| Show i i - L1 r 4 i A Meet Mme de Gaulle 11 L - II ' 1 k I privet': France's First Lady in her garden ' 1 The Vrenchwomd rt Itisho y Imows In I - 1 i c t I i w---- I ! At 1 f t ' t z ''s INN - 14 N 40 i x i ' I 4 I t t General Charles de Gaulle arrives in Washington for three days of talks with President Eisenhower he will be accompanied by his wife — a woman who is almost as much of a stranger to most Americans as Mrs Khrushchev was before her visit to our country Though everybody in the world knows about General de Gaulle the question has often been asked: "Is there a Madame de Gaulle — and if so why does one never hear 4 1 - I 11 if $ t it ' I When - do kl t' about her?" lit' The reason is that Yvonne de Gaulle has meticulously kept herself in the shadow of her husband Tender devoted conshe has been happy to stantly at his side but remain in the background A slight woman in her fifties with huge gray eyes and a face of unruffled serfpity she has a quick warm smile and a pleasant voice- Though as First Lady of France she is dressed by the most celebrated Paris designers her clothes are simple and understated and she never wears any lipstick In fact she does not care much about clothes "I dress for France not for myself" she was heard to remark recently lier whole object in life is quite simple: it is to make her husband as comfortable as possible and to shield him from petty annoyances self-effacin- dark-haire- I tI ' la i f PK - ' '''' ' t'014) i I etti6 ) '' to'” t 1110ialm' '4 1' P " ad public: Mine de Gaulle's warm graciousness contrasts with her husband's stiff formality g d low-pitche- In 0 PARIS it 11re': '4 d By CHRISTINE HOTCHKISS 14:'' P4 ' kl - :t N 1 f irl i 1 The whole world knows General de Gaulle — but what about the woman life? who has shared his crisis-packeAmerica is about to meet her and here is an exclusive intimate preview - - d The General lives by the clock This is not always easy The General insists that his days be run like clockwork "Yvonne — I have been waiting for you" he has been known to remark if she happened to be as much as one minute late Rut he often seeks her advice and has great respect for what he eIlls "Yvonne's infallible feminine intuition" During !ong winter evenings the General likes to relax with a game of solitaire Engrossed in the game he will from time to time lean back and consider what his next move should be Mme de Gaulle quietly knitting in the chair opposite will cast a shrewd glance at the table and silently point her knitting needle at the right card to be played "Yvonne I am quite capable of playing this game by myself" he protests but nonetheless accepts her suggestion The de Caulks first met in November 1920 at the Salon d'Automne art exhibition in 'Paris She was then Yvonne Vendroux — a shy strictly brought-ugirl daughter of a Continued on next page biscuit manufacturer from — p - ) ' ( II - 9 |
