July 25, 2025 • 21 mins
Step into the world of Mary King Waddington, the American-born granddaughter of New York Senator Rufus King, and wife to the renowned French diplomat and statesman, William Waddington. Venture with her as she navigates life in France post 1871, from the opulence of chateaux visits to the charm of countryside customs. Chateau and Country Life in France, published in 1909, is a captivating blend of memoir, diary entries and friendly correspondence that paints an intimate picture of her life after her husbands demise in 1894. Join her, as she navigates festivals, holidays and the minute details of everyday life in the French countryside.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section twelve of Chateau and country Life in France. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
public domain. For more information or volunteer, please visit LibriVox
dot org. Chateau and country Life in France by Mary
King Wattington, Chapter six, Christmas and the Vallois One. It
(00:24):
had been a cold December, quite recalling Christmas holidays at
home when we used to think Christmas without snow wasn't
a real Christmas. And half the pleasure of getting the
greens to dress the church was gone if the children
hadn't to walk up to their ankles and untrodden snow
across the fields to get the long trailing branches of
ivy and bunches of pine. We were just warm enough
(00:47):
in the big chateau. There were two caloriffairs and roaring
wood fires, trees in the chimneys. But even I must
allow that the great stone staircase and long corridors were cold.
I couldn't protest when nearly all the members of the
household of all ages wrapped themselves in wooden shawls and
even fur capes. At night when the procession mounted the
(01:09):
big staircase. I'd want it for a long time to
make a Christmas tree in our lonely little village of
Saint Quentin, near louvere Or Farm. But I didn't get
much support from my French friends and relations. W was
decidedly against it. The people wouldn't understand, had never seen
such a thing. It was entirely foreign importation, just beginning
(01:30):
to be understood in the upper classes of society. One
of my friends, Madame Cosimir Pierre, who has a beautiful
chateau at pont sort seyne of historic renown. La Grande Mademoiselle,
danced there a pont jeif fe venierres vielance, she says
in her memoirs, also disapproved. She gives away a great
(01:54):
deal herself and looks after all her village, but not
in that way. She said that I had much better
spend the money it would cost on good, sensible, warm clothes, blankets, bones,
du poms, et cetera. There was no use in giving
them ideas of pleasure and refinement that they never had
and couldn't appreciate. Of course, it wasn't all perfectly logical
(02:16):
and sensible, but I did so want to be unreasonable,
and for once give these poor wretched little children something
that would be a delight to them for the whole year,
one poor little ray of sunshine in their great, dull lives.
We had many discussions in the big drawing room after dinner,
when w was smoking in the arm chair and disposed
(02:36):
to look at things less sternly than in bright daylight. However,
he fondly agreed to leave me a free hand, and
I told him we should give a warm garment to
every child and to the very old men and women.
I knew I should get plenty of help, as the
sisters and Pauline promised me dolls and deroges. I'm sorry
he couldn't be here. The presence of the ambassador would
(02:59):
give more a clut to the fete, and I think
in his heart he was rather curious as to what
we would do. But he was obliged to go back
to London for Christmas. His leave was up, and besides
he had various country and shooting engagements where he would
certainly enjoy himself and see interesting people. I shall stay
over Christmas and start for London about the twenty night,
(03:21):
so as to be ready to go to Nawsley by
the thirtieth, where we always spend the New Year's Day.
We started off one morning after breakfast interview the school
mistress and the mayor, a most important personage. If you
had ever seen Saint Quentin, you would hardly believe it
could possess such an exalted functionary. The village consists of
(03:41):
about twelve little, low gray houses, stretching up a steep
hill with a very rough road towards the woods of Bourney. Behind.
There are forty inhabitants, a church and a schoolhouse. But
it is a commune and not the smallest in France.
