The Newtown bee., 1905-06-23
LITCHFlELD COUNTY
WASHINGTON,

BURR A. HOLL1sTER IN FRANCE.
 Burr A. Hollister wrote the. follow. ing interesting account of visit to a
 Blois, France, "
 April g, 1905.
 Dear Mother: It is now three weeks since we visited the chateaux and yet I have written nothing about them, but now l want to give yOua little idea of "what manner of beaSt' they are. We started from Blots one morning and went by train down the river to Duzaine. l ought to say about the ac- commomation trains that they really are accommodating, for. if there is any thing you want to look at you can get out, stay as long as you wish, and then run after the train and climb in again. If you want to get to any place quickly you hire a team, but if you are in no Duzaine we walked to ChaumOnt, cross ing the Loire on a long handsome sus- pension bridge in which you are for bidden ito lOiter or smoke" From this bridge you get magnificent view of the Loire, which here flows along calmly. in vast sweeping curves. It's high sloping banks are green to the waters edge, and lend an additional beauty to this river which is famous the world over for it's charm. They have every appearance of being natur- al banks, but they are entirely artific- ial, behind each bank being a massive wall, as a protection against floods. The river has been known to rise forty feet in one day, when naturally if the waters were uncontrolled the whole va o11nu .vuny111 hn 1nuocfofn1 of P,,k f0 come back to our subject, or as the French would say, "to return to our muttons." We walked through the sleepy little town of Chaumont, and then passing the great iron gates, be- gan to mount slowly towards the cha teau, through a park that was more than beautiful. The chateau stands on the top of the knoll, and to my mind it is almost the ideal chateau, for though the interior IS not richly orna- mented yet there is grandeur in the simplicity of the architecture which commands your attention and admira- tiOn. Every corner terminates in large round tower, which fromits high pointed roof sweeps downward with force and power in gradual, outward curve, and these towers are repeated on either side of the drawbridge. The chateau was originally built some three hundred years ago in a hollow square, but now one side has been re- moved that the full view of the valley of the Loire, which is the crowning glory of the chateau, may be had from the court. At the present time it is owned by the Due de Broglie so that only one wing, wherein are the histor- ic rooms, is open to the public. We mounted the winding staircase and me o6n hn Of 1n ruI~ SoI, were used by Charles VIII, Louis XII, and the other kings, as we'll as those that were more powerful than king. However, there was little of vital in- terest to be found indoors, few pic lures, a few pieces of tapestry and some ancient furnishings were save the chapel and the room of Catherine De Medicis. TheCchapel, which is in memory of the Cardinal of AmbOise, is built in the form of Greek cross, and IS reached through hidden opening in the tapestry. It issmall but exquisite. In the room of Catherine de MediciS we found some of the furniture that that terrible old demon used there in 1859. It is said of her that the Devil did not claim her as soon as he other wise would, for she had SO surpassed him in wickedness that he had some natural hesitation about meeting her, fearing he would lose his job. By tn e side of her bed there still remains her old prie-dieu, which the guide books inform us is much worn, but to me 1t seemed in such remarkable state of preservation as to warrant the belief that She spent more time in brewing poisons than she did at her devotions. Then having made the concierge happy with small tip we returned to Blois, on train where there were Is cars full of cows and three cars for the other did not wonder that the COWS were the only ones on board, and am sure that they would have got out and walked, too, had they been able to do SO. We made the 15 miles to Boise in only little over an hour. The same afternOon,-in true American tourist style, doing in one day what should in the estimation of the French, be done in three,-we drove about 25 miles and visited the chateaux of Chambord and Chevering. Chevering was built as hunting lodge by one of the kings, but is only interesting to- cent dwelling house. However there are some interesting pictures, series of mural paintings representing the adventures of Don Quixote, and some handsome antique and modern furni- ture. But the chief attraction of the place is one magnificent piece of tapes try, representing the capture of Helen of Troy, for which an A merican offered $2OO, 900 a few years ago, but was un- able to buy it for that price. The cha teau of ChambOrd is situated in the center of park of thirteen thousand acres. AS you approach by way of the long straight avenue through the woods you see before you what appears to be a village in the air, but coming closer the chateau, which is really small give an adequate idea of it's size, or to convey a-true idea of it's labyrinth of towers. From the roof of this vast bulk, which contains over four hun dred rooms of royal size, rise towers of immense girth, chimneys, turrets, gables, and pinnacleS, all highly Orna mented and carved, and numbered by yet in some way there is an order in this seeming chaos. This chateau has been the home of kings; the barracks ot troops: stronghold in the wars; the scene of riots during the with an imposing exterior and pain fully desecrated interior: It is an ob- ject lesson on the vandalism of the French Revolution. Before l79O it was filled with art treasures, every room was rich in carvings in walls and cell ing, and all was richly furnished. Now there does not remain single one of | the original treasures; not carving or