South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-25

esses of demo-
Dorian one of the great hostesses
Of democratic Paris.
Madame Dorian, an enormously
rich and most attractive woman. has
/ for the last 20 years or so exercised
( "a considerable influence over all the
radical leaders of political France,
| who Used 10 assemble at her lovely
house. Some people even attributed
/ to her efforts on his behalf the great
/ success of VI. Clemenceau, whom she
protected most warmly at the begin
ming of his career.
The Drcyfus Case.
Ia was Madame Dorian who de-
I cided the latter TO interest himself
/ i'm the Dreyfus case, and il was due
/ To her Intervention that Col. Pic
quart set himself TO examine serious
/ ~ the documents bearing on the
trial Of the unfortunate officer.
/ whose name at one time was i'm tho
mouth of everybody in France. As
| we'll as in the whole Of Europe.
| This examination at last brought
| Clemenceau TO express his conviction
/ that Capt. Dreyfus had oeen the vic
/ tim of an unscrupuiUus cOnspira cy.
Those years were the brilliant
ones of Madame Ienard Dorian's
/ life and she was considered at the
time ! am referring TO as one OF
\ the queens Of Partisan society. Of
/ course republican society, as re
! Faubourg st German would haze
/ nothing co say to woman capable
/ of interesting herself in the fate n
/ a man so thoroughly condemned ~
/ public opinion as Alfred Dreyfus.
| She stood her ground. however. and
/ at last had her hour OF supreme
/ triumph when she saw the victim Of
a most cruel injustice against which
/ she had been one of the first to
/ protest righted in the eyes OF the
world
/ Madame Menard had one daugh-
/ ter. Pauline. whose love affairs ar
] che time occupied the attention Of
all the Partisan newspapers. not to
/ speak Of hat of her friends and ac-
/ quainatnces. She had married
Georges Hugo. the grandson of the
/ great Hugo. and the union had been
/ a most unhappy one in every re-
! spect. Pauline had absolutely diff
\ ferent opinions from her mother
and while the latter held receptions
at which all the leading Dreyfus-
ards as the partisans Of Dreyfus
were called. cOngregaetd. Pauline.
J who lived i'm the same house. only
! one floor above her mothers rooms.
used to invite all the most ferocious
/ enemies Of the unfortunate captain.
Rival Attractions.
Some curious incidents occurred
/ i'm connection with these rival even
/ ing parties. and one night Leon
! Daudet and Drumont. who wished
10 call On Madame Hugo. found
| themselves ushered by a jealous
I servant TO whom their identity was
unknown, into the apartment where
/ Madame Menard sat surrounded h.
Emile lola. Clemenceau, and other
people holding the same opinions
as these two politicians History
does not say what followed upon
this mistake
After time Pauline Menard. or
Hugo. as she was called. was di-
vorced from ner husband and mar
ried the artist, Herman Paul Her
two children. after many lawsuits,
one more scandalous than the other.
were finally handed over TO the care
of their grandmother, Madame
Menard. with whom they took up
their abode. The boy required
tutor. and then it was that ALBEIT
Thomas. who had been recommend
Ell TO Madame Menard by some of
her friends as a promising young
man. accepted the offer which she
made to him. to superintend tho
education of her grandson.
He was an attractive and clever
fellow. and so he won the affections
OF the amiaole and impressionab
lady. who imagined that she had At
last found in him the ideal politi
elan she haI been looking for all
through he life She soon advised
him 10 try 10 enter parliament. and
lent him the money necessary 10 in
sure his election as a deputy. AT
that time ne was still an unknown
quantity. and the first inkling which
the world had that n new star was
about 10 rise on the ornament Of
French politics was at a dinner at
Madame Menard's. when 10 the
surprise of the guests, Thomas was
asked 10y her 20 take the place IF
the host, and 20 sit opposite her NJ
table. an honor which had not Deen
awarded TO any of her friends since
the death Of VI. Menard. ~ Gus
avons an nouveau ministre en- per
spective." remarked Able Hermand
after this remarkable meal
He was not very far wrong. be-
cause after that day the career OF
Albert Thomas proved more than
successful and very soon the radical
and socialist parties In France look
ed up 10 him as one OF their prin-
ciIal leaders To Is a fOregOne con-
clusion that in very short time
nom now. unless some unforeseen
circumstance interferes. Thomas
VIII become prime minister. ana
very probably maintain himself in
] that position. for a far longer length