The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-06

of historians, and az the most viEor-
Gus and resourceful OF statesmen, was
invited to preside all sorts OF national
ana was continuously mentioned by
the general public as the most suitable
candidate for the presidency OF the re-
public, when he suddenly did something,
which. while IT furnished a striking
evidence OF his goodness of heart, was
considered TO have DESTROYED his
chances of ever obtaining the prcsidcn
cy. For he suddenly, without any warn :
ing announced his marriage. IN a uuie,
village near Mautes. to Mile Victorine
Meyadclle, the mother OF his two child
rem, then In their teens. Tho marriage
was with the object of lcElttmiziuS
ms offspring; and although his friends
ueplored the marriage, as the ruin OF
MS presidential possibilities. vet they
could not but applaud the generous
motives by which he was promptcd.
in Offering this tardy ton to
ms Children and to their mother.
The prestige of the republic SUI
Tered so much during the presidency
OIL jules Grevy from the fact that he
had married Mme Grcvy VINO had
beon his cook, only when their daugilt-
or (ncw the wife OF Daniel WILSON,
hao attained her womanhood .bat tho
french made up their mind that no
one should ever again be Permitted
70 occupy the presidential chair. the
dntecedents of whose wife were not
entirely above criticism and reproach.
II was for this reason that Leouie
Leon the devoted woman who was Tho
Egeria of Gambctta, persisted to the
!aSt in refusing To marry him, taking
the ground that it would wreck his
prospects of becoming President of the
republic. Tie repeatedly urged her TO
wed him. especially during the latter
part OF his life, but she always re-
fused. and IT was in a quarrel follow
ing one of these demands on his part
that, e%claiming that She was al OBJ
stncle to his political success, she
snatched up pistol. and attempted
to Kill herself; Ciambctta. In cndcavor-
ing to wrest the weapon from her,
receiving the wound which brought
"pout ms premature death a couple
of days later.
1t is said that. like this Eseria of
Gambatta, Mile. NIctorine Alcyadcllo
refused for many years to wed Ga
oriel iianotaux, lest she should injure
ME- political futur. thereby: that il
the marriage was so tong delayed.
the fault was hers rather than his own:
and that she finally yielded to his en-
treaties, and to those of her children.
with the utmost reluctance.
Tharc are a large number NJ other
similar Instances of devotion and mn
selfish abnegation on the part of .wo-
men in the private lives of French
statesmen, condition of Affairs
arising largely from the fact that so
many of the leading men Of the Third
republic in Francs suddenly sprang
INTO prominence and achieved fame
almost in night, and were unwilling
to abandon the women who had been
their helpmatcs in tho days of their
oDscurity and poverty. The action OF
ths women in declining to legltimlze
their position by means of marriage
lest they should inJurc the prospects
OF those to whom they had given their
hearts. may not have been quite moral
But IT was admirable in the way OF
devotion: just as meritorious as the
conduct OF the men in declining to
cut adrift from companions of their
days of poverty.
Mine Gabriel ianotaux only sur
vived the marriage two years. and
died in the arms OF her husband and
children. happy in the consciousness of
having been his lawful wife. ana of
nevertheless leaving him with his pros
poets of succession To the presidency
OF 'he republic unimpaired, since ncr
death had the effect of removing The
only obstacle that could have possibly
exist ii, to his elevation 10 the chief
maSistracy OF the republic. After his
mourning. EIanotauX entered public
life once more. with the additional
prestige of having done the right
thing by his wife and children. and at
what appeared at tn, time to be the
sacrifice OF his entire future political
career. There Is no one who Will no,
think more highly OF him to-day than
formerly
Copyright, 1912, by tho brentwood
Companyl