Evening star., 1903-08-01

books put together could afford them. They
ask her how they ought to dress TO meet
the climate; where to hire a saddle horse
or livery carriage; where to eat and how
to look for rooms and contide to her all
kinds of financial problems She has even
conscience cases to elucidate!
The English, who live nearer and feel
independent. know the fine old lady best
through a cartoon by Phil May. One day,
years ago, when Phil. May was on the
Paris sojourn that resulted in THE Parson
| and the Painter" he fetched up in front of
| her newspaper stand, and put the question
| that is now historical:
Madame, have you Sunday at Homer -
| The cartoon in THE Parson and the
| Painter" shows the famous interview; the
| little Wisp Of a woman dressed In black, as
| she stoopS over her stand; the kind, quiz
zical smile and the very twinkle in her
| bright, old eyes, as she replies that the
man from London must choose other read
| ing matter. The joke of asking for seri-
| Gus journal on the Paris Boulevard Is now
| fixed in the British consciousness, and no.
! BILE peers, young milor's with historic titles.
gay stockholders, solid merchants. bluff
| squires from the countryside, and pale
| clerks from the city come to Madame Wild
oW DuDerrOn with:
Madame, have you Sunday at Home?' -
She never disappoints them With the
same smile and twinkle she replies:
mo but l have the 'F'rou-Frou!
Madame Duperron speaks English with
| out any trace of accent. Nor has she the
| English sing-song which in women re-
spends to the London males haw-h
Some time around the year ls2s she was
| born, down the Norman coast. of a
| French father and an English mother,
| whom he married from the Isle of Jersey
| a love match and romance. When she
| came to Paris as an orphaned girl she
| lived with an old aunt, who was caretaker
| of the Palace of the Elysee. where Presi-
dent Loubet now lives, but which in those
| days was vacant. Louis Napoleon having
| quilted 1t for the Tuilleries already, while
| prince-president.
Talks of Old Days.
Sometimes when in a reminiscent mood
| Madame Duperron will tell us Of those
early days Of the second empire and be-
| fore it. Thus we have glimpses of "A young
girl reveling with her girl companions In
the contents of clothes presses left forgot
ten in the palace garrets by the household
of the Due de Berr, it's last royal resident.
and those who came after. I'VE dressed
| ourselves in the brocaded silks!" she
laughs. She was a very beautiful girl
| then, well-grown up. Although the Old
aunt was the titular lessee of a newspaper
stand from the republic Of the day. the
family sympathies were arlstocratlc IN
general and Napoleonic in particular.
Already the fair girl felt her vocation for
the newspaper business. Her aunt, as ttu-
but to collect her revenue from 1t, but the
girl found a pleasure in assisting at 1t. She
must earn her living some day, she said,
and could not begin too soon. Her aunt
said no, that she would marry.
In any case, 1t at this newspaper
stand that the girl performed her histori-
cal act of turning down the emperor of the
French. AS prince-presdent and posing
as a very democratic person, he would walk
up to the stand and buy his paper. Rumors
of the coup detat were in the air for long
time before the coup came off. Louis Ma
poleon, it was said lacked money for his
grandiose purposes; this was particularly
current rumor. One day, therefore, the
girl drew all her patrimony from the bank
1000. Her old aunt added to 1t. And then.
when Louis Napoleon came to get his pa
per, she said
my prince, I hear you need money to
save France. Please take this small sum
to help as far as it will"
The prince-president was deeply touched.
He would not take the money but he re-
membered the offer. When shortly after
he became Napoleon Ill he drove up to the
kiosque one day and asked for the girl.
They sent for her.
NOW what can 1 do for your asked the
emperor.
The girl drew herself up and replied with
mingled pride and gentlenesss