The age-herald., 1900-11-04

main, which he frequented by right of birth was to amaze the noblesse by the extent of her riches.
 In October, 1895, the couple purchased lot of land at the Avenue de Bois de Bou- logne and Avenue Malakoff, upon which it was proposed to erect an exact counter part of the chateau called Ie Petit Trianon, so famous in the times of Marie Antonette. The land was purchased for about s95o,000 Work on the palace began at once and the buildings with their furnishings and deeora- tions are said to have brought the sum up ct very nearly $3000,0OO.
 On this estate in July the following year the Count and Countess entertained Eau bourg St. Germain Society at a fete which excited the wonder of Paris; it was a re- production, enhanced by every modern ap- pliance possible, of the wedding festival of Marie Therese of Austria and Louis XIV. Over 1000 persons were employed either as performers or servants. The guests num- bered 5000. The fete, it is said, cost $500, 000.
 Later on the count purchased the yacht Nalhalla for S5O0,000, and spent nearly half that sum in having her refitted. Three years ago it was announced that the countess had paid 100000 for land in Paris upon which a permanent BaZar de Charite was to be erected as a memorial to her mother.
 In the meantime the establishment that the count and countess kept up in Paris, horses, carriages, servants and retainers, is said to have demanded an annual outlay of at least $500,000 According to the gos- sip of the Paris press the count lost im- mense sums at the bourse, at the clubs, and on the turf, while his extrayagant gifts to friends alone represented a fair fortune.
 The Count has been several times pressed for cash. Work on the palace was sus- pended more than once, and the Valhalea, during her refitting, was on at least two occasions attached for debt.
 Early in the present year the Count and Countess visited this country for the pur- pose, it was said, of placing the formers debts upon a more equitable footing. At the same time 1t was reported in Le Figaro that the Count had come to America to raise money from the Goulds on account of his heavy losses on Change, and that he was unable to meet his maturing obliga- tions. All this was yociferously denied by the Count, yet, when he left this country after 8 brief visit, it was said that an ar- engagement had been made with the Gould heirs which would enable him to tide over his most pressing financial difficulties.
 Two sons have been born to the Castel- laines. Besides his extravaganza, the Count has excited some comment through his endeavors, as Royalist Deputy, to dee feat the Waldeck-Rousseau Ministry. Seris ous charges duplicating him in the Royalist plot to overthrow the government eighteen months ago have also been made against him. He took part in the disgraceful as- sault made upon President Loubet in the summer of 1899 at the Auteuil race track. At the Automobile Club and the Jockey Club in Paris he has the reputation of be- ing something of a duelist. Last January, just before he left Paris for the United States, he fought M Henri Turbot, an ed- itor of La Petite Republique, who had act cused him of being a degenerate" and wounded him.