A Cantiniere of the First Empire.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 216, 14 December 1880, Page 2

A Cantiniere of the First Empire.

Paris still possesses, in the person of a Madame Fetter, a-notable relic of the old empire. Although at the advanced age of 93, and living on the fourth floor of a house in the Rue des Martyrs, she enjoys good health, and is still able to contribute to her own livelihood by needlework. Unfortunately, her memory is somewhat defective, otherwise what interesting details we might expect from one who had been presentat the battles, among others, of Lipzig Dresden, and Austerlitz, not to mention the Russian campaign and the disastrous retreat from Moscow. The old. heorine lias survived all her twelve children except one, whose daughters have recently received the second prize for the piano from the Paris Conservatoire. It is sad to think that with such a stirring past the old cantiniere is only-, in receipt of a miserably small pension. In 1829 Marshal Sebastian! obtained for her an allowance from the State of 60 francs a year. In 1868 she wrote to Marshal Niel, reminding him- that she had known him at Metz as a child, and had nursed him on her knee. Her pension was then increased to ,100 francs, at which sum it still remains. A curious but sad incident occurred on her drawing her first yearly pension at the increased rate. .Poor widow Fetter had her pocket picked of the whole amount when returning home in an omnibus. We have often heard in thiscoumry of Waterloo veterans . becoming paupers and T rafalgar heroes being in dire" distress, but whenever this occurs publicspirit is never appealed to in vain, and a sum is collected and invested, so that the hero is enabled to spend his last years in comfort. In would be, a sad thing if the same feeling did not exist in France, and we trust that the old occupants of the fourth floor in the Rue St. Martyrs may soon receive such assistance as to render it ho longer necessary to work for her livelihood. ;