New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15
TOPICS IN PARIS.
THE DEATH OF ARsENE HoUssAYE-HIs
GREAT POPULARITY-M DUVAL
AND HIS RESTAURANTS


amid such a chorus of kindly eulogy ana re-
eret as Arsene Houssaye who has just pce"
"a FRIED of at the ripe age Of eghty-onc oy d"
attack OF bronchitis. There is not one oisse"
tient note: everybody has a friendly worn ="
sav for him. and, as far as one can Juose' "S
has passed through and out Of his long ear'",'
career without either making or leaving s'ns'e
enemy. More than any one else, he person''eu
the true Partisan spirit-indeed, its very qu'"'-
essence with all It's wit It's decacy' us u az
and its frivolity Glance through the lons anu
imposing list Of his plays, novels essays ""'
poems-you will not find one that Is "or'ns -
the name of masterpiece and yet each rehec'"
the true Partisan spirit. Each conveys, some
how or another, the impression OF one OIL 'io'.
perfumed exqusitely painted ana po"ue'cu
beauties teeming over with inconsequehce' me-
lcssncss and dainty paradox tnat eraoeu '
Court of Versailles in the eighteenth cen'".''
Probably his most witty book is his "Histoirc
du auarante- ct -unieme Lauteuil dc Acaoe'''o
Francaise" which IL q species Of satire directeo
against the Academy for keeping Its doors
closed to so many bright stars OF French h'eia-
ture and yet opening them wide to mediocrity.
II was called forth by the defeat SUSTAINED
by his intimate friend, Theophile Gautnier let
SO winning was the personality OF Arsehc riou'
save that recently the Academy eIected MS SUI
Henri almost unanimously. and wneh' at 'he
latter's reception the other day. the Ola seh.'e
man appeared leaning on the arm OIL HID
son. the entire body Of "1mmortals rose
to their feet es a mark Of esteem ana resaro
for the friend of Alfred de Musset. OF PROSPER
Merimec of Eugene Sue. Of Emile de Giraro'h.
Of Nestor Roqueplan. OF VICTOR Hueo al" W
Alexander Dumas pere.
THE MEDAL OF ST. HELENA.
He was. | believe. the last survivor OF those
decorated with the so-caled medal OF d.
Helena. which was conferred only upon those
who had taken part in the wars or the hrs'
Napoeon Inasmuch as he was porn III the
vcar of the battle Of Waterloo, this requires
certain amount Of explanation. He was an III
FAINT at his mothers breast when the ailied
army stormed the city OF Laon. and In the con-
iiot mother and child were wounded oy
thrust of the lance Of brutal CossacK. Arsene
Houssaye bore the scar of this wound 10 MS
diving day. and IT the strength OF ths
cicatrix that. when the order known aS t"e
"Mfdaille de sant-Helene" was first founded
by Napoleon ILL., he successfully put ~"
his name for this decoration
For an entire decade Arsenc Houssaye held the
most Of manaser-in-chef of the Coincide Fran
wrongly ascribed to the influence exercised IN
his bebalf by Rachel and ii was during his ad-
ministraton Of this famous theatre that Got
DeIaunav Bressant Favart and Madeleine Bro
han were elected to membership and made their
dhbuts He resigned the place because ne wouid
NOT consent TO submit to the interference OF the
Imperial Minister Of Fine Arts under whose con-
troll all the subventioned operate ana Ora
matte houses were placed. This. however. ala
not in any way affect his relations with Inc Cour'
Of the Tuileries. where ne was always treated as
an honored guest and the principal members Oh
which never failed to attend the gorgeous enter
tainments particularly the fancy dress ana
masked balls for which he was famous ana
which he organized first al his magnificent man.
sion in the Champs Elysees. and afterward IN
the Avenue Friedand where he lived until his
death OF excellent birth. he came to Paris with
little or no fortune. but achieved great wealth.
partly by his two successive marriages. and
mainly by real estate speculatons at the time
when his friend Baron Haussman, was rebuild
ing Paris.
HOrssAYEs. FATHER AND SON
Nothing was more touching than the affection
that existed between himself and his son. the
Academician. At every entertainment given py
the latter IL was always the handsome ola
father who was placed at the head of the table
70 ia tho honors. while the master OF the house
took his place among the children al the lower
erd thereof: and, when on one occasion the
octogenarian was asked which he considered TO
be the best Of all his works. the one OF which he
was most proud and which was nearest 10 MS
heart he exclaimed with an affectionate glance
at his son, Henri Houssaye! He was very
handsome. indeed that courtly old gentleman.
- ,ahn Of a
ancient regime who were physical well as in
tcllcctual giants compared to the generation OF
the present day who stood six feet and over in
their socks and were magnificent specimens or
manhood. With his long, flowing golden beard
which toward the latter end or MS lie became
of an exquisite silvcry Wilderness, with his erect
and staIwart figure the very last. and his su-
perb carriage Arsere Houssaye was man TO at
tract attention and TO win admiration Wherever
he went and this was. II possible. increased wnen
one heard him speak In his sympatnetlc ana
melodious voice. thoroughly in keeping with his
courtly and gallant utserances
In order TO appreciate the fuss which the news
papers are making here about the marriage Oh
NJ Alexandra Duval 1t is necessary to realize
the fact that the bridegroom elect is the director
and chief proprietor Of that Partisan institution
known as les Bouillons Duval, which In the
last twenty years has become striking feature
OF metropolitan life here Les Bouillons Du-
var Is a concern that owns and controls some
nifty huge restaurants. situated In various parts
Of the capital. where the best and. above ALL the
cleanest food Is served at the lowest prices II is
estimated that nearly forty thousand people are
daily fed at these eating houses OF NJ Duval. and
heaven only knows how many more OF the pau
per class of the population derive their susie
nance from the broken victuals that are dis
tributed every evening to the poor by his orders.
THE ATTRACTIONS OF THE BOUILLONS.
What Is especially attractive about these
'Bouons Duval' is the excellent quality of the
food the rapidty and courtesy Of the service per-
formed by natty-looking "bonnes." and the ex-
quisite cleanliness that characterizcs everything
and everybody In connection with the place.
The prices are low, and It Is difficult TO under
stand how the Duvals father and son. can have
realized such an enormous fortune from the
business Thus you pay one cent for napkin.
two cents for bread, five cents for a bowl OF the
most nutritious and delicious bouion made from
Of