The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-10-14

without observation. The partner of his joys and sorrows may be as promi- nent as himself. No one inquiries into their relations. Their relations do not interfere with their being received any where where they would be received did their relations not exist. But let them marry and at once they are ostracised. Their most intimate friends will cut them deader than a door nail. They will be barred out and barred in In vain will they appeal to moral sense. By their former conduct they forfeited right of appeal. Society will not revive it on their behalf. The idea of decking past misdeeds With the robe of virtue is utterly abhorrent to French taste. Since Molicre wrote '"rartufe" hypocr- sy is worse than murder. There is nothing artistic in conformation. When you have chosen your colors stick to them
 Nearly thirty years ago there was an actress at the Theatre F'rancais who was as attractive off the stage as on it. She. was beautiful graceful, amiable, in every way accomplished, most refined, exquisitely elegant She was great favorite at Napoleon's court and an in
 
 Nobles bowed down before her She was a welcome guest everywhere. No reunion seemed complete without her presence. At the same time there was a painter whose position in his art was as high as her position in her art. He was professor at the Ecole des BeauX Arts, He was a member of the Legion d'Honneur He enjoyed every promo
 
 the capitals of Europe He named his own prices. He, too, was as delightful a creature as ever drew the breath of life. He was happy as bird His soul overfowed with goodness. His purse was wide open to his friends. No one came near him without feeling the spell of his temperament, the charm of his brilliant humor the comfort and peace of his wonderfully sympathetic affec- tion The relations existing between the two were well known They did not in the slightest degree affect the social standing of either, except that it was understood that where one was asked the other must also be asked His fam fly received her openly and with pleas ure. Whenever he threw open his ate Her to his friends and acquaintances she received them with the air of a queen and presided with wonderful tact and skill.
 One unlucky day it came into their heads to get married. Instantly every thing changed. They were cut by eve rybody. Their names were stricken from every fashionable visiting list in the city. The doors of Napoleon's court were shut in their faces The Princess Mathilde withdrew her friendship and even her acquaintance. His former friends crossed streets to avoid meeting him. So strong was public opinion that she was drawn from the stage and compelled to retire on a small pension, while his pictures lost commercial value The two poor old things retired to little town away from Paris and lived miserably. They grew cross and sullen to even the very few who would not forsake them. Finally even against these they barred their door. They pre- ferred to be alone and were left alone The rushing world flowed by. covering them with complete forgetfulness The wife died. Her soul was too sensitive The visitations of the cruel world killed her. Then. presto. another
 
 at the funeral; at once he was back again in his old position. more honored and beloved than ever. He was promo ted in the Legion d'Honneur and was then made a member of the Institute the very highest honor to which ali ar tist can possibly attain. But joy had left his eye, health had left his cheek He was sad and silent. From every ap- proach of sympathy and affection he drew away. No one knew his thoughts, though all might read them. His pie tlfres were but sad reminders of his former skill and gladness Finally he died, stricken down at once by one blow of the dread conqueror. The French are queer people.
 Rochefort will escape such fate, for in his class it matters little whether people are married or not. There is nobody to cut his acquaintance, for all respectab ble people cut his acquaintance years ago. This is his third matrimo- nial episode. The wife of his youth and virtue died at the beginning of his radi- cal career. From No he obtained a trench divorce not so very long ago. If it can afford No. 2 any satisfaction to call herself Madame Rochefort do let the poor thing have it. Perhaps this was Rochefort's motive. Rochefort is at present the editor of a little penny sheet called 'L'Intransigeant," which means literally The Uncompromising. It seems to be the mission of this sheet to find fault with everything and with everybody. But no one pays any atten- tion to it any more. Rochefort is a very weak ignorant and superficial cynic. as incapable of doing harm as he is indiSpoSed to do good. His views on art are as worthless as his views on law or religion. France left him behind twenty years ago, and all other rubbish of his class and school.
 Warm, pleasant weather has come again and all Paris is rejoicing. One began to doubt whether there was such d season in France as autumn. Days of cold rain succeeded one another with such persistence that it seemed as if they were to be perpetua1ly continued Now the sun shines and is warm. the birds sing and are glad, and the sad au- tumn flowers are trying to make believe that spring is coming. PERIANDER,
 SOME VERY CURIOUS RELICS,
 Some time ago report was current in the continental newspapers that a Paris dealer in antiquities was offering for sale the skin of the serpent that