The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-15
Priest and Maid Dead in the
Belfry Of Church.
CLAoUE in THEATRES
Legion Of Honor Decorations Widely
Observation-Disclosures Of Sover-
eIgns Not Always Regal-Glfts
to Military Museums-Notes.
BY MAX o'RELL.

Especial Cable 10 The Times-Dlspatch.
Copyright, leo3.)
Especial Cable to Tho Times-Dispatch.)
PARIS, Feb. 14.-Zola would have
found ample material for novel In
the romantic story which recently toek
place near Toulouse.
Some time ago the priest Wales,
handsome man, was appointed cure Of
the little village Of Carbouse.
He lived with two old maiden aunts
and his grandmother. One morning 1t
was discovered that the young priest and
girl OF eighteen had disappeared.
EVeryWhre vain searches were made.
AT last tho sacristan climbed Up the
belfry, where ne found the body of tho
priest by the side OF that OF the girl
a revolverday between them. Medical
evidence proved that tho priest had shot
the girl and then committed suicide
A letter was found In the priests pock-
ct. stating that he had mistaken his vo-
cation.
He preferred death to sullylng the
purity Of the girl he loved, but he could
not brpok the thought that she should
ever belong to another.
Keep Up Display.
There is considerable list Of Illus
trious persons who have been content
with tho simplest pleasures OF the table.
When Napoleon I. invited guests to
dine they invariably satisfied the inner
man before sitting at his table, for the
menu Yves so small and he bolted his
food 80 quickly that in less than hait
an hour the whole thing was over. and
they would have starved had they not
taken their precautions beforehand.
Louis Philippe never had anything but
chops or steaks for his dinner and one
glass OF wine.
( It was not thought undignified at
Windsor. in Queen victoria's time, to
serve, apple tart for lunch or the most
homely pudding.
The apple tart was served on silver
plate, but It was and remained apple
tart "for O. than an a. that"
Since his operation King Edward has
been much more careful about his diet
than he used to be: still he Is q great
cater and q lover OF delicacies, little
-"gourmand" and very much of "gour-
met"
Z In India simplicity and unaffected
daintles do not harmonic with vlceregal
splendor.
1t is related that the vlceroy's eye
lighted one day upon a dish at which he
gazed for q moment with incredulity.
whats this?" he demanded at last.
IF trembling Hindoo retainer; gasped that
1t was rice pudding
No less a parsonage than the Vic
eroy's consort (nee Letter, OF .Chicago).
had ordered the humble pudding. which
eminent statesmen may be seen eating
at their clubs with undisgulsed enjoy-
ment any day Of the Parliamentary ses.
sion. 80. s. NJ
But the viceroy frowned: 'orake It
away" he said, land never let me see
such a thing again.
This Is how the East differs from the
West. Rice pudding might have ruined
the dignity Of the Hce-regal table In ma
tive opinion.
To keep India safe in her hand Eng
land has to be dazzling.
] ali t The Claque.
The French, the Parisians, especially.
have the reputation OF being very
changeable In their ways and in their
tastes, In love. even; but the more see 4
OF them, the more certain am that
they are the most inveterate routiniers
on the face Of the earth.
They submit to the most provoking
petty tyrannies and submit to them
without murmur.
know that when they are once 'let
loose they can go to extremiies, but
not for long. What makes our great ac-
tors and actresses love to appear before
American and English audiences is that
It gives them an opportunity to hear
genuine applause.
an ovation, on making their first en-
trance on the etage.
In. France, they get nothing Of the
Kind. because, to the annoyance Of both
public and artists. there are, In every
theatre, a dozen men paid to applaud
They are called the claque, sometimes
also ''the Romans because when Nero
sang In public he paid men to applaud
him.
The result Is that the French public
do not applaud unless something ex-
traordinary happens in the play which
electrifies them and makes them lose
control over themselves.
Even the stranger can recognize the
chef de claaue and count the walters
and Wallets. who. with eyes on their en-
ployer. bang their hands mechanically
SOf course no playgoer who has paid
for his seat falls into such a clap-trap
and ho does not applaud for fear OF being
taken for one who Is paid to do It, and
the applause. which might just as we'll
be. worked by spring from the ticket
office, leaves him cold
He does not take the hint.
The French have already settled the
case OF tho matinee hat both at after
noon and evening performances in many
theatres.
When will then settle the claaueY
II would be very easy thing to do
simply hiss every time that the olaque
Is heard. and the thing Is done
French actors and actresses declare
that they must have applause as slim
ulant.
Let them ask for the Suppression Of the
claaue themselves and they will get
applause In France as generously as they
do In America and in England. 1af9'
For over a century French theatres
have had 'claques and no one seems to
have enough initiative to put stop to
the nuisance,
Signatures of Lords.
In England no aommoney has right
to sign his name without his initials,
Lords only enjoy this privilege.
They sign "Westminster,n Leeds"
etc., Just as kings and rolay princes sign
Edward George, wilhelm etc.
Most Of W. know the story Of the Amer
lean, who, Having received a letter from
the Duke OF Richmond and Gordon, ad-
drAaaad hIa ranly IN HMessrs Richmond