The Columbus journal., 1909-10-13

u1uuIuS Vue Sceueo %
their old loves and
crimes!
The ghosts are dread French kings.
from Francis l. to Charles TX. with
beautiful but cruel Diane de Poitiers
and Catherine de Medici, the terrible
queen-mother. Even the unhappy
Mary Stuart knew the lovely scene.
The scene ia outside wondrous
Chenonceau. said to be again for sale
unless already sold-in the division
Of the Terry estate.
II you can pay the millions. take the
ghosts as an extra attraction. They
cannot harm plain Americans. Here
is q mystery. The ghosts cannot en-
ter the chateau SO long as plain. un-
titled folks live in it. The potent in
fluence Of its builder-an untitled
business woman of the renaissance
will keep the royal robbers out in the
park! ..# ..
Go back a century. Claude Dupin,
plain tax-farmer. purchased Chenon-
ceau in great dilapidation for 100000
francs in 1888 and spent 100. 900 francs
in reservations. Here the Dupins held
a brilliant literary court, with Button.
Voltaire and Rousseau; and the
chateau went peacefully to their de-
scendants from whom Wilson's
daughter bought it.
For the strong business woman OF
old days, who built the unique pal
ace: Catherine Briconnet descended
from a small shopkeeper's family of
Tours. fostered to greatness like 30
many other little people"-Barthe-
lots, Pouchers Bohiers-by democrat
ic Louis XXI. Behold Catherine Bricon-
net, daughter Of q banker who died
archbishop. married to Thomas Bo-
hier, farmer general. and rich
enough to buy the marques hef.
While Thomas financed the armies
OF two kings Catherine left at home.
built Chenoneau.
GATHERINGS husband. Bother. died In
the rout of the French army in Italy.
Catherine died a year later. Francis
l.. finding his treasury emptied by
Italian wars. brought suit against
all the crowns financiers. The OBJ
jeet was not to judge, but to grind
money.
In FIVE years the rich family of
Bother was ruined and GATHERINGS
son, Antoine. was glad to humbly Of
fer Francis I. his chateau of Chenon-
ceau at a valuation of 10000 livres
as a Quit claim. ut had cost his ia
Their $4,000 livres, or $4,000 in our
money. Some 10000 livres remained
of the kings claim. The Boilers
were sucked dry.
Francis visited Chenonceau twice,
an i'll, melancholy man, and died
nasty death. But Diane de Poitiers
had seen and liked the chateau of
the waters.
Diane de Poitiers, celebrated in
French history for her beauty. grace,
crookedness. wickedness and unlimit-
ed influence over King Henri H.. was
married at Is years to the bunch
backed Louis de BREEZY. grand senes-
chal of Normandy. who was 60. Two
years later her father, implicated in a
plot, was being led OF to the Place de
Greve. Paris. to have his head cut OF.
but youthful Diane was talking with
the dauphin. The father was re
prieved at the last moment, and Diane
became a political figure.
On the death of Francis l.. her first
act was to have the dauphin become
king. dispossess her old rival. Ouch
ess d'Etampes, of all her property.
Finally. by letters patent. Diane OBJ
tanned "our chateau of Chenonceau."
Here is one of the crimes of Che
ponceau. A young gentleman. La
Chateigneraie. knew too much about
Diane. Another De Jarnac. married
the sister of her old rival. Duchess
d'Etampes.
ASK De Jarnac how he dresses so
well." said Diane to La Chateigneraie.