Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1892-11-01
THE FALL OF ST. CLOUD.
Where Kings and Empcrors Loved to Take
Their EaAe.

where Kings and Empcrors Loved to Take
Their Ease.
There is something almost repulsive
In the thought that the ruins Of St.
Cloud in France have been sold at auc-,
tion that all Jnat war Gna time had
left of the beautiful palace, where
kings and emperors loved TO take their
ease, has been knocked down 20 a spec
ulative purchaser as so much old build
ing material. That Frenchmen should
desire TO remove such conspicuous OBJ
iect of their humiliation, sufferings
and disasters Is perhaps natural enough,
but the most rigid and soulless of econ
omists must feel a shock at the manner
in which the French have chosen to
carry out their decision that this
palace must be obliterated. There has
been habitually ascribcd TO Frenchmen
discernment and tact, yet these quail
ties seem to be lacking when this his
toric monument, whose every stone has
it's history, is allowed to be carted away
as rubbish by the purchaser.
st. Cloud has had a famous history.
Although It's fame as a royal residence
dates from very early days. In the wars
OF the Burgundians and the Armagnacs
II was the scene of frequent combats;
in the religious strife Of a later age II
played noteworthy part, and 1t was
| in the castle as 1t then stood that the
knife of jacques Clement ended the life
of Henry III. The rare natural beauty
of the scenery began to attract men OF
wealth and taste so soon as the fash
ion Of rearing splendid country houses
in the neighborhood of the court sprang
up among the ruling classes. Catherine
de Medici sometimes resides at ST.
| Cloud, and the magnificent and aspir-
| ing Fouquet made himself at home
there, but from the ministry of Mazarin
dates it's real life. Then the new lords
of st. Cloud lavished upon it every
ornament which the taste OF the age
could devise and a boundless command
Of money could procure.
At the time of Mazarin began long
round of fetes, which Outshone all the
previous revelries of that magnificent
society. 70 this home Monsieur" as
the kings brother was STYLED in the
jargon of the court, took home his
charming bride, the fascinating and
unhappy Henrietta, daughter of
the English Charles |. And here,
soon after, the greatest OF
French pulpit orators was delivering
over Henrietta's coffin perhaps the most
memorable of all his discourses. Here
Nine de Baviere lived, and here was
| laid the scene of the anecdotes about
| her that have come down TO this day.
1t was at st. Cloud that the regent re-
ceiyed Peter the Great when that ex'
| traordinary man was startling western
Europe with his genius and his extrava-
gance; and here Louis Philippe d. Or
leans spent unprecedented sums in
festivities before he sold the chateau
and grounds TO the unhappy Marie An
toinette. Under the ''empire" ST. Cloud
was the theater of many memorable
scenes. 1t was here that Napoleon took
the first decisive step in that career
which planted him upon the throne
when his soldiers expelled 'the 500" al
the point of the bayonet.
Here, too, Napoleon signed the act
proclaiming himself emperor; here he
celebrated his marriage with Marie
Louise of Austria, and here he lived by
preference when in France. During
the restoration St Cloud was equally
favored. 1t was in the palace that
Charles X. signed the Inflated ordi'
nances which led 10 his downfall, and
IL was wi.h.r its walls that he spent
the disastroua "5ays Of July" The
third Napoleon was very fond Of
st. Cloud, as was his famous uncle, and
II was at st. Cloud that the former bid
farewell to the empress on the eve OF
his last campaign. 1t is this princely
dwelling, so rich in historic memories
and lessons, that the French rulers have
sent under the hammer boston Ad
yertiser.