The Monticellonian., 1917-12-14

Coucy razed to the ground,
 X bombed by the fleeing enemy.
 This was the brief, bald communique which struck blow to French hearts second only In force to that delivered by the shower of steel rained for two years and half on the famous cathedral .at Reims, writes Blanche McManus In the Chicago Her aid.
 It was the spring before that sum- mer cloudburst of war. We had opened that day for the first reading the Bal lades Franchises" of that eccentric and celebrated poet of the "quartier" Legitimate successor of him who gave fame to the iong-departed Cafe Procope Paul Fort; opened 1t. too. at his adorable musical tribute dedicated to this sanfe grand old Chateau de Coucy.
 Built some 600 years ago by d naughty seigneur by the name of En- guerrand, third of the line of Coucy, 1t was handed down for two centuries. Then royal Louis of the reigning Or leans family, who evidently had a pret- ty taste in castles, having just built it's splendid rival, the neighboring Chateau de Pierrefonds (also in the zone des armees but not yet liberated) bought 1t for 100000 livres tournois, a unit of reckoning comparable to the franc of today.
 After the usual martial vicissitudes of the times Cardinal Richelieu, in the seventeenth century, gave the fabric its first hard knock by ordering 1t dis mantled as fortress of the time. But its mighty walls resisted well, although the interior was gutted. Thereafter its debris served as il quarry for all the neighborhood, and it is easy to see that the solid houses of the little town hud- dling.about the walls were built chiefly of its stones. Some sixty years ngo it entered into the public domain ot the French government, who eommis- stoned the, great French architect, Vio- lette-le-Duc, master of modern Gothic, to restore it to the extent of consoli- dating it's stately shell against further disintegration then, too, it came to be officially classed as monument his torique and remained the most splen- did feudal bastile of all Europe and a joy and a marvel to the eyes of all who came within it's spell.
 Everything Within It's Walls.
 So much for history. Now for it's ago. The Chateau of Coucy is the most perfect example of the self-con- tained mode of existence on earth and should make the committing suburban ite blush for his wandering life. Every thing for the requirements of the dwellers within was held also within its mighty grip, surrounded by it's four towering stories of defenses, taller in their ensemble than many a cathedral spire. First the encircling outer wall, behind which in the old days lived the serfs in their wooden huts, but today inclosing the sleepy little village so typical of northern France. There was rampant promenade, aiong which we followed. punctuated with the thirty-two tours of other days, and with but three gateways, one leading to Laon, one to Soissons, one to Ghauny. all of them towns which are making rapid history at this moment. Here were gathered the tiny shops, the markets where provisions were brought from where they were grown Ill the fields below the walls.
 Next the second ring of walls, sur rounded by deep moat opening only at one massive gateway. We crossed its drawbridge. still hung by the rusty chains of other days. These inclosed the working parts of the chateau, an orchard and quaint formal garden in which the family took their airings Circled about were the stables, retain. CTS quarters, guardhouses. armory poultry yard, dairy, the faleonry, eel 1 lars, storerooms, kitchens and all the .~~~->~~~~~~.~~~~~~~-