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The family of the sculptor made every effort to prevent !?XVSXJ!55rSS?M I f Wr: 1 1
the public from learning of the astounding Infatuation of the SS&SNV&I "SVSSSt I f iv','H'?',-1, If 1
artist. Heeding their wishes he consented to be examined by Y&&rol ?2v?NvSCSSl 5':" -'iyV:; ' 1 1
great specialists, and not one of them has questioned his san- VNJSsSSCm KJXjCfSSSa i-f:'' Mill
lty except upon the one point, and, regarding that, they will "Jvc53Sff tSSSSSS1 V f
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seeking spirit, but many of them believe with Pe Loutlcr'a
fiimily that the sculptor l'Hil gone crazy from his work. The
siM-lety ordered a close Investigation of the. case, and members
began to watch the strangext courtship perhaps the world
ever has seen; the love of Pygmalion and Galatea In renl
life.
For days and nights these men, whose, study Is spirits und
manifestations of spiritual life, watched In the studio In the
artist's magnificent old home on the ISoulcvard de Jena.
These men are among the best known scientific men of
Purls, four of them, bound together to seek only truth. In
watching they occupied seats In four different parts of the.
studio, not communicating with each other until after they
left the house. The sculptor to aid them, described to them
his sensations. Tte said that, after completing the statue he
leg irded It merely as a pleee of marble and loved It only as
his best work. One evening while the finishing touches
were being put on he said he suddenly felt the marble grow
perceptibly warmer beneath his hand, and, glancing up,
caught an expression on the face which he had not placed
there.
Statue Seemed to Come to Life.
" Ttio entire face seemed transformed," he said. " I was
startled and stepped buck. The statue was gaging nt me ns
If lovingly; as If thanking me for creating It. Plainly I
could see that indefinable thing called life in the stutue. I
sprang forward not knowing what I was doing. This time
the marble was cold and lifeless.
' I slept poorly that night, and the next day considered it
all a strange freak of fancy. I finished the work and pre
pared to exhibit It. On the evening of the 12th of January I
aguln saw the transformation, nnd for half an hour stood as
if exchanging thoughts with the spirit within the marble.
" That night I fell In love with her. Plainly she spoke
her love as If she had said it In that many words. The look
of love and beseeching, her Imploring, pleading expression
was unmistakable. Yet then I snld, us my friends say now,
that I was losing my mind. I thought It over In every way.
I shunned the. studio for days. Then, Impelled by some pow
erful Influence, I went back. This time she was happier.
She knew I loved her but, before I left, my brnln reeling
from the experience and the awfulness of the situation, she
mj
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ARIS Is watching with keenest Interest one of
f I the strangest cases of infatuation, In the hls
I tory of that passion torn town. The scandals
I and the love affairs of nobility and wealth,
nnd politics go scarcely noticed. The entire
capital Is watching a man, Infatuated madly
and worshiping at the feet of a beautiful statue
one that he carved himself.
It Is Pygmalion und Galatea repeated In real life.
Francois de Lautler. member of a wealthy and noble fam
ily, himself a well known sculptor in Paris because of his
social rank quite as much as because of his sometimes re
markable work, has fallen In love with a marble woman, and
declares that, within the marble there plows the spark of
life which some day, he believes, will cuusp the whole being
to live and breathe.
The astounding feature of the situation Is that, according
to the greatest specialists in Paris and In Vienna who have
examined him, Pe Lautier Is entirely sane. He realizes him
self that his claim has caused all his friends and members of
his family to believe him Insane, yet he quietly Insists that
ho. loves the marble woman, that there is a spark of life In
her being which some day his love will fan Into full life and
bring her to him as his wife.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS9
Despairing, the family considered many expedients, and
the sculptor listened to all, and did all that they asked, but
In the end said: "I love her.' Some day she shall be my
wife."
