The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-23

the cutters. One day while n workman
was boring a hole in a knife handle with
a steel gimlet worked Ivy a sort Il drill
how the steel rod snapped on and one Of
the fragments struck the child in the right
eye. For the rest oi his life Gambetta
was blind In that eye and many years
later. this eye having festered and the
other having become involved in the
Inflammation. he submitted 20 having the
diseased orb removed and thereafter
wore a glass eve. This accident was m
a way providential The lad had hered-
itary vocation for the sea. and had u not
been for this accident his father might
have yielded To his urgent entreaties to
he allowed to pursue that calling
/ The boy was Wild and headstronR and
never Got many good marks for conduct
az school. hut his standing was good m
his studies as "A whole. In 1859 his father
took him from the little seminary and sent
| him IL finish his studies at the LycAe of
CahOrs, giving a. reasons 20 the priests
that he and the lads mother would he
able to see more of him. and that the di-
rectors ~ the lycSe. a. which h" WAS
| purveyor "a well as ~ the seminary,
complained that he was guilty Of par
TALLY. The truth was. -ays Vi Gheusi
that the mother could not bear to H. sep
arated from the child. and that the father
with his liberal and republican opinions
wished - get his son. who was now grow
! ing up. away from the excellent hut mar
row minded instruction of the seminary,
~ he wanted TO make Of him not priest
but a well informed man nf business. IL
strlkea the reader as quite probable.
though the author docs not suggest It,
that the story about the boys binding
himself TO escape from the priests arose
from an essay which he wrote at the Iycee
Having been told ca write on the beneficial
Influence exercised on civil zation hy the
| monks during the Middle Ages the lad
wrote a treatise IN which ne reversed the
statement. This was the future trihunes
first challenge a clumsy but determined
attempt. the first syllable Of his famous
warCry against clericalism The inhab-
itantS Of Cahors still remember an incident
which created "A tremendous sensation az
the piize giving when Young Gamhetta
received his diploma IT hachelor of letter.
He made no remark when he received
- rond priz~- for general eNr~llenc-.
Latin dissertation and Latin translation.
but he protested loudly when he was only
awarded "A second prize for French dz-er-
tatIon He appealed - his m'ade-.
who declared that he deserved the first
prize and they gave him noisy ovation
when he refused - Accept the second
/ prize for hiz professors had very IN Justly
awarded the first prize 80 the son of 'he
project II the D.pa rtmsn' IT the Lot. III.
future tribune perceived that IA" va. the
victim of favorti-n and protested with
all his might
After this graduation Joseph tiami-.ttl
took his snn - VISIT their relatives IN
Italy. and on their return to Cah"r- under
took 10 teach him the grocery business
The Young mans mother and aunt SUD
ported bv IN" Mayor uf Clhur- assured 'h.
old mariner that his was destined
~ win fame and fortune. and managed
- make Joseph Gdmb-tt. r-lIuJui-n
his selfish plans ~ last " Wa da"id.d
that IDAnn WAS =" 60 10 PARIS and continue
his studies m the law school The Young
man. without a murmir. accepted all ihe
~tlp,llatipn- VI his father who with -
parSlmonv "Nces-iv" even IA u provincisl.
r'Ndu~ei the Studsnt's allowance ~ the
smallest sum pp--Ihir Nothing could
brighten young Leon The family 'un-
trivrd 20 smugRle various Injuries to
him sometimes they sent a few louis
horded IA secret or oata ble-. pr ,ioth-s-
ANYTHING the-~ women could -av. from
the father = strct supervision Gambetta
left CahorS IN January 1857 and started
out on his expedition to Conuuer PARIS
During his srhoolday- and his trip IA
Italy he had written detailed Letters home
letters of quite unusual merit for hi- age
During his student days IN Paris he con
tlnusd - keep the family informed "
his manner ~ life While still "A mere
boy he realized that he was destined to
he some me. 10 make mark IN the world
and Francisdue Sarcsy has told ~ that
GamhettA. AZ the age ~ 81 was 80 well
aware u his own talents that h. used To
~sy |. with my brain Am capable "
Leading France Hi- letters which show
him fighting hl- WAY 20 that leadership.
are most Interesting
He Was a great Optimi-i - the wav
VI Ghau-l puts II. and h" was determined
that nothing should worry ar discourage
him IN" winds fghiIng duels- IN his
room. lack nf food and all IN. rest His
devoted affection and respect for his
father. his grateful thanks even for re-
fuSal ~ needed Succor. ar" both ideal and
amazing lie soon came to -" appre-
cIa'"d Wv has fellow students who called
him another Jupiter -Mirahaau come 10
life again and the like. A. soon as he
got n chanc" 10 start IN his profession n.
mad. friends and sensation His ra,hnr
wanted him 10 return 80 Cahors and praC.
lis" th"r". his mother wanted him to
remain IN Paris. Luckily he had failed
in an important sub isct AZ his first exam
nation. whom h" aimed AZ becoming n
professor and So was turned ~ IN. courts
wher" his genus for oratory led 70 hi.
public career
In a letter " 1874 20 his father ne states
his firm belief in luck as a factor in a man =
career. i feel that am lucky. bv that |
mean that Fate seems inclined 10 smile on |
me. II IL aid that Nazarin. before enxag- |
ing clerk or secretary. instead of asking |
what the candidate knew. always Inauir.d |
whether he wa. lucky or not. The Cardi- |
nal knew that the rar~st and most hrllIian,
qualities are as smoke without the helm ~
good luck ON one occasion he speaks
~ man who has first rate talents and