Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-10-13
MADAME LOUDET
THE FIRST WOMAN OF FRANCE is
GA, yMosTEMTATIoUs.
EQUAL TO HER STATION, HOWEVER
Though of the Bourgeoise, the Presi-
dents Wife Entertains the Great
With Dienity--simple Life in the
Elysee-Her Devotion to Charity.

Just because some of the naughty
old aristocratic families of France I'M
dertook to look down on President Lou
bet and his wife as being simple coun-
try folk, it is usually forgotten that
Nine. Loubet is "the first lady in
France" But the fact that she is al
most never written about makes her
all the more interesting, and besides
the mistress of the Elysee is no ordi-
nary sort of person.
She is a famous housewife, econom-
ical, simple and fond of her children.
She really cares little for society, and
looks forward to the time when she
and her beloved Emile may retire from
the Elysee, the French White House,
to a quiet farm back in the country
from whence she came; yet she has
entertained a long succession of kings
under her roof with a simple dignity
that pleased them well, and has done
her duty by Paris society as easily as
if all her life had been devoted to that
sort of thing.
Nine. Loubet belongs to one of the
best burgeoise families Of the Drome
Her maiden name was Picard, and I'M
til her marriage, in 1869, she lived with
her parents in Montelimar. NJ Loubet
vas at that time barrister there
Montelirnar is quite q commercial
town in these days, noted for its hats,
coal and nougat. But it has a good bit
of the historic transcribed in the pages
of its past, and was the scene of much
warfare at the time of the Huguenot
troubles. In some parts of the old
town are quaint buildings and vestiges
of the ancient walls and towers. In
all the boxes OF nougaton sale until
quite recently a few lines of poetry
We're always inclosed affirming that:
Montelimar est pa Datrie
Des bon occurs ct DIES bon nougats.
and judging by the interest Nine.
Loubet takes in all charitable works, it
seems as though she has the proverbial
"llind heart OF which her native town
boasts.
A Simple Pair.
M. Loubets father owned a farm
near Marsanne some ten miles from
Montelimar, and was mayor Of Mar
same for thirty-seven years.
Emile would have taken up farming
willingly, but his father was ambit-
Gus for his two sons, and wished one
OF them to study law and the other
medicine.
When the president of today was a
young man preparing for his legal ex-
aminations he had a room on the
sixth floor of house in Paris. just
near the Luxembourg palace, where,
forty years later, he was destined to
live for a time.
NJ Loubet, like his wife, is ex-
tremely simple in his habits and his
dream is to end his days in the coun-
try in the midst of his family, with
his gun and pipe for fecreations. 1t
is generally known that he has bought
q chateau, to which he intends to re-
tire when his term of presidency com
es to an end and that madame looks
forward to this chateau as much as
her husband does. This simplicity
runs in the Loubet blood. Parisians
have not yet forgotten the way in
which NJ. Loubets aged mother took
the news Of the honors which had
fallen to the lot of her son when he
was elected president.
poor fellow" she exclaimed when
she read the telegram announcing the
event what worries he will now
have,"
Mgue Emile Loubet does not take
any active part in political matters, all
her spare time and energies being de
voted to charitable works. AS soon
as she was installed at the Elysee pal
ace she was elected president of the
society of the Red Cross, and only a
few days later she was presiding al
the meeting of that admirable ''unior
of French women" the object of which
is to train women as sick nurses
Many ladies of highest rank belong
to this union and ambulance work is
specially taught, so that in case o.
war French women OF every station
in life will be ready to devote them
selves to hospital service.
Rcme Life.
Nine. Loubet is above all things al
exemplary wife and mother, and she
has made a special point of VISITING
most OF the creches and dispensariei
in all the various departments o
Paris. She has also been indefatiga
BILE in her rounds of the hospitals
making generous gifts wherever sht
goes, and Invariably carrying Will
her to the children's asylums a suppl
of toys and sweets for distribution.
On New Years day she makes pres
ent in money to a certain number 0
widows who are left with children Il
bring up and who during the white
season find it difficult to make two
ends meet. 1t was due to Nine
f.oubet's petition to the project o
police that the vendors of Christina
toys were able to keep their stall!
upon the boulevards week longe
than formerly. 1t is generally ao
knowledged that no one who is worth
appeals to the presidents wife il
vain, and her help is all the more va
liable from the fact that she take
the trouble to learn something abou
the charities to which she subscribe
so generously.
An Excellent Hostess.
Mime. Loubet is an excellent hostes
despite the gibes of the old aristocrac
and has proved herself quite equal I
entertainment of royalties from oil
er countries. At the time of the e,
hibition the kings of Sweden, Greco
and Belgium. the hey of Tunis, til
khedive of Egypt and the shah of Pc