Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-10-27
CHAPTER "
THE GARDEN AND THE ROSE.


"YHE Chateau De- Josselin.
place not unknown to his
n tory, lay hare by the sea
shore a few mics from the
town OF Brest toward which il turned
its landward side. It vas building
of great antiquity and ha1 been in the
possession OF the family Ut dc Rohan
from feudal times. One face looked
seaward over the wild rags, where
the stormy waves Of the Bay OF Bis
cay broke in ceaseless onslaught. beat
ing themselves into The white foam Of
sea agony upon the stem shores.
AT the foot Of the keep or principal
tower which was built upon the sheer
edge OF preciptous aaadland, there
was a deep indentaticu N the cliffs,
which, II one possesse efficient skill
and knowledge to thread The narrow
passage twisting betw the roaring
breakers. Afforded a SAL harborage for
boats and small coastne vessels. 1t
had been long unused Of course, ow-
ing to the spacious tirbor OF Brest
close at hard but in ola days it had
been a favored haven If the adven-
turous lords OF Rohan and sometimes
of their enemies as wol
Landward the main chateau over
looked singularly pleasant garden
filled with ancient fruit and shade
trees. the whole inclo. Cd by high
wall from which, and bc Ter still from
the high tower full Jew of Brest,
its Notifications, its nGya, station, its
harbor and its shippine 'ould be OBJ
tanned 1t was to thi castle that
Philip Grafton was CO. ucted upon the
evening of the arriya ~ lie These in
the harbor
Tho Marquis de ChabOt-Rohan, or.
to give him his familiar title, de Cha
bot, the heir and successor TO the dig
mites of the de Rct7ns in those parts
and consequent! ae master Of rich
and extensive possessions, kept up a
prlncely estate in he old chateau. and
it pleased him stiN to perpetuate the
ancient usages ana customs Of his
house SO far as he could. The castle
itself seemed to O. maintained as a
medieval fortress night have been.
The ditch surrouu ~ it on the land
ward side, instead II being dry and
grass grown. as We the custom, was
kept we'll filled with water; the draw
bridce-the sole mems of crossing the
moat-was raised and lowered at APP
pointed hours, an close watch and
ward were kept by the feudal retain
ers Of the house the gateway and
on the walls To eaward the walls
We're so high and 20 strong that the
castle, placed on the very edge Of the
bcetling cliffs, was believed to be i'm
pregnable.
His only son, t. Young Comte de
Rohan-and save do Kersaint almost
his only relative lad married Mis-
tress Anne Page, Il Virginia. The
young man had been a naval officer
whose ship had zoo stationed upon
the coast of North America. where he
had greatly enjoyed the spontaneous
and warm-hoarted ospitality OF the
cOlonists OF the fan rs old dominion
Carried away by he charms of mind
and person. and W hout waiting for
the consent of his father he straight
way married this young woman from
the new world Whose beauty and char
acter had made so deep An impression
upon him. and he had Brought her 70
France in his own frlGate
His father. at frss highly incensed
ri wh at he deemed q mesalliance, had
sternly refused to receive him, but
the tales Of the beauty OF his unwel-
come daughtcr-in-law, which were
poured in his ear by hose who fel! I'M
der the sway of her loveliness, and
certain substantial evidences of the
great estates in the new world be-
longing to the honorable family from
which snc spraug, md to which she
was sole heiress. which his son had
found means TO bring TO his attention
had first awakened his curiosity and
finally Modified his wrath. He had at
last consented to an interview, and
thereafter had promptly Succumbed TO
the charms of the winsOne and beauti-
full American as completely as had his
son. Resisning his commission in the
French navy the young count and his
wife, overioyed AT the reconciliation
had returned to his fathers house and,
az he fondly hoped settled down to
years OF domestic bliss and tranquil
lily.
There daughter, the first and only
child of this strange union, was born;
but the life that came was paid for by
the life that went, for when the child
was but few days old the young
mother died. The inconsolable young
count did not long survive the loss Of
his adored wife. To distract his grief
he resumed his service in the French
navy. receiving his old rank through
his fathers influence, and was shortly
after wrecked and lost with his ship
on voyage to the French East In
dies, while his daughter was still an
infant.
II was crushing blow to the old
man, but with Spartan resolution he
bore up under IT and turned to his lit