they have not had
a marked success, and only prove that he clings tenaciously to his old
conservative opinions.

ALEXANDER DUMAS.

[Illustration: Alexander Dumas.]

Alexander Dumas, one of the most celebrated authors of France, was born
on the 24th of July, 1802, in the village of Villars-Coterets. His
grandfather, the marquis de la Pailletrie, was governor of the island of
St. Domingo, and married a negress called Tiennette Dumas. Some declare
that this woman was his mistress, and not his wife, but we will not
pronounce upon this point. The marquis returned to France, bringing with
him a young mulatto--the father of the subject of this sketch. The youth
took the name of his mother, and entered the army as a private soldier.
He soon achieved renown and rose step by step to the rank of general of
a division. Under the empire, he died without fortune, leaving his
son--Alexander Dumas--to the care of his widow, who was quite poor.
Alexander commenced his studies under the Abbe Gregoire, who found it
impossible to teach him arithmetic, and with great difficulty beat a
little Latin into him. This arose, not from the boy's stupidity, but
because he did not apply himself. He was exceedingly fond of out-door
sports and exercise, and to such an extent did he follow his
inclinations in this particular, that he laid the foundation for a
vigorous health, that years of labor have never impaired. He was very
handsome when a boy, with long, curling hair, blue eyes, and a skin a
little tinged with the tropical hue, to denote his African descent. At
the age of eighteen, he entered a notary's office in his native village,
with the purpose of studying law.

Leuven, exiled from Paris until the return of the Bourbons, resided in
the village, and forming the acquaintance of young Dumas and noticing
that he was ambitious, he counseled him to write dramas, and he would
make money. Dumas followed his advice--wrote three, which were offered
to the directors of the Paris theaters, and were each rejected by all.
But Dumas was made of stuff of the better sort, and was not thus to be
discouraged. Leuven soon returned to Paris, and Dumas longed to follow
him there. But he was too poor. He formed a plan, however, of gaining
his point, for he was anxious to see and know the actors of Paris, and
with a fellow-clerk he set out on foot for the great city. The two
young men were without money, but each carried a gun. They shot hares
and partri