Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-02-24
A Talk with Madame DPeYiUS.
HER STORY ABOUT HER HUSBAND, THE
FAMOUS PRISONER OF
DEVILS ISLAND.

I HER STORY ABOUT HER HUSBAND, THE
FAMOUS PRISONER OF
DEVILS ISLAND.
This interview with Madame
D.eyfus has been obtained by Miss
/ Mary Spencer Warren only after
great difficulties. Her correspon-
dence while she was IN Paris was
tdmpered With, and even the letters
to Out Office have met With similar
treatment.
| am writing this in Paris. where
nearly every question Of the day Is
celegated to the background, ana
the Dreyfus case is still tha one
absorbing topic Of the hour.
Furthermore, 1 have just returned
10 the city from lOug and inter
esting chat with the muchto-be-
pJied, brave and truehesrted lady
who is one of the victims OF thls
nineteenth century tragedy. 1t IS
not easy accurately to picture the
situation hefe-tbe difficulty one
/ has in gaining even the location of
Madame Alfred DreyiuS. People
are simply afraid to say what they
know, they may De speaking to a
police spy; and whatever their own
ptlvate opinion may lie, thev would
rather no; state it, or, in fact, be
drawn into any conversation on
the subject. Said a prominent
/ Ftench parsonage to me when we
we're discussing the matter to-
eether: "Do not write to Madame
Drel ius and trust TO the post; your
letter Will be opened. Go to htI;
or, if you have anything You wish
to say by letter, send trus'y
messenger, or deliver 1t personal
lly." Tnis from a country whose
boast is Liberty, Equality, Fra
ternityw
For some time Dov Madame has
resided at quiet little village On
the Seine, few miles out of Paris.
Here she can obtain greater seclu'
sion for herself, with fresh country
an and the delights of a garden
for her children. The village IS
beautifully situated, and the house
stands in a charming garden,
hight with oweI-beds and lawn,
asnked by pue, acacia and other
trees. The letter which I had care
/ fully deposited in the hands OF a
servant IF the house two days be.
fore had prepared Madame DrtyfUs
for my visit, and in a few moments
afte1 arrived we were engaged 10
an animated conversation.
The frst thing of " hlch l became
convinced was that the lady With
whom l was taking was extreme
Is anxious to avoid all unnecessary
publicity. Well aware of the great
interest the countries of Europe
are taking 10 the painful case OF
her husband, and compelled as she
il by the force Of circumstances 10
keep herself before the public, yet
she shrinks palpably from self ad'
vertisement, and would prefer, If
possible, to live altogether apart
from the world. For the chill.
dren's sake" bright, cheerful
| face bellies the aching heart that
must he the lot of her who is
foreiby separated from one who Is
dearer to her than life itself. And
for "the chidIen's sake" the
mother has an added desire for
seclusion. The 6rlght-e, ed, merry,
and altogether light hearted little
ones do not understand the sad
tragedy that has darkened their
home; they think that tbeir father
is travelling, and talk joyfully OF
his retnrn, planning in their art
less way the many things TO be
done when father comes home
II Is better 20 keep them IN re
spouse to my request for photo
graphs, MliaDe ID eyfus tells me
that she is sorry 20 have 10 refuse,
but that she does not wish either
her Own or her chlldTen's features
TO become familiar 10 the public
There are no photographs of elthel
Of them IN existence, and she would
rather that such cOntiuue to be the
case. One could bc both indelicatt
and unkind; but when | sought
permission to reproduce the por
+ trait of Captain Dreyfus, l wat
rather surprised to hear that the
gentleman had only been photo
graphed once in his life-that wa
many years ago, when be was
young lleuteDsnt-it was done D!
a friend aud bore very little re-
semblance TO the clever and ener
getlc Captain OF The stan OF NOR
recent days. Any portrait whicl
: has appeared of either husband o
vile is neither authentic nor au
u .lo,;zad and ia in fact only lfn