tters from kings and queens
of France and most of the celebrities of the days of the Valois--among
them several letters from Catherine de Medicis, Henry IV, and la Reine
Margot. One curious one from Queen Margot in which she explains to the
Vicomte de Chabot (ancestor of my host) that she was very much
preoccupied in looking out for a wife for him with a fine dot, but
that it was always difficult to find a rich heiress for a poor
seigneur.

There are also autographs of more modern days, among which is a letter
from an English prince to the Vicomte de Chabot (grandfather of the
Marquis de Lasteyrie), saying that he loses no time in telling him of
the birth of a very fine little girl. He certainly never realized when
he wrote that letter what would be the future of his baby daughter.
The writer was the Duke of Kent--the fine little girl, Queen Victoria.

In a deep window-seat in one corner, overlooking the farm, is the
writing-table of Lafayette. In the drawers are preserved several books
of accounts, many of the items being in his handwriting. Also his
leather arm-chair (which was exhibited at the Chicago World's Fair),
and a horn or speaking-trumpet through which he gave his orders to the
farm hands from the window. The library opened into his bedroom--now
the boudoir of the Marquise de Lasteyrie--with a fine view over moat
and meadow. In this room there have been many changes, but the old
doors of carved oak still remain.

There are many interesting family portraits--one of the father of
Lafayette, killed at Minden, leaving his young son to be brought up by
two aunts, whose portraits are on either side of the fireplace.

It is curious to see the two portraits of the same epoch so absolutely
unlike. Mme. de Chavagnac, an old lady, very simply dressed, almost
Puritanical, with a white muslin fichu over her plain black silk
dress--the other, Mademoiselle de Lafayette, in the court dress of the
time of Louis XVI, pearls and roses in the high, powdered coiffure and
a bunch of orange flowers on one shoulder, to indicate that she was
not a married woman.

There were pictures and souvenirs of all the Orleans family--the
Lasteyries having been always faithful and devoted friends of those
unfortunate princes; a charming engraving of the Comte de Paris, a
noble looking boy in all the bravery of white satin and feathers--the
original picture is in the possession of the Duc de Chartres. It was
sad to realize when one looked a