COPPEE

Paris, 1842--Paris, 1908

Coppee is known as a poet and writer of short stories. His work usually
deals with the pathetic side of humble life. He has been accused of
sentimentality and superficiality; he is, however one of the most
popular and accomplished of the modern French poets, a dramatist of some
merit and the author of a number of _Contes_ relating to the life of the
_peuple_, particularly in and about Paris.

Important works: _Poesies_ (several collections, 1864-1890), _Theatre_
(best plays: _Le Passant_, 1869; _Le Luthier de Cremone_, 1876; _Les
Jacobites_, 1885; _Pour la Couronne_, 1895), and several volumes of
_Contes_ (the two stories given in this collection are from his _Longues
et Breves_, published in 1893).

Edition: Lemerre.

LE LOUIS D'OR

169.--12. abat-jour. This compound noun is invariable in
the plural because the plural idea does not really belong to the second
element, which is the only part capable of inflection.

17. Zaatcha. This oasis was captured in 1849, during what may be
termed the second period of the French occupation of Algeria; the first
period extends from the landing of French troops in 1830 until the
capture of Constantine in 1837, the second period, from 1837 to 1849,
was a period of resistance, the third period extending to 1901 was one
of partial insurrections; Algeria is now the most important French
colony. France now possesses the colonies of St. Pierre and Miquelon,
near Newfoundland; Guadaloupe, Martinique and French Guiana in the West
Indies and South America; New Caledonia, New Hebrides and about 116
other islands in Oceania; Indo-China (comprising Cochin-China, Annam
and Tonkin, with about 18,000,000 inhabitants); Madagascar, Reunion and
other near-by islands; Djibouti, an African port on the Gulf of Aden;
French Congo, French Soudan, French Guinea, French Senegal, on the
western coast of Africa; Tunis, Algeria and Morocco (the latter since
1912) on the Mediterranean, with strong influence in the country lying
between this territory and the Soudan. In addition the French language
is spoken by the descendants of French colonists in Canada, New Orleans,
the Mexican mountains, etc.

170.--3. mettant... ses souliers dans la cheminee. The
French children have this custom instead of hanging up their stockings.

171.--28. quelque espoir. The final vowel of _quelque_ is
elided only in _quelqu'un_ and _quelqu'une_.

172.--5. le dix-sept n'est pas sorti. T