The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-10-09
BY Ia voYAGEusE.

We'll. what did you expect" are the
observations passed among Parisians
and Parisiennes at present concerning
"L'affaire Cavalieri," as 1t has come
to be known at the French capital.
The scandal and sensation attend
ing the marriage of the wealthy Rob-
ert Winthroy Chanler. OF New YORK.
to Mile Lima Cavalieri is nothing
more than had been looked for bs
those here who We're at all familiar
with the mental temperament and IN
dependent views of the lady regard
ing various social matters, for La
Cavalieri" is by no means stranger
in the capitals OF Europe, least OF all
| that of France. 1t has been generally
accepted that with her. financial con-
siderations are always given prefer
ence over those OF sentiment. Per-
sons who We're unaware Of this trait
+, in the lady's character could easily
have ascertained the fact in dozens
| of various quarters. II sufficiently in
terested. as. for instance. II person
had matrimonial views with La Cava-
lieri as the object poin,.
When, therefore Paris heard first
with incredulity and later with quiet
| amusement that Mr.. Chanler really
| contemplated matrimony and actually
| intended making the singer his bride,
| it quoted the. lines Of "A fool there
/ was" etc, which quotation, no doubt
| has been made use Of In the United
States many times since the wretched
| scandal came to light.
Many stories are being told here, as
+; to the actual reason for the break be-
tween the bride and groom SO soon af-
ter the wedding, from tho latter's jeal-
ously of Russian prince. who. the
new-made wife decided could probably
| give her finer pearls than the Ameri-
can: to an alleged dispute between
husband and wife about the latter's
desire to appear in the title role Of
Aida" in the natural color of that
princess, and also with as little cloth
ing as could 1ell be expected-to
which the husband, with old-fashioned
ideas about the immodesty of a wom-
an appearing in such scanty attire
before lot of strangers in a theater
objected and so forcibly that Lima
told him to get out II you don't like
it; ] intend to do as please"
Well, the husband got out" and
went back to New York. somewhat
disillusioned while the bride retired to
her chateau at Cabourg. fashionable
seaside resort The Russian prince is
said to be not far away. while across
the ocean Mr.. Chanler Is reported to
be trying to figure out how he can
best get out of q very bad mess. The
Paris public are offering liberal odds
that he will not succeed in doing SO
until his Italian wife has been given
aelarge sum of money through the in
fluence of the wealthy Aston family, to
which Mr.. Chanler belongs.
/ Grating does not seem to be con-
fined to the United States in general
and New York is particular. by any
means Since the unearthing OF the
'octroi," or customs scandal here
when it was discovered that for the
last five years a ring of officials had
been cheating the city out of 5000, OO0
annually. the question of doing away
with this tiresome system, which Is
in operation. not only at the fifty-fouI
gates that guard the entrance to the
city proper. but at $500 others that
are scattered throughout France. pro.
tecting the smallest villages as well
as the largest cities has been revived
and is being discussed heatedly ev-
erywhere.
The progressive party wishes to see
the system abolished entirely or at
least regulated to the extent that the
custom fee placed on alcohol, tobac-
CO, game, and many articles of pro-
duce brought into Paris from the out.
lying districts by farmers be no long.
err imposed by cities. 1t will be a
fierce and stubborn battle, for arrayed
against the progressiyes is the army
of petty officials with which France
has saddled herself. having augment.
ed the number until these individuals
are now nearly one million strong, to
say nothing of the wives, mothers, sis
tiers, cousins, aunts and other rela-
tives and the male members OF the re-
spective office holders. These must
be counted with for while the men
give their votes to elect some member
to public office, yet in return minor
offices must be found for them. As q
collector of customs dues. such rela-
tives have very soft" places. and
naturally object strenuously to any
change in the laws which would Gust
them from their easy berths. Mean
while, the country pays the bills.
These customs dues. exacted by cit
les. are particularly annoying to auto
mobilists. For instance. whenever
one wishes to leave the limits of the
city of Paris proper for the purpose
of taking his car into the country for
a run, on leaving which ever gate
one passes through. the person in
charge OF the machine is obliged to
declare to the official on duty, the
quantity of gasoline in the tank. Fol
lowing this declaration receipt is
given for the amount stated. Upon
returning to the city proper by that
Of any one OF the other fifty-three
gates the oil remaining is again meas
ured by an official for the purpose OF
comparing it with the amount contain.
% DIRE cINER VINE