The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-24
NECKL ACE IS
STARVING TODEATH
Needs Contact With Human
Flesh, Say Experts
NEW BOOK BY FRANCE
Collection of Essays Published.
Mothers-in-Law of Doctors En-
titled to Medical Attention
Free Is Recent Decision
NEW BOOK BY FRANCE
by PAUL VILLIERs

by PAUL tiLLtEtsS
Paris. August 2S.-( Especially
pearl necklace was left by Nine. Theirs
to the French nation we'll nigh as val
liable as the one now missing" Placed
In the Louvre within few years it
began to perish of the mysterious dis
ease to which pearls are liable and ex-
perts define as a form of starvation.
Pearls live by contact with humanity
and for this reason Jewellers maintain
that they should be worn on the bare
skin. If 1t were permissible 70 lend
the Louvre necklace to a lady will
ing to wear It for some length Of time,
most of the pearls, 1t is thought, would
recover their luster. But according 10
the Will of Nine. Thiers it must now
be removed from its case, so the pearls
are gradually becoming more insight
ly and shriveled and ultimately must
perish entirely.
Entitled TO Free Attention
French ladies whose daughters marry
doctors have the right to expect med
ieal attention free. Such is the gist OF
a judgment given by the Paris courts.
Dr. Carren of st. Quentin Nord at
tended his mother-in-law in nor last
illness and at her death claimed $500
from her estate for his services. The
court yesterday dismissed the claim
on the ground that the doctor was only
accomplishing the natural duties in
cumbent on his alliance with tho dead
lady's family and was, therefore, not
justified In asking for payment.
To Take Part in Exposition
The French government has decided
to take art in the International cleo
trical exposition that will be ncld in
Barcelona in 1915.
The Barcelona exposition promises to
be very remarkable one. King AL
fonso has accepted the presidency of
tho honorary committee and has prom
ised to assist personally in the cere-
mony of Inauguration.
The city not only has given the
necessary land for the exposition, but
has contributed for a sum Of 500,0 600
pesestas. while the provincial council
of Barcelona has voted contribu-
tion of 250.00 pestesas
No Race Suicide Here
A monograph recently published on
the conditions of the department OF
HautesAlpes states that there are in
that territory 10 families with a total
of 1872 children, case perhaps unique
in France. one of the families have
II children, all living, Will other five
died. If the rest of the country would
follow the same example there would
New Book by France
M. Anatole France has just brought
out new book, or rather has collect
ed in book form a number Of essays
under the name. .LeGenie Latin"
written chiefly in praise Of French
"classcism." There is an aneodotal in
terest about the volume. as we'll as the
literary interest. which every work by
Anatole FRANCE possesses. Tho book
marks the reconciliation between the
writer and his publisher, Lemeree. A
year ago the latter suddenly announced
their intention of bringing out a his
tory of France. written 20 or 80 years
ago by Anatole France The writer pro-
tested that his ideas on the subject
and his style had completely changed,
and refused PERMISSION for publication
The publishers said they would disre-
gard his vote. A law suit followed and
the writer and his first publisher were
bitter enemies; but friend brought
writer and publisher together and they
made it up, the publisher giving back
the manuscript, which M. Anatole
France instantly burned, refunding the
sum which he had been paid Ter it at
the beginning of his career. As a sign
of their renewed friendship the Le-
merre firm has Just brought out La
GEMS Latin" The essays originally
We're Anatole Frances debut as a lit
erary critic many years ago. The
strange thing is that the essays have
not been collected before. as they are
models of the kind.
The famous island fortress of Mont
st. Michael. off the coast OF Normandy,
is at present the scene of an amusing
conflict between two rival admnistra-
tions
The abbey and buildings which crown
the rocky island are government prop
erty. The authorities noticed that the
plumber of tourists who climb to the
abbey is dwindling and they attribute
this to the rival attractions If a pri-
vate museum at the base of the rock
which is said to take as much as s16,-
600 a season.
The matter was discussed in the SEN
ate. The minister Of the fine arts
condemned the ANTIQUITIES shown in the
museum as inartistic and not histor-
ical. It was resolved that the govern
ment should pay a uniformed official
to show visitors the way to the alb
bey. The local police however, re-
ceived orders to prcevnt the state
guide from accosting visitors, this be-
ing against the municipal by-laws.
The ministry of fine arts instructed
him to disregard The police with the.
result that some 30 summonses have
been issued against him and the mat
ter will now have to be settled in the
courts.
Every year brings a few extraordi-
nary examir alton questions nol TO un-
fortunate children. but none In the
past have ever equalled the two fol-
lowing subjects for a French essay
"The Obelisl1 of the Place de la Con-
corde has a dream Narrate that
dream and "A little fish, having
swum down the Seine from Melum to
the Point Neuf, narrate his impress
sions.'