Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-03-30


office have met with similar treatment.1
I an writing this in Paris, where
nearly every question of the day is
relegated to the background, and the
Dreyfus case is still the one absorb
ing topic of the hour. Furthermore,
I have just returned to the city from
q long and interesting chat with the
much to- -be-pitied, brave and true
hearted lady who is one of the victims
of this nineteenth century tragedy.
1t is mol easy accurately to picture
the situation here-the difficulty one
has in gaining even the location of
Madame Alfred Dreyfusl People are
simply afraid to say what they know,
they may be speaking to police spy;
and whatever their own private
opinion may be, they would rather
not state it, or, in fact, be drawn into
any conversation on the subject.
Said prominent French parsonage to
me when we were discussing the mat
ter together: "Do not write to Madame
Dreyfus and trust to the post; your
letter will be opened. Go to her; or,
if you have anything you wish to say
by letter, send trusty messenger, or
deliver it personally" This from
country whose boast is "Liberty,
Equality, Fraternity"
For some time now Madame has re-
sided at quiet little village on the
Seine, few miles out of Paris. Here
she can obtain greater seclusion for
herself, with fresh country air and
the delights of garden for her chill
dren. The village is beautifully stu
ated, and the house stands in charm
ing garden, bright with fower-beds
and lawn, fanked by pine, acacia and
other trees. The letter which I had
carefully deposited in the hands of a
servant of the house two days before
had prepared Madame Dreyfus for
my visit, and in few moments after
I arrived we were engaged in an ami
mated conversation.
The first thing of which I became
convinced was that the lady with
whom [ was talking was extremely
anxious to avoid all unnecessary pub
licity. Well aware of the great inter-
est the countries of Europe are taking
in the painful case of her husband,
and compelled as she is by the force
OF circumstances to keep herself be-
fore the public, yet she shrinks palpa.
bly, from self advertisement, and
would prefer, if possible. to live alto.
gether apart from the world. "Fol
the children's sake" bright, cheerful
face bellies the aching heart that must
be the lot of her who is forcibly separ-
ated from one who is dearer to her
than life itself. And for "the chill
dren's sake" the mother has an added
desire for seclusion. The bright.
eyed, merry, and altogether light
hearted little ones do not understand
the sad tragedy that has darkened
their home; they think that their
father is travelling, and talk joyfully Of
his return, planning in their artless
way the many things to be done wher
'father comes home" It is better to
keep them in ignorance as long as
posslble; and in response to my re.
quest for photographs, Madame Drey.
fus tells me that she is sorry to have
to refuse, but that she does not wish
either her own or her children's feat
ures to become familiar to the public.
There are no photographs of either OF
them in existence, and she would
rather that such continue to be the
case. One could not press the mat
ter-it would be both indelicate and
unkind; but when 1 sought permis
sion to reproduce the portrait of Cap.
tain Dreyfus, l was rather surprised
to hear that the gentleman had only
been photographed once in his life
that was many years ago, when he
was a young lieutenant-it was
done by friend and bore very
little resemblance to the clever and
, energetic Captain of the Staff of more
, recent days. Any portrait which
has appeared of either husband OF
wife is neither authentic nor author
: lied, and Is, in fact, only imaginative
Madame has no photograph of hel
husband in the house, neither has sh,
the remotest scrap of his writing. The
reason for the non-pCssession of thu
i, latter is obvious; the authorities were
D too anxious to establish the guilt O
the captain to leave much in the hous,
which might be helpful to his de
Tenders.
Much is said about the monthly let
e ters the unhappy prisoner at the Ilt
f du Diable sends to his wife, but no on
q need laud the leniency of the Govern
ment in this respect-these letter
never reach their destination. The,
I go to the Central prison and are ther
= filtered. 1t is only what the authoritie
are pleased to allow which ultimatel
reaches Madame Dreyfus. Even thel
the contents are sad beyond all ex
preston, and though the captain de
. clares his trust in God, and believe
his innocence will be ultimately estab
lished before the world, yet he canno
prevent the ring of despair at his 10
u : and the occasional expression of acut
i. suffering becoming paramount Hi
Q devoted love for his wife runs throug
: every epistle, and one cannot but fee
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