The Indianapolis journal., 1904-04-17
PREMIER COABES, HATED
BY RELIGIOUS ORDERS,
TELLSSTORY OF HIS LIFE
Remarkable Career of the French
Minister Is Related to the
Comtesse D'Alemcourt.
POOR, HUNGRY BOY IN 1874
Finds a Benefactor in Village
Pastor and Is Given Good
Education.
REJECTS PRIESTHOOD
Teaches Philosophy, Studies Medi-
cine, Enters Politics and Rises
Rapidly to Fame.
POOR, HUNGRY BOY IN I84

Special Correspondence Of the Journal.
PARIS. April 5.-The forid complexion,
mighty mustache and the white Henri
Quatre OF a retired colonel. the small
stature and spare flesh Of the professional
bookman. such is Emile Combes. president
of the French Ministry the best hated and
most ardently supported public official OF
France for the last two three years.
lie shook my hand with true Anglo-Saxon
vigor-there was simplicity and kindness
fn his manner. albeit that his speech was of
soldiery curtness.
'T am widely unknown in the United
States, you say. Well, if my poor memory
can enlighten your readers-delighted. as
President Roosevelt puts it,"
Premier Combes told ne the story Of his
poor youth. Father was two-by-one
manufacturer of knitted goods" he said.
went to the wall. Too much signing Of
notes for good friends. Had 10 accept a
place as a knitter. just a common every
day workman. Not centime and four
hungry boys. Think of 1t!
Emile that is my Christian name,
Emile seems 10 be rather more intelli-
gent than the rest. Let me educate him,
said the pastor of a nearby village when
was twelve. 1t was in 1s47 when l became
seminarist at Castres. My benefactor had
no occasion 10 regret his generosity for a
time. In the safe yonder are my school
testimonials. always AL in Latin, Greek.
mathematics, and excellent in natural
sciences When I was fifteen the good
pastor said: My boy, thou hast in thee the
making of a bishop. Thou shalt go to
Paris. will pay the travelling expenses
OF course, 1 jumped at the offer. Could
there be anything better than Paris? The
same day 1 secured passage in the post
chaise and packed my knapsack We
arrived one bright morning and the Car
melite monks took charge of me ere
could even look at the Louvre. That | re-
gretted but in other respects was quite
content to devote all my time to study.
SEVERE DISCIPLINE.
MY comrades complained much of the
severe discipline to which were sub
pected, but TO tell the truth 1 hardly felt
81. 1 was so busy getting ahead in the
sciences that found not time for anything
else. 1 got through school in such short
order that the fact was thought worthy of
comment in the shape of memorials-those,
too. In the safe yonder. Finally the
good fathers despaired of being able TO
teach me more and sent me to Mines, where
taught philosophy in the college of the
Assumptionists. At the same time / was
title OF doctor of philosophy. Saint
Thomas. Prince of Scholastic Divinity
was my theme. and / am the author of
fine dissertation the Psychology of
Thomas Of Aquinas.' whom, though saint,
i loved and admired
while my studies convinced me more
and more that L had no talent for the
priesthood. my benefactor, the pastor, in
sisted that decide which holy order was
TO enter, and when at last / confessed that
i deemed myself unworthy of the honor.
he called me an unhappy. misled boy, and
was beside himself with rage and disap-
pointment.
MY dissertation was finished in Janu-
ary. 1860. and the faculty of Rennes ordered
that l report for public hearing in De-
cember OF the same year.
Il spent Easter vacation at home. being
content to divide my time between crab
bing and poetry, but the tempter appeared
), even before l had spoiled the first block
of white paper. He was director of a big
private school in Pons. an able, who Of
fered me three thousand francs to teach
philosophy at his institute. promising that
j could make much again by private in
etruction. As | had parents TO look after
and two younger brothers. ! accepted.
Thus IL came to pass that I did not enter
the priesthood the lies of the opposition
press notwithstanding.
''fons proved small town and living
was cheap Though 7 stopped at the best
hotel and ate table d'hote noon and night,
] could not possibly spend more than $50
francs GSo) month. Reared in poverty.
Croesus- sent money home. helped edu-
cate my brothers and still had enough TO
lay up something for rainy day.
AT the beginning of December / had a
thousand francs and concluded that
might indulge in the luxury of title. So
Went to Rennes and returned with the
Being now parsonage, I thought Pons
was getting too small for me and told the
dlrector The worthy gentleman became
greatly excited; You want more mOney?'
he cried: Very well. I double your salary.
even II L have to drink nothing but water
for the rest of my life
1T isn't money. it's the village. Pons is
too slow for me-
:" Too slow. Very well. we will get YOU
married and remove the cause of com
plant
After a day or two invitations to dinners
receptions and suppers from the most we'll
to-do families of Pons began to arrive At
table had the loveliest neighbors, never a
married woman. And when we were unob-
serv ed. my director. the good abbe whis-
y pered: What do you think of. Mile. Helen
or Marie? Has dowry of 1900 francs or
100000. respectively
But possessed all the money 1 wanted
1."o francs or more by this time. and my
heart remained unresponsive Helen and
Marie and the rest of them did not make
the least impression.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
But one day saw her. She wore a blue
dress and coquettish straw hat. Inquiries
proved that she was Mile. Dussault
daughter of widowed lady of good con-
hctuoiS anu soiue wealth. i persuaded one
OF my friends to invite the Dussaults TO a
charity concert. and then went TO work like
sehoolboy and wrote a passionate love
letter The document consisted of six
pages. and l spent night writing and re-
writing IL 10 conclude i'm the end tba. II
was too long. So ndited a second enis,ia
short and 10 the point, L adore YOU. Do
you love me-?
THE last letter I smuggled into the
young lady's hand at the fconcert and had
the inestimable pleasure OF seeing the
small hand close on il with firm grin
She understood. then. She did. brave and
wise girl. but there were others as Won sa y
In the United States. Others included
her mother. who forbade me her house a
number Of disappointed maIprnas and ieal-
Gus young ladies' several relatives and
who not? | think the whole town was IN
In arms and against our union. but We
trfumphed over hatred and intrigue and
nnally Madame Dussault sent for me
viii not give you the hand of nv
daughter unless you agree: first, to become
physician. and. secondly. to spend AT
least six months year In Pons' she said
II promised everything TO please that old
woman. would have become a grave-dig-
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