The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-08

tain rumors which had been circulated concerning
her sex and parentage, she conitlvea ihaI tne en-
Many prominent people wrote TO her expressing
their sympathy and regrets
In 1928 n friend and correspondent Nine de
$, a niece OF the Postmaster General Of France.
persuaded her uncle 10 appoint Nile. dc lhnEe
pOstmlstrcas AT Nillcjuif near Paris but Ill
health and bad temper compelled her to resign
In 1924, through the influence Of the Marguisc dc
Vernon n lodging in the palace OF Versailles, No.
10 in the Marble Court was assigned TO her. In
1882, in common with all its other occupants she
was compelled to vacate the palace of Versailles
She had for several years been comfortably pro,
vidcd for by her pensions and, in addition had
received continuous pccunary assistance from
many sources She saved money, which she lent
to friends as investments, on which she carefully
SSSSed the interest SGG ssG used 70 nSt
and friends As time passed, and she became an
old woman, she remembered thnt small presents
friendship alive, and she distributed such tokens
with much tact They consisted Of nccdlcwOrk,
BS1Cs and ether small ac Of Of ed Oh
Vernon wrote. Tho purse Is g arming." Apc-
ture sent 10 the Duke Of Doudeauville brought a
givcr Rochefoucault wrote a very pretty letter
OF thanks for smoking cap.
With increasing age, her temper grew worse.
but her many friends hundreds OF whose letters
and invitations to weddings, parties christening
and funerals, many OF them signed with the noblest
and most famous names OF France she carefully
preserved attributed her ill-humor, vapors and
ingratitude to her state Of health, and forgnve
She complained Of ill-hcalth during all her long
life, and frequently consulted physicians How
seI from them; or was her lifelong deception aided
by their professional obligation Of secrecy? Yet
character ~ have kept all her life friendships and
regard which were certainly not due to her fortune
In 1859 Mile de LANCE returned TO Versailles,
and lived there until her death. When seen on
the street she was described as tall and thin. a
little bent to one side, using an umbrella OF par
asol as cane Her gait was stiff and slsw the
expression Of her fTcs harsh Her expressive sn.
she always seemed pIeoccupied The fashion
OF her dress was that OF the First Empire or Res
toration. She always wore q shawl and n black
cap whose Outings enclosed her face, and over
that an enormous hat
Toward the close Of her life her appearance
became so masculine that as she passed, men
stopped in the street turned and said, How
much she looks like man in wonan's clothes: ,
in any house in which she lived she promptly
moved And yet the truth was never very strong.
y suspected until after her death. which occurred
Mile Savalettc de LANCE died May 8, 1858
The certificate Of death reads:
Died on May q. 1883, at . o'clock in the morn
ing, at his residence No II Rue lu Marchc Neuf,
| an unknown person who had lived under the
name Of Henrietta Gcnny Savalci'e Dclangc,
unmarried, and of no profession, born -- in
The French Government took possession OF
the effects OF the deceased as those OF one who
died leaving no heirs The inventory summed
up over 10000 francs One item consisted 1T
n largo bcdSpread Of fine Euipurc ACC with an
oval medallion in the centre enclosing a cot
of arms the letters &C r" intcra ed and officially
appraised at 80 francs The official catalogue
Of the sale described il thus.
"A magnificent bcdspread in fine guipurc lace
in perfect condition, once the property Of the
Crown OF France. with hcraldic bearings. shield
| and allegoricS This may be considered a unique
WORK Of art"
This bedsprcad had once covered Louis XIV s
state bed II to-day lies on the state bed Of Louis
XIV at Versailles from which it was stolen during
the Revolution How did it come into the posses
sion of the pseudo woman Mile Savacte dc
LANCE That has never been answered