New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-18
4 PLEASANT RURAL RETREAT.

,vpo,t ur pratr APP CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNEl
FNeuF1N LIS BANS. July 31.--I write this from
Enphein of the Sulphur Sprngs-a place which gave
duca title TO the Condo family 1t was halI cen
tury AGO a wood aud a sedgy and Ieedy pond' awe
with coot and heron, teal kngiisher and Wild duck
The pond has since been deepened the marsh draheo'
the sedce and weeds eliminated, and the banks
transformed into delicious gardens in the midst OF
winch villas and chalcts rear themselves. What
was a pool and marsh is now a lake. The wild
fowl have been civilized out of existence.
dozen swans or so replace them. On tie En-
CHEM side the soil Il light and rapidly
absOTbs moisture. In public garden on
the edge Of the lake roses attain perfection IN
known in that French Damascus Bn Comte-ko-
bert; and aspens sigh and culver all the day ana
night in chorus with feathercd poplars OF Italian
origin. There are besides, shady lime trees, over
arching a long walk; a Chinese pavllon'
where children's balls are gwen twice
week. and hooks cut out IN eYelgreehS'
in which, sheltered from the east and west winds
the only ones that blow over Enghien-consump-
tive patients sit and enjoy here the most opera
comquc style Of scenery that am acquainted with.
know nothing so like what one III theatrical
decorations as the landscape. Ii the triumph OF art
with good natural auxihaTies TO assist II. Nowhere
do creeping plants grow more luxuranty In tins
latitude; and exotic shrubs and trees well rs the
weeping willow and tle dropping ash flourish on
the shores of she lake. which despite the numerous
enclosures, appear from the Rose Garden, vast
continuity of shade In one of the lake side proper
ties / see the American flag holsted over a
boathOuse. The Stars and Stripes indicate the villa
and grounds of a Mrs. jackson, from Maryland. she
is very wealthy contributes largely to funds Tor To-
cal charities. and on the occasion OF public festival
gets Ruggeri down from Paris 10 MAKE on raft
/. ii "a fsUIu a
lights and Roman candles.
| lodge oI,poslte the property of the late
NJ de Villemessant. l was never l,lsde,
bnt l am told that the walls and ceiling
of the principal rooms are charmingly dec
Grated with paintings by well-known artists who,
- in return for clever newspaper puits, made their
mark in the De Vnemessant villa. The
grounds. for a place so near Paris, are
extensive and beautifully laid out. In
them there is rustic theatre, where the
greatest dramatic and lyric artists performed
occasionally The occasions were tie birth Gays OF
the Comic de Chambord and Of members Of tie De
villemessant fairly, and the i6te of the Enghien
Rosierc which is celebrated IN August. Roche
fort, the pampheteer TO whose inciSiye
pen the Tjgaro owed Its rapidly acquired popularity
w1ote vaudeville 10 be played In the tbatched
playhouse / have been speaking about.
Eughen is half an hours journey by rail from
Paris and of easy access by the northern and west
ern lines Its lake is a pearl set in emerald Forty
years back there only six houses. One OF these
was MILL anOtheTa matched inn, third a goat
herds Cottage, the fourth howell where scieu-
dfc doctor Demangu-father of Gambetta's trusty
friend and private secTetary-used to make chemi-
cal experiments the fifth the shooting box of
Comic de Lucay, Lord of the Manor, before the
olution and the sixth his keepers lodge. it Is now
town OF hotels, lOdgug-bOuses, chalets and villas
standing IN shady gardens, and 10 be let furnished
The place is much run upon by the wealthy mercau-
tile community of the northern side OF Paris, and
bv Pasisians suffering from diseases of the chest
throat and liver, who are unable 10 90 all the way
to Couterets, the PyTenees. Prices are rulnOusly
high. In a hunt for lodgings. / was asked
$500 francs for "A small furnished house, III sinal
but very pretty garden, Tor two months. lncFe
were none OF those washing and bathing con
vemences which aIe always found ~ an hnghsh
residence OF the same class, ana ihe luI-
nituTe was by no means elegant. BuO the
beds were most comfortable, ana there We're
many OF them. The English bed IS break
back affair. and formed OF hair mattress
placed on a leathDr-bed, winch III turn lies on
straw nail asse as hard as a board. The French bed
is formed of an elastic sOm5jtr, made OF an obl0ng
frame, in which copper springs are thickset ana OF
two tack wool mattresses. Sleeping accOnlnoua-
ton IN the most remote villages, as IN the
great towns is always excellent In France,
and il could not be better than III this Town de-
voted 20 merCenarY hospitality.
Enghien is one of the most BOnapartst places in
possessed the whole of this townland and that of
S. Gratian was a Pr6fet du PalaIs to the first Ma
poleon. His wife was successfully Lady of the
Palace to the Expresses Josephine and Marie Louise,
and superntendent of the King Of Romeo nursery.
Both Count and Countess were fanatically attached
TO the newly-founded dynasty, and their affection
for the Emperor was severely tested on many occa-
sions but chiefly the one that am about TO
speak of. / ne King of Rome, of all the la
dies about him took most kindly TO dear
Madame de Lucay. He showed his love
by obstreperOus lamentations at her abb
sence whenever she left the palace where he
was The Emperor, fearing for his health az
ranged that she was TO remain permanently with
him. Soon after this arrangement had been
made her own child-an only daughter
fell III of smallpox. The girls condition
was kept secret from her mother, because if the
Countess went TO visit her. she could not for some
time resume her duty as superintendent OF the
juvenile King. Six moths after the 1atal terminal
ZION OF the illness, Madame dc Lueay was informed
of Meanwhile, every relic OF the dead cmld had
been DESTROYED. lest IN keeping over one tht Couh-
tess nj CHIT transmit the smallpox 10 her lmperla
charge.
After the Snlphur Springs were made the fashion
nv Dr. Peligot ordering Louis XVIII. TO drink
Enghien water, three Bonapartist colonies, friends
of ~ de Lucay's came here and built the Hotel OF
the Four PayinOns. 1t may be described as
larg, square central building, with, at the
corners, four smaller ones. The plan was
devised in memory Of the four sergeants Of Roch-
ellie. who were executed for being implicated with
General Lahorie in a Bonapartlst conspiracy IN 1921
On the 18th of August the colonies opened their
Commemorative Hotel Ialma rected verses splced
with liberal sentiments and pathetic illusions
10 the captive son of the hero, the Due de
Reichstadt and Mile. Georges, when he was
A. In, n. tol her
som a miniature of the first Emperor set IL dla-
mouds clasped il TO her heart and shed tears over
~ fseliuO real. The bpauti-