Evening star., 1899-04-01

less carpets and historic cabinets tables,
chairs, wardrobes and bedsteads. The late
president revcled in display. He found
none Of the national treasures too precious
to decorate the presidential home NJ.
Loubet, severe republican of simple tastes,
has ordered nothing, but, on the ther
hand, nothing will be changed. What was
good enough for Felix Faure is good
enough for him.
The Palace of the Elysee is itself one of
the most romantic of the great houses of
Paris. Constructed in 171S for the Comte
d EvereuX, 1t was used afterward by the
beautiful and naughty Madame de Pompa-
dGur. She gave it to her brother, the Mar
quis de Marigny, who enlarged it, During
the revolution it was let out to contractors
for balls, festivals and similar purposes, all
joyous. AT times il was the home of dance
and song. The eye of beauty was no
stranger to it. The roulette wheel clicked
within its halls. Murat lived in it, Napo-
leon retired to it after Waterloo, and in it
signed his abdication. Then the Duke of
Wellington took up his residence in it. The
Emperor of Russia was lodged in it in 1915.
1t was inhabited by the Due de Barry at
the time of his assassination. Prince Napo-
leon plotted the coup d'etat in what is now
the library. 1t has seen many alterations,
or additions, since the beauteous Pompa-
dour took sunbaths at the windows of what
Is the bed chamber of the austere Loubet.
Care of the Palace.
The care of the Palace of the Elysee falls
on NJ de Gourlet, inspector of national
palaces, who is responsible for all the pur-
nlture, the carpets, curtains, tapestries and
hangings SO long as they are in use by each
president. On several occasions he was
much embarrassed by the impulsive gener-
oslty OF Felix Faure. At the time of the
visit of the Car of Russia the cZarna ex-
pressed admiration for a certain old Gobe-
lin tapestry. Permit me to send it to
you!' exclaimed the gallant president NJ.
de Gourlet was worried when the order
came to pack it up. He had to explain to
NJ Faure that while all these fine historic
things We're his to use and even to abuse,
their real owner was, after all, the French
nation. NJ. Faure was highly inceDsed; but
when it was suggested to him that a COPY
could be made, as good the original, by
the present-day manufacturers, he showed
relief. The inspector of national palaces, of
course, meant that the copy should be sent
on to st. Petersburg. 1t appears that NJ.
Felix Faure misunderstood him. AT any
rate, it is Il question whether the czarna
has the original or the copy. The respon-
sibility of such officials as NJ. de Gouret
is great. This is why, on the accession of
each new president. complete inventories
precede survey of the Elyseei in which the
new president takes part to indicate what
ever changes he desires.
On the present occasion NJ. and Nine
Loubet were accompanied by M. de Gourlet
inspector of national palaces; Nj. Loquet
director of the Charlottesville, and NJ Des
Chapeiles, the chef de Bureau des Beaux-
Arts. 1t Is the business of the last-named
official to supply the president with paint
ings, modern and ancient, and to keep the
frescoes of the Elysee in repair.
The Private Rooms.
The first thing to decide was the DISPOSE
ton of the private rooms. NJ. Faure had
kept the private reception cabinet of NJ
Carnot, while completely modifying it's
style. In the time of Carnot it had Empire
furniture, while along one side of the room
ran a large library NJ. Faure ordered this
library moved to the bureau of his secre-
tary general, and replaced it by a superb
Gobelin tapestry. M. Loubet, being of stu
dious taste, like M. Carnot, has called the
books back. Under the Faure regime the
severe Empire furniture followed the Ii
brary, being replaced by the gorgeous Louis
XIV style that, curious,y enough, NJ. Loubet
has retained.
The chairs and sofas do not really date