Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-11-14
A MODERN DON QUTxcTE.
He Is an American But Wants to Become
aFeudai Chief and Revive the Days
OF Chivalry.

Ernest Grammont, of France, is o
very wealthy man. who has come to
this country to purchase suitable land
for the erection OF II feudal castle, in
which he proposes to lead the life and
follow the pursuits of Il baron of the
middle ages. He is fully able to spend
million dollars on any caprice.
Mr.. Grammont is an American by
birth, but was taken to France when
he was few months old, and this is
his first visit to the United States. OF
which he knows little. His original
purpose was to carry out his quaint
within by erecting his feudal fortress on
the soil of France. and on an estate
near the German frontier he began,
and almost completed. the erection of
one, but was compelled to stop opera
lions because the French Government
disliked the idea of having fortified
place which in time of war might be
occupied by Germans, since the castle
was in that section of the frontier
along France 10y tho terms of her
treaty, has had to dismante her forts.
II am fully satisfied" said Mr..
Grammont to II N. Y. World cores
pendent, chat America is the only
place in which / can put my project
into practice without causing alarm on
the part of the Government. | am
told that already some of Your wealthy
men have constructed castle-like dwell
ings along the banks of the Hudson.
My idea is to improve upon theirs. and
to plant right in the heart of land of
industry castle such as only the are
of feudalism produced. 1t will be a
costly caprice. aud suppose shall be
regarded by the press as the legitimate
successor to George Francis Train; but
no amount of ridiculc will turn me
from my purpose.
Mr.. Grammont said that he first
selected the South for his castle be-
cause he had an idea that among her
sons he could find some knightly fell
lows for garrison. but when told
men to take service under his banner,
he changed his plans and concluded to
secure site overlooking Narragansett
Bay.
He wants q commanding position, as
high above the sea level rs possible.
with good approaches and with land
enough to dig II moat. He intends to
play the fcudal baron to the top of his
bent, and will have in his service "A
body of retainers in the capacity of
knights. esquires, pages, men-at-arms,
etc.
The castle will be turreted and
pierced for archers alter the style OF
the twelfth century, with sallyports,
posterns. portcullis. battlements. keep
and all the medieval specialties. The
banquet hall will be like those IN which
feudal barons dined with all their SER
wants and vassals and if Mr.. Gram
mont is us good us his word the welkin
will ring us often rs his neighbors
choose to lay siege to his fortress. for
he will be as hospitable as those whom
he will Initiate, but he will not re-
plenish his larder by incursions among
the fat beeves and bucks of his brother
barons. His establishment will con-
tain troubadors for the revival of min.
strelsy. The men-at-arms will be uni
formed according to the style that pre-
vailed during the time of Charles tho
Bold, the Burgundian costume being
the most picturesque, according to Mr..
Grammont's thinking.
What land remains unused for castle
purposes he will divide into holdings
and distribute among the knights, who
will hold them in lief from him. SUBJ
iect to forfeiture for any unknightlv
deed or transgrcssion of the laws of
chivalry. The Knights fee will be
dollar day, but he will have his
spurs hacked from his heels if he is
caught wassailing when on duty. Es-
quires will receive IS cents day and
pages so cents. with subsistence ac-
cording to their degree. Falconry
will be inclu led among the pleasures
Of the chase, and hooded hawks will
be seen on the wrists of danes who
come down from the castle to hunt
their quarry.
Within the castle everything will be
on war footing. and the banner of
Grammont will be unfurlcd TO the
breczes every day except when the
Governor of the State is guest, in
which case the banner will give place
to the standard of his excellency, the
overload.
"And how much 40 you expect to
pay annually for this funp" inquired
the reporter
II shall spend probably $4,000
year, and l shall get the worth of my
money out of it,"
Have you any heirsp"
al have seven or eight"
Living in this country?"
mo; in Germany; whyP"
Lure them over here rs soon rs
your castle is completed. and secure
them in its deepest dungeons for if YOU
do not they will run YOU down when
they hear of your feudal fancies, and
any court in Rhode Island would sign
an order for your committal to an in
sane asylum"
I'll take my chances on that" re-
piled Mr.. Grammont. "A man NAV
possess odd whims without being .
lunatic. The towers of my castle
will pierce the sky before you are a
year older"