Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-10-15

DE- -a0f7ZERS 90 " 7Is'
back pull of his sword. La Chat
eigneraie bled to death. To-day
coup De Jarnac" means almost D
foul; but the maneuver was perfectly
regular, IL new. F-.i II.
Here is another crime of Chenon
ceau. Diane. having finished tht
bridge.wing at a cost of 1900 livres
($lS.OO0 today, built Italian gardens
in the style of Passelo de Mercogliano
The archbishop OF Tours lent her .
remarkable young gardener. Nicquet.
to train up her fruit walks. Nicquet
was handsome. distinguished. due
tive. innocent; the court was ut Blois:
there was passing escapade OF
summers afternoon or two: and then
the handsome young gardener died OF
alleged cholera.
or all Diane's crimes. this one stuck
most. The victim was n servant: and
the vengeful clan whispered the tale
to their masters far and wide. Later,
when Henri II. lay dying 1t became
the pretext on which Tavannes offered
the queen to go and cut OF Diane's
nose Instead. the philosophical Cath.
crime De Medicis offered to spare the
fallen beauty's mutilation-on condi.
tion that Diane should give her Che
nonceau.
Catherine de Medici got DANES
clear title to Chsnonceau by the os-
tensible trade of mortgaged Chau-
mont. Can American woman. Esther
Alexander. legal French wife of Rob
ert de Broglie. is. with him. co-heir-
apparent to the latter historic chateau
at this moment.)
Her first great fete at Chenonceau
was a triumphal entry for the new
king. her son. Francis II. and his
young wife. Mary Stuart. Arches.
obelisks. columns. statues, fountains.
antique altars. fireworks. music and
800 cannons made a wonderful effect.
These were the happiest days Of Mary
Stuart.
They say, indeed. that her ghost is
the only one that has been seen inside
the chateau in the time OF the Terrys.
She appears as an elderly woman las
of the time of her death) in a black
gown and white ruff. an elderly wom-
an who walks through the bridge
wing. melancholy. surprised, content.
as returning late to empty scenes OF
bygone happiness!
Chenonceau. In the hands Of the
vendome- -Mercoeur family, went
through long period OF abandon
ment The court had quit Touraine.
Young Louis XIII. passed the door
without entering. Nendome and
| Mazarin were reconciled at Chenon-
ceau; Louis XIV, II years old. came
! with his mother to the fete: and from
that dates the splendid gilded furni-
ture which the Terrys retain to-day in
| the middle salon. 1t was the last
royal visit to Chenonceau.
dowager duchess OF Vendome dy-
ing without children in 171s-.'killed.
says Saint-Simon. by abuse OF strong
liquors''-long abandoned and neglect
ed Chenonceau passed by inheritances
to the Prince de Conde. who sold II to
the plain. untitled business man. Du-
pin.
A business man. an untitled middle
class man. at last again owned the
fairy chateau OF the water for which
kings. queens and fayorites com.
mitted crimes.
The ghosts of Chenonceau fed the
interior.
Voltaire. visiting Dupin. saw Diane
de Poitiers kissed by La Chateigneraie
in armor. in thickct by the river.
Jean.Jaques Rousseau. visiting Du'
pin, saw the same love scene. while
i nun mourned and a jealous woman
smiled.
Georges Sand. a descendant of Du,
pin, saw the end of the wicked festival
where three young nOblemcn and two
young noble girls We're stabbed &c
death.
Grevy. president OF the republic
/ visiting the sister OF his son.in-la
sat in the park at midnight watching
He beheld rabble OF pale shades be
siCging the chateau. They could not
enter. STERLING HElI.lG.