | allude to 1t now in order to
explain. If to justify, the mistrust felt by many
French literary men Aexandre Dumas m @ dah h s,ores &
f6rauded OF his rights But when ne trusted
friend his confidence was absolute and complete
He was delighted to unbend whore he felt that he
was at home and when surrounded by his ntimates
he indulged in fun with the ardor Of a boy, | do
their slave, but to the bonhomie ne exhlpited as
IN as he found nmss Snner pay W6ee he knew
one he would remain silent during hall the meal.
speaker with his brilliant eyes. and 1t was only
when he had taken the measure of every one present
that he would let himself 60 But ne much pre-
ferred dining petit comitc. - . 49,
As has already been stated. NJ. Alexandra Dumas
first began to show signs of falling health IN sep
tember last at Puys. near Dieppe Previously 10 the
beginning of the breakdown of his robust constitution
interesting account to-day of the close OF the play,
writer's ife. NJ. Dumas seemed fuIl OF heaitn ana ha
spoke confidently of his plans, saying that he di
not intend to leave Puys before he had put the I'm
Troublanie.' not the Route de Thebes' of which
50 much has been heard re 9pd 10 aD nesh had % c ls
parts for the leading PLAYERS Of the Theatre S Ffan ran
of the Route de Thebes' and after while re,
mained silent as 10 his prospects saving; How i
the minds Of others. Is it interesting, after all
to know whether or no, Dumas ina h lntehdS no TO Pro pro-
iist returned from London made the dramatist
present OF easy office chair OF English make.
chair. said 1t would suit him admirably and that he
intended with its aid to do work worthy of Ro-
him at Mary and the dramatist seemed 10 have
aged by ten years. He had internal pains, caused,
II
and gooseberries In spite of oncomng inirmity. VI.
Dumas drove out nearly every day, handling the
reins himself? He always attended the meetings or
the French Academy and those OF the Dramatic
Authors Society.
Several of the Partisan papers have ascertainei
from the literary confreres OF the deceased drama
st their ideas and opinions OF Dumas's character
and works VI. Aphonse Daudet is greatly shocked
at the news Of his death. "We were the best OF
friends. and although opinions did not always
coincide l had a profound esteem for his talent.
admired the care with which. TO certain degree,
he tried to turn the stage into the pulpit. Dumas
was a man who endeavored to impress upon his
contemporaries what he believed TO be the truth"
that Dumas wished to pose as educationist,
though he somewhat too dogmatic. The novel
ist claims TO have no special liking for any particular
play OF Dumas, each one possessed some point
self yet much upset speak freely OF his friend.
does he consider the moment has arrived for
criticism. To say that Dumas a great man, II
that he exercised great influence on his time. VI.
high terms of his friend. The playwright however.
declares personally he had feared the worst for
time past. Dumas had lately become de-
pressed and unlike his usual self 1t evident
that the fatal disease had seized him before II be-
came apparent " Emi.e Zola pays warm tribute
to the memory of the dead man. He considers him
a master, but unfortunately their literary paths
were wide apart. Dumas did much for the theatre.
He gave II wider and more generous views. and i'm
bued II with spirit OF boldness and truth He also
the novelist and the dramatic author. The original
Marguerite Gautier In La Dame Camelias,"
Nine. Douche says but little. Each owed the
other his success, but they than
borne some -wlll against the great writer. after
her success In that play, she naturally expected he
would have allotted her the principal role In the
next. o, vantas vanitatum