The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-18
HISTORY FOR FEMALE sUFFRAGIsTs

Madame de Stael was 4 political
woman She took part in the affairs,
public and governmental of France,
with an intensity and prominence
| which charms the female suffragist
advocate hundred years after.
Charming and intelligent as De Stael
was she was not above criticism, al
though the criticism has just leaked out
IN the memoirs of Barras, the Jacobin.
published for the first time yesterday.
Madame de Stael had the fortunes
of that good for nothing galoot, Talley-
rand, at heart, and this is the interview
she had with Barras, as related by
Barras himself:
Mime. de Stael comes to me again on the
morrow in state of terrible perturbation,
her dress IN greater disorder than ever.
her hair disheveled, and a wild look in
her eyes-thiS giving her the appearance
OF having just recovered from an attack
or hysteria or being on the point of having
one. On entering she throws herself
into an armchair, and, Selling my hands,
draws me violently towards and aImos
upon her. calculating in GREATNESS ac-
cents: 'Barras, mon ami, you are the
| only man in the world upon whom 1 rely;
without you we are lost-entirely lost.
Do you know? Q, no. you do not know
or You would not let me remain in such
state OF despair. Do you know she
cotinues, choking with sobs, do you know
what he said. what he told me only just
now?' Who? What are you talking
about. madam 'Barras, mon ami she
repeats, clasping my hands still more
tightly. and rolling her eyes as if she
were in an apoplectic fit. Mon Dieu, I
am talking of our poor Talleyrand. Do
you know what has happened TO him? >
Well, what, madam I have Just left
him; perhaps he is no longer alive: he
told me that he was going TO throw him
self into the Seine If you do not appoint
him minister of foreign affairs. He has
nothing in the world but ten louis Has
he no other resources. no friends?'
Friends, indeedi I, who certainly am a
friend of his, have gladly supported him
until now; his expenses have been very
small, and he has not even hired his car
riage since his return. He goes about
all his business in a cab, he who was ac-
customed to live in such luxury in the
olden days; he has not even a house, al
ways staying with me or with someone
else. To be penniless, to have no lucra-
heap of debts, is a very cruel situation
for man TO be in, and we must get him
out OF it, My dear Barras, we are lost:
Talleyrand Will drown himself, he Will die
If You do not make him minister. #
You have definitely disposed of the foreign
portfolio elsewhere give him any other
and he will DO equally we'll with it
All this" continues Barras. was spo-
ken by Nine. de Stael in the midst of an at
tack of commissions. her almost foaming
mouth betokening the approach of gr,iver
symptoms. l was a prey 10 two very
different sensations; the one was a mix
ture of compassion and terror at seeing
a woman in such a state Of distress in
my house, where she might be found by
anyone without my being able 20 explain
her unfortunate condition satisfactorily
Who would believe that such a state
could result from such a cause? On the
other hand. 1 felt a wild desire 10 burs,
into laughter. that was only restrained
by the terror 1 was in
Nine de Stael. according 10 this tattle-.
clasped his hands and held him so tightly
that Il was Impossible Tor him 10 ring for
the servants.
There were. he continues. n good
many people in my aute-chanlber. some
Of whom had been waiting two hours for
an audience What would all these people
say on seeing such an aE.tated woman
pass out with her dress. too, in 2 state
Of disorder that her attack had only made
worse9 ! fully believe that II had made
TaleyranG's appointment subject 10 a
certain personal and sentimental condi-
ton, Nine. de Stael who offered me what
she called her life and everything else in
the world, would not have been deaf 10
my prayers. But l swear that such an
idea never entered my head and thar M
role in that case would rather have been
q defensive than an aggressive one: and
finally. that those who saw Nine. &c Staei
leave in such state OF distress. and per
chance drew any conclusions frora h-sr
emotion, We're entirely mistaken and have
grossly illuminated me. Never. 51
matter OF This kind, have 7 come out Of 4
similar temptation more Innocent and
more pure.
Madame de S,ael'S conduct with
BarraS would not be- without counter