Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-24
4 Story of Chamhnrd

Letter IN SDrjngfeld (HGss.) Repu6licaa.
When l wrote last week respecting the
Count de ChambOrd and his doings. | little
thought that Paris still contained an in
terestlng and curious relic of his purpOsed
kingship. or rather a group of relics. in
the shape of the royal carriages ordered
for the triumphal entry of the King into
Paris. Twelve of these vehicles were or
dered, but only six of them were finished
whea the refusal of the Prince to accent
the trlcolOred flag put an eXtinguisher on
the hopes of his adherents. These six
magnificent carriages have ever since
been stored awaiting the hour of the res
toratlon of the monarchy. The whole
half-dOZen were executed in six weeks.
so great was the hurry of the Royalists
and so certain was the advent of the King
considered. The largest and handsomest.
that intended for Henry V. himself. is of
great size and magniticence. The four
lanterns alone cost $1,000. 1t is lined
throughout with white satin, and the arms
of France are emblaZOned on the ceiling
i'll the centre of a golden sun. The seven
large windows of plate-glass render the
interior almost as visible as is that of an
open carriage. All the metal work is in
repousse silver, and the hammer cloth is
fringed with gold. The panels are painted
with the tleur-de-lis on a black ground,
and are highly vanished. Access
is obtained to this truly roval
vehicle by series of four steps covered
with pale blue velvet, worked with fleurs-
de-lis in gold thread. The other carriages
are upholstered with pale blue satin fig-
ured with feur-de-lis in the same color.
These six carriages cost 100000. They
were ordered by the Count de Damas, who
still pays the annual bill for their storage.
They were to have been paid for by a
committee of enthusiastic Legitimist
noblemen; but on the final dispersion of
all hopes of restoration the Count de
Chambord very generously insisted on
settling the bill himself. / wonder what
ever became of the eight snow-white
steeds that were to have drawn the royal
carriage? They were purchased, and
were being trained to assume the
housekeeping solemn gait appropriate to
horses that have so important a mission
to perform, when the final catastrophe
came that swept the embryo royalty into
the dust. | remembered hearing about
the controversy that took place between
two highly born LegitimistS who were
charged with the purchase respecting the
color OF the animals. Eight perfectly
matched and very superb horses of pale
cream color, with silken, silverv tails and
names, were offered. Nobleman No. l
preferred the cream-colOred horses. while
No. would hear of nothing but white
ones. Finally the dispute was settled by
third party. "GOOd heavens,
gentlemen" he exclaimed, elf YOU
select cream-cOlOred horses to
draw the Kings carriage, every
street boy in Paris on seeing it approach
will cry, Here comes the Hippodromer'
and so the white ones were chosen.
Where are they now? Some years ago
the carriage of a certain fair and fast
Parisienne was pointed out to me as
being drawn by two of these favored ami
mails. Certainly never saw such beauti-
tul white horses i'll my life. They are
white as snow, without "A single hair or
shading of another color in their perfectly
grOOmed coats, their nOstrils being tinged
with a pale pink and their full flowing
names and tails shining like floss silk. If
they were not the chosen steeds of ROYALTY
they certainly looked like il