My First Years As A Frenchwoman Author:Mary King Waddington Mary Alsop King Waddington (1833 - 1923) was an American author, who wrote about her life as the wife of a French diplomat. She married William Henry Waddington a French statesman who was Prime Minister of France in 1879 and later French Ambassador to the Court of St. James. Mary wrote two well-known books, Letter of a Diplomat's wife (1902) a... more »nd Italian letters of a Diplomat's wife (1904). This book is written in the first person and reads as if Mary is telling a close friend her adventures in France. The topics covered are When Macmahon was President, Impressions of the assembly at Versailles, M. Waddington as Minister of Public Instruction, The social side of a minister's wife, A republican victory and a new ministry, The exposition year, The Berlin congress, Gaieties at the Quai D'orsay, M. Waddington as prime minister, Parliament back in Paris, and Last days at the foreign office.« less