Evening star., 1909-09-11

Marguerite and daughter-inl law. Louise,
to the half-nude banquet. which termi-
mated in an orgie where three young no.
blemen and two noble girls were stabbed
to death.
The fete cost 10000 livres tSa0Oco0
present yalueD. Catherine was still 10
make some fire embellishments To the
chateau. but she was already insolvent.
Dying at Blos in 1aSg. the mother -
three kings was negigently buried in
common earth-whle her creditors were
fighting in the chateau.
She had willed Chenonceau TO the young
queen, Louise. Six months later. Henry
III being killed by Jacques Clement, Lou
ise settled down 10 mourn for him at
But the creditors? Catherine had died
leaving 23.oon.ro francs OF debts and.
according to Brantome. not sou OF as
set. chenonceau was levied on thrice
over.
Now interfered the new kings favorte
Gabrielle d'Estrees wanted to buy Chen
onceau. She asked Henry " To call the
MORTGAGES together and say word to
them Then she offered the great sum
of 22oO0 gold ecus d.lo.oo0 francs pres
ent vaue). l say offered: you shall note
there was a string tied to II. Here came
Henry " on a visit 10 the weeping Lou
Use, who imagined Chenonceau her own.
He had just conquered her brother. de
Mercoeur. The treaty of peace stipulated
the marriage Of de Mercoeur's only
daughter to Cae sar Of Nendome son of
ffeHTl ~ ana 0IdDrletle q f.SlTeeS
Don't you want TO give the young cou-
pie a present." Gabrialle asked unsus-
pecting Louise. IN cancel my offer for
Chenonceau, and you shall give the cha
teau to your niece" She did not say
My son.'D
Louise sold her pearls to make a first
payment to the creditors. and Chenonceau
became the mortgaged property of Caesar
of Vendome. But business men had grown
more independent since the days of Fran
els l. The creditors had trusted honest
Louise. but they would not trust the
kings bastard. Louise died. Wop. See
the sheriff come runningl And Caesars
other-in-law-another honest victim
had to intervene with $500 livres cash.
With this they ceded to the creditors all
furniture, clothing and bric-a-brac left by
Catherine de Medieis at Chenonceau.
The extraordinary sale took place No
vember Ii, 1GO6. Even the old shoes.
skirts and corsets of Catherine de 'Medi-
els were laughingly tossed about In the
auction by the secondhand dealers OF
Tours.
In the hands of the Vendome Mer
occur family, Chenonceau went through a
long period Of abandonment. The court
had quit Touraine. Young Louis XIII
passed the door without entering. Richie
lieu never saw it. The last royal sojourn
was when MaZarin and Vendome We're
reconciled. and fifteen-year-old Louis XIV
came, with his mother. to the fete.
From the period of that visit dates the
splendid gilded furniture which the Ter
rvs retain in the middle salon.
a Dowager Duchesse de Vendome dying
without children in 171S-"from the abuse
of strong liquors.. says Saint-Simon-the
chateau cf the waters passed to Prince
of Conde-who sold 1t to the business
man, Durin. And there was peace
An untitled, middle-class man, at last.
again owned the chateau built by plain
Bohier and never again was IL to leave
the hands of honest middle-class people.
The ghosts of Chenonceau fled the in
terror.
The royal robber shades found them
selves parked out under the old trees.
Voltaire, visiting Dupin. saw Diane de
Poitiers kissed by La Chateigneraie in a
thcket by the river. Jean jacques Rous-
seau saw nun mourn. a jealous woman
smile. scared girl shrinking. Georges
Sand descendant of Dupin, saw the end
of the wicked festival. where noble
youths and girls We're stabbed to death.
Grevy. president of the republic, visit
ing the family of his son-in-law. sat in
the park at midnight watching. He be-
held a rabble of pale shades besiegins
the chateau. They could not enter
STERLING HELLO.