The secret became public property In Paris less than a
fortnight ago, and the news startled the boulevnrds and cafes,
as well as the pulacos. It became known because M. de Lau
tler consulted with the most eminent members of the Society
for Psychical Research, laying the entire case before them,
and pleading with them to aid him, to tell him whether or
not the spirit can live shut up in the marble, or whether
some wandering spirit, homeless, seeing the beautiful form of
the woman of marble might not havp chosen It for Its abode.
The members of the society consulted together. Part be
lieved that the Btatue might have attracted some beauty
beKcd me again with that Imploring look to restore her t"
life.
"Imagine my sltuntl.m! A young man, his whole
tic career opening before him, devoted to his art. to b.
placed in such a situation. Kit her 1 was to force myself 1..
silence and refuse to in.iKc efforts Jo free tie- spliil from li
bounds, or condemn myself to be thought a lunatic by t v. i
man and woman of my acquaintance.
"I chose the last course1. They think me craiy --p i liai
you. gentlemen, think me crazy, but If I had been cr I
would not have exposed myself. Craxy persons ar- i i-i.
cunning than that. I sc k only the truth, and to five n.,!
spirit. I firmly believe that, some day, the soul within !'
marble will triumph and that It will live."
Four Days' Vigil by Scientists.
The scientists watched four days and nights In the s. j
a rate corners. A mellow light at all times flooded the ni. I
In which the statue stands. On March 3, at ft:1X In the .ill.
noon, there happened the strangest thing of the entire v.. i .!
affair. The scientists, quite weary of their pursuit, wei,
lolling in their chairs. Two were smoklnft, the other t
carelessly glancing at papers.
M. Jules Algu said: "Suddenly I felt Impelled to look .,.
the statue. I glanced over the top of the paper and sat tr.ins
fixed. The entire statue appeared to have changed, mel
lowed, humanized. Neur the throat then- was a rosiale. il
most flesh colored, spot as If watm red light were showing
entirely through the marble. The spot was apparently M '
Inches across. The while face seemed to glow softly 1
watched this for perhaps a minute and n half. Then t,
statue was as before. I in. mediately leaped across the sin.!:
and examined the niche closely to see that there had he n
no deception.
"Imagine my astonishment when every one of my com
panlons arrived at the statue at practically the same lnsi. i i
We searched for a moment, and then by common Impulse ,-aeli
of the four asked: ' Did you see it?' We nil had seen It "
The report of the committee added to the sensation i-ausr,'
by the discovery of Pe 1 .antler's love nffalr. The wits of the
loulevards are now asking each other: " Have you been in
vited to De Luutlcr's wedding?"
Great Work Lost to Art World.
The psychologists arc Intensely interested In the ease, and
will continue their Investigations. Meantime, the statue Itself
lo lost to art and it Is declared by the few artists who liave
seen It to be one of the most wonderful pieces of sculpture
produced In years.
De Lautier is 'M years of age. He exhibited a piece culle!
"Hope" In 18l4, which won him some recognition, and his
" Phryne," shown In lNttH, was better. Two other works
were far below them, but. In 1!HH, his " Love rnfohling "
created quite a furore among artists, and he was hailed as a
coming man. Five other pieces, shown In the following two
yyars, were graceful and pretty, but of little artistic value.
As a member of a wealthy and noble family Pe l.autier
t occuplod a high place in society, and his art friends de
clared that he was wasting his talents. In l!1"-' there were
rumors that he was engaged to be married to Mile. Jeassure,
a young and beautiful girl, member of a wealthy family,
which, however, had but little social standing as compared
with De Iautler. His family made no objection, and the
mutch, which was essentially a love match, was arranged.
Within a few months, while the arrangements for the wed
ding were made, tlte hc.iutlful young girl died. The artist
was Inconsolable, and, after a period of travel In the orient,
he returned and set to work on his now famous statue. Ills
artist friends declared he would attempt to Idealize his lost
love, but, whether he attempted tills or not, his friends de
clare that the marble woman bears not the slightest resem
blance In face or form to the dead Mile. Jeassure.
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Friends Believed Him Inspired,
lk- l.autier worked eleven months on the marble before
It was completed, and during that time ho permitted his
friends and fellow artists to Inspect It closely ant! to enter his
studio freely while he was at work. They declared the work
his greatest, und vowed that he was Inspired.
