The herald., 1917-12-27

bombed by the fleeing enemy.
This was the brief, bald
communique which struck u 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.
1t was the spring before that sum-
mer cloudburst of war. We had opened
that day for the first reading the BAL
ladies' Franchises of that eccentric
and celebrated poet of the quarter"
Legitimate successor of him who gave
fame to the long-departed Cafe PrOcOpe
Paul Fort; opened it, too, at his
adorable musical tribute dedicated 10
this SAME grand old Chateau de COucy.
Built some 600 years ago by a
naughty seigneur by the name Of En-
guerrand, third of the line Of Coucy,
1t was handed down for two centuries.
Then a royal Louis Of the reigning Or
leans family. who evidently had pref
ty taste in castles, having Just built
its splendid rival, tie neighboring
Chateau de Pierrefonds (also in the
zone des armees but not yet liberated),
bought II for 100000 livres tournois. q
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 Quilted. Thereafter its
debris served as quarry for all the
neighborhOOd, and 1t is easy to see that
the solid houses of the little town hud-
ding about the walls were built chiefly
of Its stones. Some sixty years ago
1t entered into the public domain of
the French government, who commits
stoned the great French architect, ViO-
lette-le-Duc, master of modern Gothic,
to restore 1t to the extent of CONSOLE
dating its stately shell against further
disintegration then, too, it came to be
officially classed as q monument his
tOrique and remained the most splen-
did feudal bastile of all Europe and
a Joy and marvel to the eyes Of all
who came within its spell.
Everything Within Its Walls.
So much for history. Now for its
reality, at least up to few months
ago. The Chateau of Coucy is the
most perfect example of the self-con-
9 tanned mode of existence on earth and
should make the committing suburban
lite blush for his wandering life. Every
thing for the requirements of the
dwellers within was held also within
Its mighty grip, surrounded by its four
towering stories of defenses, taller In
their Ensemble than many a cathedral
spire. First the enclrcling 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, along
which we followed, punctuated with
the thirty-two tours of other days, and
with but three gateways, one leading
to Laon, enc to scissors, one t
Chauny, all of them towns which are
making rapid history at this moment
Here were gathered the tiny shops
the markets where provisions wer,
brought from where they were grown
in the fields below the walls.
Next the second ring of walls, sur
rounded by a deep moat opening onl.
at one massive gateway. We crosse,
its drawbridge, still hung by the rust,
chains Of other days. These inclose,
the working parts of the chateau, al
orchard and quaint formal garden
in which the family took their airings
Circled about were the stables, retain
ers' quarters, suardhouses, armory
poultry yard, dairy, the falcOnry, Gel
lars. storerooms, kitchens and all tn
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