The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-10-24
FROM FRANCE

The following is taken from a re-
cent letter from Jack Moody, Army
Field Clerk A. E. F. France to Mrs.
JACK Moody. Mr.. Moody, who has
becn In the service for over a year
mas been stationed for the past nine
months in north-central France in the
picturesque little town of st. Aignan
situated on the Chez River.
Recently, he has been given op-
portunities of seeing something Of
the interesting and historic places i'm
france. The "old world charm" found
In the cities Of Towes, Orleans Am
prose, and others, and especially the
ancient but beautiful types of art in
the architecture, ETC., has IMPRESSED
him very much. Here is, in part n
description of the old royal palace Mt
blois, where he stopped for a short
time while on trip to Paris:
/ left here at half past six in the
morning, On my way to Paris, going
oy Blois, very beautiful, old his =,
torlc city. had to change trains in
blols. and had about an hour and a
half there between trains. In order
10 put In all my time, went up to the
OLD castle there and had the guide
TO take ne through. He did not tall
Engllsh, but 1 am beginning to savvy
french some now, and / will try to
tell you something of what I saw
In that old castle. some of the things
look down in shorthand while he
was trying to tell me. or course
missed much of it, but 1 learned
something. AS you know, it is very
nttie history of this country that I
know, even though have studied II
some. but when somebody begins to
tell you about it. the characters men.
honed come back to you, and Won re-
MEMBER more than you thought. I
know Rube would be very much in
terested in this old place, because he
knows history so well, and the people
connected with this castle he would
remember well having studied about
In his sophomore year in college.
The castle is built in five parts
or at least at five different times.
and by standing in the court yard
you can distinguish very easily the
al11erent parts. The oldest part VIVA
puilt In the 18th, and the latest part
In tne l7th century. and you can we'll
understand the difference there mu.t
be in the architecture through .o
long time. There are five distinct
types. and OF course there is nothing
that appeals to the new" American
mlnd like the Oldest type, built hun
dreds OF years before there was an
america. l can not begin to explain
the appearance of the chateau -frems
tie outside. will send you some cards
OF 1t. will only mention some of tha
rooms l visited: 1st. the guide took
me into the Royal hapeI OF st. Csasts.,
IL was In this room that Henry Nv.
became engaged to Margaret ce Va
iols. II Is not very large room, and
cannot tell You anything particular
~ interesting about its appearance.
but 1t is rich and beautiful. None Of
the old furniture was in this room.
but there is stored in it some furni-
ture brought down from Paris to
make it safe from the bombardmenta
that have been taking place there. In
particular l will mention a bureau of
Louis w.. the most lavish piece of
1urniturc l ever saw, rich very rich.
exquisitely carved and inlaid,
etc. 1t is valued at only ono GIT
francs. but Of course it = million
sale at all it would 1T were for
than that Their ~Dring much more
of Louis y<e was other furniture
valuahL<V. there. but nothing 80
ch>|-e as this. End, we entered the
<ateau by the staircase of Francis
), which is a most beautiful stair
uilt on the outside of the chateau.
rnamented with all different coats
arms and carved panels. The first
DOM we entered after getting inside
Tas the reception room of Henry II.
nd his wife Catharire de Medicis.
his is very fine room. with won
erful fireplace at each end or course
here is none of the old furniture left
ere, but the walls are hand painted
n the same designs as the old tapes