The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-11-15

/ best managed in France. They were
| leased to the late Due de Charities at a
nominal rent by the Due d'Aumale, with
reversion to the Institute of France.
This part of the Condo estate is up
| hill, down-dale copsy here, wooded
| there. has grassy drives and beats, and
stretches of fat land for partridge-en-
| ticing crops OF buckwheat and turnips,
and for inclosing the whole. as well as
different. sections the finest trimmed.
low hedges in all France. That bon VI
want of tragic memory, King Carlos of
Portugal, gladly accepted invitations to
shoot pheasants and other game there,
for there are also places kept in
marsh state for snipe and woodcock.
The residence Of the late Comtesse de
CIinchampe. contiguous to that Of the
de Chartres family. and with a lovely
lawn in front. by the Nonette River, has
been let by the Institute of France at
very high rental to the nephew OF the
late comtesse for the use OF ex-King
Ferdinand of Naples. should he ever
again revisit France for any length OF
time At least. that is the supposition.
because he could there enjoy complete
privacy. Visitors could come to see him
through the private way through the
grounds Of Chantilly. The house has one
disadvantage-that OF having its back to
the road. But. as the Due d'Aumale
built up all the ground floor windows on
that side. this roadside lookout from the
first and second floor corridors does not
detract from the privacy Of the place.
The Due d'Aumale attached to the
Condo property the house on the hillside
Of St FIrmin. over the way, and former
ly belonging to a lady Of a rather taIka-
tive turn. who held in her fingers "un
Joli brin de plume" and sometimes with
its help furnished ChantilIy gossip to
Bonapartist papers Mosquitoes would
have been agreeable neighbors compared
to her. She could see what went on In |
the most delectnble part of the grounds
Of st. FirTnin and the aged Princess of |
Salerno, mother-in-law OF the duke, led
about there, or pushed in a chair by
servants.
The Due d'Aumale who abhorred news |
paper notoriety. offered to buy the house |
of his neichbor for 5000 francs. Though |
she had, not long before bought it for
only 10000 francs, she refused. To COM
pei her to agree, the due raised the !
height Of the wall skirting the road. She, |
being a woman of means, added a story
to her house and let it to a member Of |
were anything but Orleanist.
He next offered 10000 francs. which she !
refused. saying as she did so to his |
emissary: Were monseigneur to offer |
me 5000 francs, wi besides all that the |
additional story cost me, should decline !
his offer as too low. He does not know, |
perhaps, that have arranged the house !
to fit me like glove. that II is in a most |
healthy situation, with a view of the |
forest from all the upper windows, and |
IS close enough to the church to admit |
OF my hearing low mass every morning |
Instead of saying my prayers in my bed |
room, say them morning and evening |
in the church. Then there is the removal |
of my furniture and the hunt after an
other suitable house to be considered"
The due finally paid all she asked for
her place of abode, with heavy compen-
sations for the trouble, anxiety Of mind, !
and other bothers that change of resi-
dence must involve. Eleven thousand |
francs just covered what she required.
It enabled her to purchase that retro Of
the Grand Duchess Marie Nicolaievna,
adjoining her chateau, that overlooked
the Valley of Montmorency.
The Princess Mathilde, her cousin, and
kindred spirit spent her summers at her
chateau OF Saint Gratien, about four
leagues distant. The RETRO" served in
the time of the Grand Duchess the pur-
pose OF the petite maison" or petit
chateau" or Trianon Of the eighteenth
century There she saw friends, to whom
her second husband, Count Strongonoff.
objected, and for everyday life she
preferred snugness to stateliness.
In that lodge she claimed that freedom
which Voltaire allowed to every actress
to conduct herself-"comme one honete
homme"-not by any means the same 1
thing as "un homme honete." From all
of which It may be inferred that the Due
d'Aumales undesirable neighbor found
great benefit in the change of homes.