BARON DE LESSEPS AND HIS WIFE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6501, 28 December 1881, Page 5

BARON DE LESSEPS AND HIS WIFE.

Ferdinand de Lessops, it ia said, has been on Othello, though without the miserable illluck of Shakespeare's ewarthy boro, like Othello, he won his present beautiful wife by the narration of hit adventures and dangers. M. de Lesaepe is now on the verge of 80, but in spite of his great age ho retains the hopefulness and freshness of youth. At the sge of 68 M. de Leeseps was left a widower, and bad a troop of grown-up sons and daughters. Some few years after it was reported, to the amazement of the world, that the lively septuagenarian bad married a young Creole maiden of astonishing beauty, who has since brought him six children. In a certain Parisian family, where M. de Lessops often visited, there was a bevy of five listers. The old man delighted to gather them around him, and relate stirring episodes from his travels. One day, while speaking of his experiences in Palestine, he said that he had undergone great dangers and difficulties amongst tbe Arabs, because they could not conceive how a man could live without a wife. The prettiest of the sisters innocently asked, f'Wby, then, do you not marry again?" "Because I am too old,” replied M, de Lssseps. " Besides,” ho added, "if I were to fall in love with a young girl, it would be absurd to think she would fall in love with me.” "Who knows J” observed his questioner. Lessep* told bis young listeners about tbe Rose of Jericho, which, after being dried, and placed in water, again bunts out into bloom. Soon afterwards he obtained one of these roses, and presented it to the young girl. In a few days she appeared with the reblossomed rose in her bond, which ehe gave to the honoured guest, spying at the same time t “ Sec what a miracle the water bat effected upon the reset it lathe blossoming of love In old age.” Their eyoe met, and M. do Letups, believing that huDesdemona had a meaning in what enesaid, quietly said; "If you really think that you dare venture to share the remaining years of an old man, hero is my hand.” But for his marriage it is very uncertain whether the bold projector would have undertaken his laborious task at Panama. She is always at his tide, and baa been his chief help and support throughout his arduous conflicts with politicians, moneylender*, inquirers, and labourers.