THE BOULANGER DIVORCE SUIT.

Manawatu Herald, 22 March 1889, Page 2

THE BOULANGER DIVORCE SUIT.

The Parn correspondent of London Truth writes to 'hat paper under date D ctinber 81 :— " The Buul anger divorce" «•• n-»w a current table-talk Kiihjct. Madam*) Bualanger- hegan it. Sl)'- now perversely w&nt-i to hoi 's the unfortunate general in bon-lago. I sup pose there is not in Europe another woman who itf ;i mH'ch for her in the art of tagging an I Juiiin-j an nnfortunate huxhi-i'l Wh;t{ she <«,i Is her sentiment and annur pr>»nrc and di .nity are a cur-e t<i her>e!f and everumt beloiijiinir to her. She is al>v:iv* fimcvin" herself snabbed i.n.i slighted aid i^ | nn*P!*ahle with her jjrievvrju^s. niv! ; would h; k ill mnrv «ATef:'!»»il i' At ■ ha'i | not ofise t.'> fp'i Hj»i»ri<'vpi<. |fer edu- i cation vra«" narrnnr. Si)e bftlo ish to a decenh family, utid Itnd h Hinull dowry, »ki«it «*n h Urge on« in tb« «y«» of bfr

fetaril? Tailing a-latk view of things itl ffewer.it, »l>e i? \>ju r.fully alive to her own shottteroimngs hs a fenuno du monde. The rea*<Jtt the ivo'ilil never help B >iilan/er to receive af /bo Ministry of War was the fear (bat she might there appear to disadvantage ne^de brilliant and highly-educated women iike Madame Floquei, Mndame Caraot, or others whom I could nime. The poor lady is a^icted with liver complaint. This is an extenuating circums'ance, but it is not a happy one for those who mast abide with her. Her eldest daughter has a sad, looping disposition, and a deal oE amour ,*>ropre and dignity, and bo they both get on well together. But the younge t, who is all sunsbin.? and expansion, was miserable with them both, and all the more so because* the generaless was dead against Captain Dfiant, then Marcella ßoulanjrer's suitor. Madame Boulanger funded her husband's daughter and the Captain were coaspir* ing against her, and -made it a standing grievance* She is tres devote, and used to insist on being attended by Sisters of Charity at the Louvre, tf'ben she was out of health tb>re from an- enlargement o£ the liver. This was b&|JgUajj^ftrta]U£E, duri^B^ffipn for lu's mother. That affection daft* from 1859, when the General was for 10 months I>etw«in life and death in Ital>. He was sui'Fering from a wound in the Jeff side, met with at Solferino, and which itf still unha aled. Ever since he has loved his mother more than anyone else in the world. The affection on his side ha* increased a? the • infirmities of age have taken a Rreat^r hold upon him. It is an inflexible ruk* of his to devote to her hi.' Sunday afternoons and evenings wh»? never she is within reach of him. No , prospect of pleasure or of advantage co.u.'d induce him to give up dining with hi.* motheron a Sunday evening. Afte« dinner hfr sits with her, kindly and patient!)'^ until it is time for her to go to bed. "V> r °en he is far from her on a Sunday he pa;s her the attention of telegraphing that he. is with her in thought- There is no posturing in this observance of filial duty, and one must he intimate with Boulanger to know anything about it. I have been told that when the oid Jady is feverish and restless he stays with, her into the small hours of the morning. The generaless was never asked to submit herself to her mother-in, law, to live under the same roof with her, or even to see her. All that was required of her was for her not to upset herself if the general devoted Sunday to the old lady. He did not wish to be with !>er on % . week day, unless she were ill. C .«- earning the divorce, I urn afraid that tl.egeneraless is too many tor roe general. She began by quitting him. Indeed, she went to a convent " to take refuge', from him and to pray for him — the best way that there was lor creating a bad impression against him. He was not sorry to be rid of her, Adviset? t how«ever, ty his lawyer, he summoned her to come back to the conjugal domicile* To bis horrow she at once agreedMadame Boalauger is of irreproachable! virtue, aad her husband was ne galant* If she returns I don't see how he can: help himself, unless his friend Naquet finds means to amend the divorce lawBoulanger pleads that madame put her* >M self in the wrong in quitting him for the<9 convent, and that the summons for her to come back was a pure formality. It: will be fortunate for him if he can get the Divorce Court judge before whom* his suit is to come to take this view. Though I am against Boulanger as a pretender, I am with him u* u good fellow, admire his charming and affee* tionate conduct toward his mother, and pity him with all my heart as a husband. I pity also Madame Boulanger. Sfie would have i'een perfectly happy with a narrow minded provincial bigot, who thought only of small snviugs and in' vestments, and never got into scrapes. There are nome women who enjoy being on the (Tests of high and stormy waves. But she is not one of them.