Evening star., 1897-02-13

coStumed like an
Arab, makes his way
down to the waters edge, and, taking off
his red Algerian morocco shces-he wears
no socks-proceeds with utter nonchal-
ance to wash his feet. Then he is seen to
pray, his face turned toward the east;
and all the people cheer. Dispensing they
discuss the matter with more interest than
they would give to political happenings of
infinitely greater note. For it is politi-
cal happening, this washing of the Nus
sulman deputy's'' feet. and this man, DR..
Grenier-not despite his eccentricities, but
because Of them-may wash and pray him.
self into great power. Already he is
Partisan notoriety, truly as is Presi-
dent Felix Faure, the painter, Puvis de
Chavannes; the poet. Coppae; the play
wright, Sardou; the physiologist, Roux;
the engineer, Eiffel, or the actress, Bern
hardt.
Sudden Prominence.
Here is an obscure French doctor, who
popping up most unexpectedly from :;c-
where in particular, as a Partisan of no
importance-merely a provincial deputy
like other hundreds-has yet known how
to force himself upon the public in two
short weeks by a series of such eceentrici-
ties as to raise doubts of his sanity
one nAIlO ana grave Tears OIL MS future
influence on the other His specially is
to declare himself q Mussulman in religion.
But there have been many European Mus
sulmens and are today. 1t must he that
DR.. Grenier is Mussulman and a half
of the Palais Bourbon. its lavabos and its
corridors, and the assistance of the horde
of journalists who haunt its courts, its
smoking rooms and buffets. Possessed of
such q status from the first, though trifiing
real. his picturesque ipromenades from
Vaugirard to MontmartFe and his sudden
takings at the hours of prayers, no matter
where, even on the scoffing Boulevard,
have led him far.
How Turks md Arabs Regard Him.
DIR. Grenier dresses IKE an Arab of the
Arabs; he is perfect in his get-up; perfect
in his way, indeed, which has brought him
rebuke from doctors Ct Islamic law Ac-
cording to admirable precept of the
Koran, true believers are bade Ito reserve
judgment when one cannot pronounce with
eXactitude on sure information.' while an
other forbids all good iMussulmans TO put
liz doubt the sincerity of a conversion.
Therefore. the promiE ent Turks and Arabs
resident or temporarily in Paris at the pres
ent moment lament the enthusiastic doc
tors iEdiscretiCns with the utmost reserve
Mehemed IL UbeSd "A llah sHod jaza de. . lat e multi
and director Of the "Sade." q famous Ma
hometan ecclesiastic of Constantinople has
gone so far as to declare to a reporter that
lit all looks very funny. -" ParIicu-
larly, because the case Oft Mussulman in
your chamber of deputies has not been
foreseen. At nstant.nople, of course,
prayers and ablutions are provided for"
And each time a minister receives a
letter, does he kiss it and invoke the name
of Mahomet?" inquired the interviewer.
mo! Does your man do that?'
Our man does that, indeed and many
other pfous acts. He tried to wash his
feet in the Palais Bourbon lavatory, and
now goes to the river Seine, at the ap-
pointed hour
But" interrupted the late mufti, there
Is no appoin ed hour in that sense In or
DIR to avoid scandal or inconvenience the
law permits believer to perform all his
day prayers and ablutions together. at one
time, in the evening for instance, " hen one
is at home alone
Curious but Obsolete Practices
This is the most serious complaint against
DIR. Grenier that he is ostentaticus in his
new faith. The facts appear to be that he
having read too many mystical, transcen-
dental and even schisma;ic Arabic theolo-
gians. presumably of lons-past schools for
the most part-has fallen in love with c.
cult ceremonals unknown to the modern
rank and file in Islam; such as making rev.
erence to the PalsAs- Bourbon clock-in lieu
of the sun dial of Granada-kissing the
stores of the Palais-Bourbon steps and
splitting when he sees dog or a hump
back, and many other quaint and curious
prac ctices. Most notorious have been his
"ablutions.'' Forbidden to wash his feet in
the lavatory of the chamber of deputies,
he adjourns to the river in from: of the
palace. The latest news Is that his fellow
members, to avoid the scandal, have voted
the erection for him Of a little worshipng
ard washing room inside tine palace where
he may disport himself in the discretion
that becomes French leStsla tor.
Astonishing Spectators.
And all this is Absolutely true withou. 4
word of exaggeration. Indeed, it is much
less than the truth. as new explosions of
Mohometan devotion are recorded by the
daily press Of Paris morning AMI evening
with the regularity of weather and Eourse
reports.
For example, the day before Yesterday
he was seen on his knees halfway up the
great stone stairway of the Rue Lepic at
Montmartre. But what was the astonish-
ment of the spectators to observe that he
was bowling and gesticulating toward the
west instead of the sacred east. Il am new
to Paris" he explained sheepishly, land 1
forgot to bring out my compass this morn
ing." And yesterday morning the passen-
gers in an Auteuil- Madeleine omnibus were
surprised to see him, With sudden gesture
after an examination OF his watch fall to
his knees on the omnibus floor, rest in that
attitude a moment and dsthen get up and
resume the reading of his newspaper. He
has been seen to do his prayers in the
lobby of theater, oman Island" in the
InluQle Oh tQo AVENUE uosl opera, ana IN q
Duval restaurant at lunch time. AS it may
be imagined, such performances cannot go
on without remark. BHt-and this is very
curious-such Is the peculiar position Of
religion In Paris that where a fanatic
Christian of no matter what particular sect
would be insulted and lsperhaps arrested
for a tithe Of such overtsacts, the Moham-
etan is smiled on withtigood nature-tol-
Grated, almost petted. ard-though joked
enough-excused, explained apologized for
and commended by tho common people,
in the press and by philosophers ro-
mancers, poets and wits, humorists and
Who He Ii.
It is natural that people should want to
know who DIR. Philippe Grenier is, and
how he came to be elected to the chamber
of deputies. The information Is not lack
ing Every Paris daily and all Of the week.
lies have sent artists and interviewers TO
the town of Pontarlier. up in the noun
tains on the Swiss frontier, from which he
halls. There the most remarkable revela-
tions left them utterly nonplused, with
out leg for their ypreconceived ideas and
theories to stand on. Instead OF being q
Joker, self-seeker or visionary dreamer,
the French Mussulman-a convert Ave
years back when he was in Algeria-en-