The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-03-17

cite So Pleased at Visit Of $50 Boys
From Her Native State That She
Kisses Every One Of Them.
Southern hospitality in French
chateaus? Certainly Hob-nailed shoes
are wearing the polish off the beautl-
full hardwood floors of Basse Motto,
the chateau of Baroness de Charette
In Brittany, for every Friday from 100
to 200 soldiers of the American army
are entertained under that hospitable
roof in typical 'down South" fash
ion. The baroness before her mar.
riage was Miss Antoinette Polk Of
Nashville. Tenn, a relative of Presi-
dent Polk, a niece of Gen. Leonidas
Polk. an Episcopal bishop, who was
killed In action, and a beauty and belle
of ante-bellum days.
Since the Y. M. G. A. took charge of
the spacious casinos at Dinard and st.
Malo, in the Brittany leave area, last
August, the baroness has lent a will.
ing hand to the work of entertaining
the war-worn doughboys there on their
weeks leave. Her Friday afternoons
at her beautiful chateau near st.
Milo are a regular feature Of the Red
Triangle program Of amusement for
each group of boys that arrive.
Kisses All Of Them.
Imagine her pleasure this winter on
receiving a delegation Of $50 rosy
checked fellows, whose soft, southern
drawl announced at once that they
were Tennesseeans. The boys we're
members of the Thirtieth division and
were having their first rest after seven
months on the British front. They
were as tickled as children over the
party at Basse Motto, especially when
the baroness signifed her intention to
kiss every n of them.
Although seventy-six years of age,
she was equal to the occasion, and
each boy not only received a kiss but
a little card bearing timely greetings
and the personal signature OF the bar
oness. Many Of the men were from
Nashville, so old friends were recalled
and personal "reminiscences INDUCED
in until train time.
Brittany, once famous for the boun.
teous repasts served in the fishermen's
cottages, as well as in the chateaus,
has been hard hit by the war. Like
all France, that particular section has
been forced to retrench in order that
the troops might be well fed. But
somehow Baroness de Charette man.
ages to spread a feast for the boys
who come to her house each week. She
accepts gifts Of sugar from the Y. M.
C. A. canteen, and with 1t makes de-
liciOus chocolate, old-fashioned tea
cakes and pies that have that 'honey"
taste that the boys like. A meat and
jam sandwich, a generous helping Of
Saratoga chips and a glass of cider
usually completes the meal.
In the drawing room Is a piano $50
years old. 1t Is not an heirloom that Is
kept closed by any means, for the bar
oness invariably finds q soldier among
her guests who can play, and the lit
tie rosewood Emusic box" almost toy
like In size, Is made to resound to roll
licking ragtime. Persian rugs are rolled
up and dancing follows.
Interesting Mementoes.
The chateau Is a beautiful place sit
uated on a large wooded estate. 1t has
been in the Charette family for ages
and the reception rooms contain many
interesting mementoes of bygone days.
Baron de Charette was a member of
an old royalist family bitterly op-
posed to the separation of church and
state, and for ten years was com.
mander of the army that defended
Rome. This army was made up of
volunteer forces from many countries.
whose strong religious faith inspired
them to enlist under the banner Of the
church.
Ten years ago General Charette and
the baroness visited America and
spent some time In Tennessee. He
died six years ago. and since then the
baroness has remained at her estate
in Brittany. Her sister, Miss Polk of
Maury county, Tennessee, lives with
her.
The d%oughboys who visit Basse
Motto are a u of never-ending In.
terest to the tiny Marquise Antoinette
de Charette, three years old, grand
daughter of the baroness. The small
daughter of the house Is the child OF
Baron de Charette. who followed the
family tradition and married an Amer.
lean. His wife comes of a distin-
guished Louisiana family. He was
seriously wounded while in the French
tank service.