The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-12-22
The STRANGE STORY OF HIS ANCESTRY.
f. G. DE FONTAINE'S FAMILY SE.
CRET.
His Father an Exile from France
with Charles the Tcnth-Hc Never
Revealed the Secret of His Life
Even to His Son.

The death OF Mr.. +. g. de Fontaine
recalls strange story published in the
Charleston World in 1880 concerning
MS parCntuge. The article was sgD, thu
World by its Now York correspondent
and the facts were given him by Mr.
de t'Ontalnc himself, although his
nasnu was not mentioned in tho article
ltscli. II Is a gh!y interesting story
Apd : here reproduced
NEW YORK, May 2S. Especial cor
respontoncC Of the World -hesiding
~ present in New York is Il gentleman
now past middle age, whose life ap.
mystery that, when solved, NAV one
day create no little commution in the
pOiJlcal circles Of the Old World.
The name he bears is that of two
brothers, distinguished Italians, whose
achievements in science, art and liter
| azure arc chrCniC!cd in all the cncyclU-
pndias, and is likewise one which he
! i:s3 hin5Gii made more or less familiar
in the United States. Nevertheless, a
curious chain Of circumstances make
IL probable that for more than half a
century this name has masked pol IT,
ca secret connected with EurOpcan
| affairs which is not likely to be reveal
ed Until fate takes the matter in hand
and discovers what has been refused
| by the ordinary records OF family de-
scent.
While visiting the residence of this
gentleman recently my attention was
attracted by an enlarged copy of pc
culiar coat Of arms so unlike Others
seen in Amcrican families its disLinc-
tvs features being ducal co:onet, a
knight with closed crest and other
aru'oriaI bearings OF royal significance,
| that ! made the Inquiry whcLAer il
was connected with any notable asso
cl..iious or history.
Yes, was thc reply, but unfo tu.
nately, they concern a life Of which |
| know lit or nothing that OF my own
father. Heretofore | hayo rarely re-
tCrrcd to the subject, even in tho pres
cpco Of my own family; but as tho wife
anti children are all here to day, and
am getting along in years, perhaps
this is as good an opportunity rs any
to tell the whole story. Light IL cigar.
"Iou will remember" DC continued,
" that when Charles y was compel Ied
by the revolution of July, 1880, TO abdi-
cate the French throne, he went into
exile IN Edinburgh, Scotland, and, ac.
comraniCd by hiS two sons and other
| io'lD" Crs who adhered to his fortunes,
| Among this little court was my father
some time during the winter OF lsal
the latter camc to this c0untry, la d.
! lug, bell We, in New York. As
| learned in later years from old italians,
WHO, by The way, regarded him with
ruch difference. referring to him as
| the Cncvalicr Louis Antoine de,
! he waa possessed OF ample means and
Travelled extensively throughout the
| United States. ! can easily recall the
exquisite diamonds and 'oijouterie,
which he owned as late as 1918, and
the attention they attracted when dis.
played. His marriage took place 10
1893, and in July, 1884, the fourth an
niversary OF the bloody month OF the
revolution, the usual rejoicing cele-
brated the birth OF the first child, be
who happens to be telling you these
facts. Thrue other sons aud daugh-
ter were subsequently the result Of The
union.
"You probably wonder whether my
mother knew anything concerning the
| previous history Of her hueOaUd. Only
that his name was the one | tuVo
| mentioned that he was born in Paris,
as he said, between 1890 and 1903; that
he had passed through various start.
ling vicisstudes in both France and
! Italy which had caused him TO become
Il political exile, and finally that for
years he was In frequent communica.
tion either by person or paquet with
some source of great interest to him
on the other side OF the Atlantic. She
knew him also to he u man of brilliant
intellectual requirements, speaking
eight or ten languages and familiar
with every part OF Europe, over which,
he told her, he had travelled when q
youth under the care of tutor. Re-
ference to his past, even In q spirit of
jest, seemed TO give him pain. On
one occasion he went so far as to say to
her that ii he was not what he seemed
she would know oil In good time, and
u, a. -l..n1, A..