The morning call., 1894-08-05
BRILLIANT EVENT.
Lafayette's Great Grand
daughter Married.
One Precious ReliC-The Sword That
Vas Presented to the True
Friend of America.


the assembly this morning at The Church of
Saint Pierre de Chaillot, where was csle-
brated the marriage of Count des COURTS
with Mile. d'Assailly. This marriage is OF
especial interest to Americans. because the
bride is the greai-great-granddaug ter of
General de Lafayette. 1t will be remem-
bered that one of the hero's daughters
married the Marquis de Lasteyrie and he r
daughter became Countess d'Assailly, wife
of the celebrated diplomat under Louis
Philippe.
The granddaughter of Countess d'As-
sally is the bride of to-day. Count des
COURTS de la Groye is lieutenant In the
Tenth Regiment OF euirassiers. and an
officer for whom fine future is predicted i.
The family COURTS de la Groye dates from
the thirteenth century and Is allied TO the
reigning family of Monaco. All its prin-
cipal memb bers have been soldiers, and at
the battle of Payia four Coun Is des Cour-
tis perished' in defending Francis l. Both
Count des Courts and his bride desce nd
from General Baron d'Espagnac. the
companion of Marechal de SAKE. He
fought at Fontenoy, and in this battle the
French conquered the English. This
memorable day gave birth to the saying.
"Apres vOus Messieurs les Anglais."
When the head of the English column was
stopped fifty PAGES from the French
guards the officers saluted and Lord Eav,
taking off his plumed hat, said, Gentle
men of the French guard. fire."
The Baron d'Espagnac. uncovering in
his turn, then cried out: "Aiter you, gen.
tlemen of England; we never fire first"
This p0liteness cost the French very
dear. A terrible volley entirely carried
away the front ranks; but, in spite of
all, the French won the battle, and after
ard ha ha0
ernor of the Hotel des Invalides.
The father of the young Countess des
Courts possesses the sword presented to
General de Lafayette by the army of the
United States. This sword. of exquisite
workmanship, was exhibited at the Worlds
back to France. 1t Is of massive gold,
and during the Reign of Terror
the wife of General de Lafayette,
fearing that 1T might be taken
from her. buried it IN the garden.
When again it was brought to light the
blade was destroyed by rust. and after the
18th Brumaire, Lafayette replaced the
b ade by that OF the sword which was
made from lock OF the Bastie. offered
him by the French in 1871.
Count d'Assailly also possesses a pre-
cious souvenir, one left him by his mother.
1t is u Sevres liQueur service given by
Louis XVI to Washington. At Washing
toms death it became The property of La
fayette.
The Countess des Courts is also niece
of the famous Mime. de Remusat, whose
maiden name was De Lasteyrie. The La
fayette family had is origin in Auvergne,
and is only second to the P0lignacs. who,
from the most ancient times, have held
the first place in this province. The home
of the Lafayettes was the Castle of Cha
vaniac. This castle exists still, although
it was pillaged during the revolution of
1893 During the Reign of Terror the
Marquise de Lafayette (nee D uchess de
Noailles) was arrested and imprisoned al
Chavaniac. II am Favettiste." said she.
1T is party for which l would gladly
give my life"
The first Lafayette mentioned in history
was Msrechal Gilbert de Lafayette, who
was killed in battle against the English
while fighting for the cause of Charles VII.
This King, surnamed the Victorious. re-
gained his kingdom from the English in
the fifteenth century.
The men OF the Lafayette family have
never been known to trouble themselves
about the place where they should be buried.
From father to son they all died on the
field OF battle. Our Lafayette, who brave
ly challenged death on both continents, Is
the only Lafayette Of the old regime
who died in his bed. Like his ancestors
he cared not where he should be buried,
and perhaps this explains the extreme
simplicity of bis tomb To this day il Is
sadly neglected. An American who re-
Gently visited the cemetery OF Picpus, says
he found a ragged American flag on the
grave and this he replaced by a new one.
Although the cemetery OF Picpus is
curious and characteristic. it is unknown
to most Parsians. When Prince de Salm
peri,hed by the revolutionary guillotine,
his body was thrown In field called
Picpus. The mother Of the unfortunate
Prince bought the land where had been
placed her sons remains and surrounded
it with walls. Soon, around the tomb of
Salm, we're placed the tombs OF members
of the French aristocracy-victims of the
terrible gullotine-and now we read the
names of Polignsc, Montmorency, Nadail-
lac, Talleyraud, NoaIlles, etc. A we'll
known French Duchess once said: "At
PIcpus, at least, one has the consolation of
decaying with ones own SET"
BARONESS ALTHEA SALVADOR.