Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-10-15
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Y yOULD you give millions
n for a chateau besieged
NV by royal ghosts. vainly
" v haunting the scenes of
their old loves and

The ghosts are dread French kings.
from Francis |. 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 is outside wondrous
Chenonceau, said to be again for sale
unless already, sold-in the division
of the Terry estate.
If you can pay the millions, take the
ghosts as an extra attraction. They
cannot harm plain Americans. Here
Is mystery. The ghosts cannot en-
ter the chateau so long as plain. un-
titled folks live in 1t. The potent in
iiuence 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 100000 francs
in restorations. Here the Dupins held
n brilliant literary court, with Button.
Voltaire and Rousseau; and the
chateau went peacefully to their de-
daughter bought 1t.
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 SO
many other little people"-Barthe-
lots. Pouchers Bohiers-by democrat
ic Louis XI. Behold Catherine Bricon-
net, daughter of a banker who died
archbishop. married to Thomas 30
hier. a farmer general. and rich
enough to buy the marques fief.
While Thomas financed the armies
of two kings Catherine left at home.
built Chenoneau.
GATHERINGS husband, Bohier. died In
the rout of the French army in Italy.
Catherine died year later. Francis
l.. finding his treasury emptied by
Italian wars, brought suit against
all the crowns financiers. The OBJ
iect was not to Judge. but to grind
money.
In FIVE years the rich family of
Bohier was ruined and GATHERINGS
son. Antoine. was glad to humbly Of
fer Francis l. his chateau of Chenon.
ceau at valuation OF 10000 livres
as a quit claim ut had cost his IA
ther 6O.O00 livres. or 100000 in our
money. Some 10000 livres remained
of the kings claim. The Bohie
were sucked dry.
Francis visited Chenonceau twice.
an III, melancholy man. and died n
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.
crookcdness, wickedness and unlimit-
ed influence over King Henri H., was
married at Is years to the bunch
backed Louis de Breezy. grand scnes.
cbai of Normandy. who was GO. TWO
years later her father. implicated in a
plot, was being led on to the Place de
Greve. Paris. to have his head cut of.
bnt youthful Diane wns 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
nonceau A young gentleman. La
Chateigneraie. knew too much abou
Diane. Another De Jarnac. married
the sister of her old rival. Duchess
d'Etampes.
Ask De Jarnac how he dresses s,
wclla" said Diane to La Chateigneraie
MY mother-in-law helps me out.
explained the unsuspecting De Jarnac
On which Diane caused the hateful
whisper to go round:
DO you know what La Chateign
Sraic says about De Jarnac and hi
nsother.in-law?"
They fought with swords and dag
gers In the presence of the court
Like lagu. Which one kills the other
care nothing" thought Diane: bu
she felt safer when, to every body
surprIsr. De Jnruac suddenly seeme
TO slip. fell tu one knee. and han
strung his superior adversary with