The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-17


noted novelist and dramatist, died at 10
o'clock tonight. He was dining with his
family and was in excellent spirits when
he was seized with a sudden syncope. Ply
| sicians were summoned, but he died almost
| Immediately. Daudet was fifty-Seven years
| DID, and had been in feeble health for some
| time.
Alphonse Daudet, who, in the estimation
| of the critical shares place among the
worlds colossal literary figures was almost
| exclusively known in America as a novelist
Even in this country, to which so much that
is French is foreign in all respects, the uni
versatility of Daudet's genius as a depicter
of life in story has been fully recognized,
and everything new in fiction from his pen,
in recent years, at least, has been almost
| instantly popular Daudet had the begin
ming of many great genius. He was era
died in poverty and his youth had hardships
| whose sinister traces the great success of
later years could not obliterate His in
valdsm late in life was legacy of early
suffering.
Daudet was a naturalist more after the
| heart of Gustave Flaubert than after that
of Emile lola. He had the refined taste and
delicate touch of the true-born artist Still
he never scared into the higher heights of
n,
| derful world of Paris posed before Daudet
just as model poses before a painter in
| his studio. Although he never achieved the
| notoriety gained by lola, nor have his
| WORKS reached such vast editions as the lat
| terS, he was considered one of the fore
most writers of fiction in France his
| WORKS are by no means intended for chill
| dren, but they do not swarm with Vulgari-
| ties, as do Zola's. The name Daudet is ia
| nous In the literary world, Ernest Daudet,
brother of Alphonse, having been one of the
| leading journalists of Paris.
M Alphonse Daudet was born on the 18th
| or May, 1910, in the town of Mines, in
Languedoc, and inherited the hot tempera-
| ment and generous enthusiasm of the in
| habitants of that fairy spot in France
| Daudets father was a silk merchant who
| mad been fairly well-to-do until his stores
| We're burned and his workmen struck for
| lily were financially ruined, and had to re-
move 10 Lyons, in the Lyceum of which
town Daudet prosecuted his studies At the
| age or sixteen he entered, in the capacity of
| tutor, the College de Sarlamb, where he
vegetated for little over a twelvemonth
| until he could resist no longer an overpow-
| ering desire that had taken possession Of his
| soul to come to Paris and join the countless
ranks OF the literary Bohemians.
When Daudet reached Paris he went
| stralghtWay to hotel in the Latin quarter
Inhabited by his brother Ernest, who was
! getting 30 francs month as secretary to
| pussy over his memoirs. Alphonse Daudet
mad very hard tussle with fortune at the
| start, ere the tickle goddess smiled on his
| labors He had often to subsst on a cents
| worth of bread and a 2-cent sausage as his
daily meal. He was young and unknown
| and although he might have talent enough
| and more than enough to do some report
| ing, he was politely told everywhere that
thoughts to poetry, and, having written a
hundred or so of love pieces he collected
them together and sold them for a tri1e to
a publisher, who launched the production
under the title, of Les .Amouruses." Re
| sembling, as they did, somewhat Tom
Moore's Loves of the Angels" and breath
70 hot
vid, these lyrics were well received
by the public. They captivated the
fancy of the Empress Eugene. and M. De
Morny, who was then the great dgnatory of
| the empire, read them, it is said, with such
pleasure that he .patronized young Alphonse
ana appointed him soon afterward his Fri
| vate secretary at handsome salary.
While he was in the employment of the
Duke de Morny. he wrote for the Figaro,
| and made his name as a true Partisan jour
| nalist, welding facile pen, and having the
light, airy style SO much In harmony with
| the literary tastes of newspaper readers.
The duke; whom Alphonse .afterward de.
picted as De Mora in his novel, LIE Nabob."
was the creme de la creme of kindness and
affability toward his secretary. The youngs-
ter had little to do save cut the leaves of
| recently published volumes and draw a pen
| ell line at the margin of certain paragraphs
| which the duke might find of interest in per-
| using. From time to time Daudet was per-
mitted to go travelling all over Europe and
| Algiers. During his visit to the dark CONT
| nent Daudet wrote letters which created a
| great sensation in literary circles through
/
| months in Provence and Corsica, and his
contributions to the press from each of these
places were interesting When he became so
| celebrated as a writer that he could dis
| pense with further patronage on the part of
the Duke de Morny, he gave the Vaudeville
Iheater, in 1868, one-act drama entitled
| "Frere Aine'' the elder brother), which
pleased both the critics and the public. In
the same year he wrote and published his
| charming autobiography called LIE Petit
| Chose He did not write his famous
'Sappho" until 1884, and IL Immortel''
| of Fremont Jeune ct Risler Ane" Jack"
| lie Nabob," "Numa Roumestan," Il Evan
gelite" and 'Tartarin sur les. .Alpes, which
with "Tartarin De Tarascon," constitute the
fantastic series with Tartarin as the hero
Daudet's first play. The IDOL" was pro-
duced at the Odeon in 1862. The following
55The Absen rtt9 In 1854 'sT'oiellet Blanc
| Crhe White Pink, which was first called
Itical reasons. was produced. His next
| dramatic venture. in 1863 was "Frere
Aine" CThe Elder Brotherl, but this made
no, great impression. In 1863, at the Vaude-
vile, was produced his lie Sacrifice" and
| this was most favorably received. In 1874
Daudet was asked to take. charge of the
| dramatic criticisms of the Journal Official,
| the organ of the French government.
In 1872 he wrote L Arlesienne," which
CHARMING and human Of his plays s and for
! which BiZet. the composer of Carmen"
| wrote exquisite music. But the play was too
| simple and idyllic to appeal to the jadad
| palates of the Parisians at the time. 1t was
| revived. however, at the Odeon in 1885 and
| scored a tremendous success. Such is public
caprice In 1872. also. 'Lise Tavernier was
produced at the Vaudeville. 1t was success
| full. In collaboration with ElZear Daudet
| dramatiZed his novel lie Nabob" which
i produced at the Vaudeville in 1883. In
| collaboration with Lafontane he dramat-
| tiZed his Jack" which was produced at
| the Odeon in 1881. In collaboration with
| Delair he dramatized his Les Rois en-
! EXil" which was produced at the Vaude-
vile in 1888. In collaboration with Belot his
! "Sappho" was put in stage form and pro-
| the same assistance he dramatized his
| Fremont Jeune ct Riser Aine," which was
! put at the Gymnase in 1886.
| In 1887 Daudet wrote 'Ilmmortel" a
| 50 tire on the French Academy. One of the
| personageS of the book Paul Astier. is the
| symbol of all that is evil, INSCRIPTIONS and
| criminal in the young men of the day. who
| sacrifice everything to attain their ends. He
! is the prototype of the men whom Daudet
| calls 1.-THE struggers for life" The sequel
! TO this book was his play, La Lutte pour
! la Vie with the English subtitle. "Strug-
! gle for Life" This play was produced at
! the Gymnase on Oct. Is, 1889. 1t is a prob
! lem play, admirably constructed ending
| with a wholesome and logical though a
| tragic denouement. This play enjoyed a
run. At the same theater in 1890 Lob
| stacle'' was produced. 1t was an interesting
| drama, but seemed to lack elements of pop
ularity His latest play-also produced at
the Gymnase-was the drama which Mrs
| Fiske produced two years ago under the
title of The Queen of Liars" Few OF
Daudet's plays have been seen in this coun-
try Fremont Jeune Ell RiSler Aine'' was