A French test of friendship after death.
Paris has been considerably amused at a little occurrence, which is another evidence of virtue being rewarded, as well as a further proof of the truth of the proverb about ‘"early birds"’ and ‘"warns."’ An eccentric gentleman, who spent a good deal of money during his life in entertaining his friends, died recently in the
Faubourg St. Germain.
Wishing to put the friendship of those who had ‘"eaten of his meat and drank of his cup"’ to the test, he desired in his will that, in case his death should occur between October and March, his funeral should take place at eight in the morning, and at six should he die during the other months of the year.
Letters of invitation to the funeral were to be sent to all his friends, and those who attended were to receive each one, for the males five thousand franc, and for the females eight thousand francs.
The result was that more than four hundred letters, inviting attendance at the funeral at six o'clock in the morning, were sent out, and of these how many do you suppose had the effect to course from their beds these willing sharers in the former bounties of him whom they were requested to follow to their final home.
Twenty-nine faithful ones only answered the roll-call, and these were exceedingly surprised, a few days afterward to be informed that five thousand franc each were awaiting their disposal at their dead friend's notary's. Among the fortunate faithful ones, were
Count,
Henri Arcos,
consul general of
Spain;
Edouard Houssaye, director of the
Gazette de Beaux Arts, and the librarian of the
Empress.
The recipients immediately decided to appropriate each a thousand franc of the legacy toward the creation of a monument over the grave of the giver.