Since the middle of January, however, the sculptor has
closed his studio to the rubllc, refusing adinl'tanee to all
except ills chwiwt friends und thoee who he hopes may he
able to help him In his strange quest. He keeps the niche in
which the marble woman stands Oiled with sweet (lowers for
her, and each afternoon and evening ho visits the studio
and sits for long periods before the woman he loves, striving
to communicate with her.
His friends whisper that he believes the spirit of his hist
love bus entered the marble, but If he has any such belief lie
has failed to communicate It to the psychologists who are
endeavoring to assist him in winning his marble bride.
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WO doztn dinner gowns and fifty house gowns
for the wives of Abdul Axil, the sultan of
Morocco," Is the order that has recently been
booked in Paris.
To this order Is appended a tale of dire
prophecy, and In It may be Involved revolu
tionary consequences. In addition, It is fraugtit
with delights to which no woman could ba
impervious, be she Moslem or Christian, wise or foolish.
Notwithstanding all these possibilities, it. was booked by an
ordinary man, El Mokri, the sultaa'a treasurer, In a whole
krtle, commercial way, a if it had dealt with cases of French
wine instead of Paris gowns.
Even the royal wives themselves have no Idea of what
!s coming. To them the mountains of boxes covered with
trailing rest s and violets, already packed snd piUd upon one
another In size too prodigious to imagine, are a revelation.
They contain u thousand times the mysterious delight which
the sight of such packages Inspires In every feminine soul
There are unknown mysteries and intricacies in the strange
shapes of the pew garments. The A II C of how they ar
to be put on has to bo learned. Filmy laces, pale velvets,
yards of long, flowing skirts, billows of chiffon, foot ruches,
which the American culls " frou frou "; soft, perfumed pads
silken drop skirts, and tulle interlining have never been
Known in Fez.
Even more unaccustomed an experience was the mission
on which went El Mokri. There were none of the helpful
details which the order of a new gown usually precluaes.
Thero was no previous poring over samples and catalogues of
expectant wearers. There were no measurements to enter in
the books of the Paris modiste.
El Mokri, who hated to shop' just as any other man
does, aft?r one look at the dazzling display of stuffs offered
for his selection, was glad and happy to leave all the details
to the dressmaker.
After all, It did not matter. There' have never been any
clothes such as these In the Morocco harem, and so there are
no standards. Long silken trousers f the most gorgeous
brocades are the usual style. Over these Is a long, loose gown
tied at the waist with great silk cords, nearly like the Euro
pean bathrobe, except that It Is made of silk embroidered In
gold. I'nder this Is worn a waistcoat; also embroidered, or
vometlmes over It. is worn a little coatvof bolero style. In
dther case the whole Is low In front, to show the beautiful
white neck of the wearer. This Is the reason that only dinner
gowns which are low necked, and house gowns which are
cut on the sums easy style as the oriental robe, are Included
ii the order.
When th 111 starred Fatlma was first installed in the
harem she wore a loose yellow gown, embroidered with silver,
over a silver walBtcoat. Over this was a filmy robe of thinnest
muslin, so light as to reveal delicately the beautiful color
underneath. Her white throat and dark hair were encircled
with ropes of pearls. Her small hands were covered with
rings, and each of her polished nails was enameled with a
, half moon of henna. Her beautiful white feet and ankles
were bare.
Abdul Aziz Decides on Paris Gowns.
To change all this was the sudden notion of Abdul Aziz.
When the Paris gowns arrive, and the wives of the sultan
are really dressed In European costu:ne, there will be finished
one more chapter In the prophecy made long ago by many
ot the Jealous faithful In Morocco.
i In the time of Abdul Azls's father, Muley Hassan, Lalia
R'kia, a Circassian girl, entered the harem. She was a beau
tiful slave, and was sent to him as a present by the sultan
of Turkey. Resides being beautiful she was well educated.
Consequently this girl, Lalia R'kia, was well read In
French literature. She became( the mother of Abdul Aziz.
