River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-03-08

he felt was the possession OF q prince
ly palace adequate to the needs of a
titled person of his prominence and
expectations, and in keeping with the
SIS 100000 of his wife's dover. There
was nothing in all Paris that would do,
so the Grand Trianon" was begun.
He would duplicate the splendors of
Versailles, create for themselves a
renaissance of Louis XIV. and Louis
XIV. refinement and luxury, and the
basis was to be this grand palace on
the Avenue du Bois de Boulogne.
Mansions were purchased and pulled
down to make room for the new struc-
ture and to create a regal estate.
Ordinary stone foundations, although
invisible, would not do and SO marble
went into the ground and marble walls
rose at the waving of the magic
golden wand Of his generous fairy
WIFE Famous sculptors were bought
off from other engagements so
that they could devote all their time
to the task of making these walls rich
with the fruits of their talent.
Chateaux and city palaces were pur-
chased for no other purpose than to
tear down their walls and secure the
mural decorations to be transported
and put into the Castellane palace.
Every art exhibit in Europe was
visited by the ambitious count and
every treasure in painting, statuary,
tapestry, and what not, was snapped
up regardless of price.
An Expensive Bit Of Furniture
Of course it was necessary to place
in the Grand Trianon' appropriate
furniture, and so a pair of ward
robes Of the Vatican period, big
enough to hold small part of the
counts and the countess wearing ap-
parel, were purchased at a cost of
$280,000.
A clock which had once been the
property of Count Carmondo caught
Count Boni's fancy, and what though
it did keep Indifferent time and cost
$4,000 he must have it, and the relic
with its revolving dial supported by
four ideal figures went to adorn the
halls of his marble palace.
Hell AO was SuQUCA1y SC1LcO Will q
fear that he had been too se1f-centered
and selfish in his expenditures and he
proceeded to present paintings to the
chamber of deputies for which he still
owes various dealers an aggregate Of
half million dollars. And then with
another half million he erected
charity bazar building, to take the
YN1o Of h0 h1Irn 0W
before, and his generous nature did
not let him forget to give this in the
name of the countess, and the coun-
tess, captivated by her husbands
thoughtfulness, forthwith provided
fund for its perpetual maintenance
A Country Place and Yacht.
Such arduous attention to the pub
lie needs proved very fatiguing to
the count, and 1t is not surprising that
about this time he felt the need of
another country place to which he
might retire for rest, and so 100000
was paid for the Chateau d'Hiver,
near Pau. But the charms Of the place
did not seem to do for him what he
had hoped and he became convinced
that yachting was the one thing he
required, and so 100000 went for the
fine yacht Walhalla, at least that is
what he agreed to pay for the float
ing palace, but after he had given
succession of yachting parties on
scale of magnificence comparable only
to those of the old Roman emperors,
and the yachting season was over, he
suddenly lost his interest In the boat
and forgot to pay for it.
A memorial chapel on his estate of
the Chateau d'EIiver cost the insig-
nifcant sum of 100000. and feeling
that he had practiced reprehensible
economy and anxious that he might
| not lose his reputation as gener-