She was considered the forerunner of evil. It is a bad cross,
the Arab and Circassian, known as such through all the east
Its offspring Is opinionated, given to European imitation and
extravagance, und Is without the Moslem temperament. It
is believed to have brought ruin and disaster to all lines
where It has occurred throughout Moslem history.
It Is a fact that the present sultan owes to his mother
the love of European ljeas wh'eh have made him such trouble
in his kingdom. In Morocco the education of hoys is left tJ
their mothers until the boys are 14 years old, so that the
young sultan received a fair idea ot western civilization.
When his father died the boy was Just H, which was thb
j8r Ars rtiiV&
Moslem majority, and the ambitious mother, versid In the
btatecraft of her race and sex, with the help of the lord
chamberlain, made him sultan. As soon as he was pro
claimed Abdul Aziz found himself condemned to a splendid
Isolation. No Moor, according to etiquette, can hold any con
verse with the sultan except on affairs of jtate. His mother
even Is, not allowed to dine with her son, so practically the
new ruler was cut off from all companions except the women
of his harem.
Begins Course in European Customs.
Acting upon the suggestion of his mother, however, Abdul
Aziz remembered that, as Europeans were, not his subjects,
he could receive them, nominally upon affairs of state, but
really as his friends. From that time on he has had Europeans
visit him upon one pretext or another. For chief Justice, or
" kald," he retained Sir Harry McLean, a shrewd Scotchman.
Then began a course of experimenting In European In
ventions which has kept Sir Harry busy as the master of a
circus ring. Bicycles, rifles, cameras, billiards, phonographs,
and every modern device has been tried and mastered by the
sultan, with Sir Harry as chief trainer. All this time the
sultan has been taking the English Illustrated weeklies and '
periodicals. He has been us delighted with these as a child
with a new toy. He pored over the pictures, and asked
endless questions about them, keeping Sir Hurry busy mot
of the time telling him about things of the world.
Kald Sir Harry has had a better chance since then to
exercise his versatility In answering puzzling questions about
uuborate Paris creations than ever before, even though
there have been times when It has been put to severe tests.
Even the wonderfully slender waists of the elaborately
gowned ladies In the plates attracted the sultan's attention.
Kald Sir Harry explained that this was due to a little boned
contrivance of western civilization. A certain number of
French corsets was Included In the order carried to Paris by
i:i Mokri.
Lalla R'kia Is Held Responsible. '
When the full effects of this order are felt In Fez, greater
than ever will be the storm of maledictions heaped upon the
head of poor I.ulia R'kia, who has been held responsible for
all the shortcomings of Abdul Aziz.
Abdul Aziz, of course, has not heeded any Buch warning.
His masculine curiosity has been aroused by the strange
plumage worn by the slenderly built belles of Europ.i. Hj
has detirmimd that the harem shall be clothed likewise.
He will begin by decorating his four real wives. When they
have learned to wear the fancifully shaped skirts and bodices
Abdul Aziz intends to put his whole 4AI favorites and retainers
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in fashionable clothing. The fun he will get out of the
change in the harem uniforms can he guessed at by all who
have read the experiments that he has already tried upon
his women by forcing them to ride bicycles behind the
cecli ded walls rf the castle.
The price of his new entertainment will be a difficult thing
to guess at. The amount of the bills for the first relay may
make hiru pause, as the sultan has uSiady entered upon the
dangerous course of 4orrowliig money from European king
doms. The effect of the bewildering variety of the changing
European fashions upon too women Is hard to Imagine. Fine
feathers not only make fine birds but they have often proved
tile entering wedge toward a higher and better existence.
It will be a long time, perhaiis, before the contents of the
great boxes which are splashed all over with roses becomo
known to the people of Fez gem-rally, lint once let their
contents take root among tin Inmates if the palace, with
the change In t lie tolling Indolency of the woarers which'
thrlr adoption will effect, and no man can pridlct the extent
of the revolt which will rule In the hearts. If nut In the land,'
of the followers of the sultan.