There is another, still smaller, somewhere in the south, toward
the Alps Maratimes. I always go and make a visit
(04:04):
to the mayor, who is a very small farmer and
keeps the drinking shop of the village. We shake hands
and I sit a few minutes in a wooden chair
in the one room. I don't take a drink, which
is so much gained, and we talked about the wants
in general behavior of the population. The first time I went,
I was on horseback, so we dismounted and had our
little talk. When we got up to go, he hurriedly
(04:27):
brought out a bench for me to mount from, and
was quite bewildered when he saw w lift me to
the saddle from the ground. The church is a pretty
old gray building, standing very high, with a little graveyard
on one side and a grass terrace in front, from
which one has the most lovely view down the valley
and over the green slopes to the woods Borney and
(04:48):
Villier Corterret on one side, Chaise the other. It is
very worn and dilapidated inside, and is never open except
on the day of Saint Quentin, when the Cure of
La Ferte Milonne comes over and has a service. The
schoolhouse is a nice modern little house built by w
some years ago. It looks as if it had dropped
(05:09):
down by mistake into this very old world little hamlet.
It is a short walk little more than two kilometers
from the gates of the big park. And the day
was enchanting, cold and bright, too bright indeed, for the
low gray clouds of the last days had been promising snow,
and I wanted it so much for my tree. We
(05:30):
were quite a party. Henrietta, Anne, Pauline, Alice and Francis
Bonnie the fox terrier and a very large and heavy
four wheeled cart, which the children insisted upon taking, and
which naturally had to be drawn up all the hills
by the grown ups, as it was much too heavy
for the little ones. Bonnie enjoyed himself madly making frantic
(05:51):
excursions to the woods in search of rabbits, absolutely unheeding
call or whistle, and finally emerging dirty and scratched, stopping
all the rabbit holes he met on the way back
and burrowing deep into them until nothing was left but
a stumpy, little white tail wagging furiously. We went first
to the Mayor, as we were obliged to ask his
(06:12):
permission to give our party at the school. Nothing in
France could be done without official sanction. I wanted to
to speak to him about a church service, which I
was very anxious to have before the tree was lighted.
I didn't want the children's only idea of Christmas to
be cakes and toys, and that was rather difficult to arrange.
As the situation is so strained between the clergy and
(06:34):
the laches, particularly the curee and the schoolmaster. I knew
I should have no trouble with the school mistress. The
school is so small that is mixed girls and boys
from four to twelve, and there is a woman teacher.
She is the wife of one of our keepers, and
a nice woman. But I didn't know how the mayor
would feel on the subject. However, he was most amiable,
(06:56):
would do anything I wanted. I said, I held very
much to have the church open, and that I would
like as many people to come as it would hold.
Would he tell all the people in the neighborhood. I
would write to the principal farmers, and I was sure
we could make a most interesting fit. It was rather
flattered at being consulted, said he would come up with
us and open the church. It was absolutely neglected, and
(07:19):
there was nothing in the way of benches, carpets, et cetera.
I told him I must go first to the school,
but I would meet him at the church in half
an hour. The children were already up the hill, tugging
the big cart filled with pine cones. The school mistress
was much pleased at the idea of the Christmas tree.
She had never seen one except in pictures, and never
thought she would really have one in her school. We
(07:40):
settled the day, and she promised to come and help
arrange the church. Then we went into the school room,
and it was funny to hear the answer a roar
of we, Madame Wattington, when I asked if the children
were good, so we told them if they continued very good,
there would be a surprise for them. There were only
thirty scholars, rather poor and miserable looking. Some of them
(08:02):
come from so far trudge along the high road, and
a little band in all weathers, insufficiently clad. One big
boy today had on a linen summer jacket. I asked
the teacher if he had a tricot underneath. Must know,
Madame oh laure Il provai he had a miserable little
shirt underneath, which may once have been flannel, but which
(08:25):
was worn threadbare. We choose our day, and then adjourned
to the church, where the mayor and a nice red cheeked,
wrinkled old woman who keeps the ornament such as they
are of the church, were waiting for us. It was
certainly bare and neglected the old church, bits of plaster
dropping off walls and ceilings, and the altar in one
or two little statues still in good condition. But we
(08:46):
saw we could arrange it pretty well with greens. The
few flowers, chrysanthemums, Christmas roses, et c. That were still
in the greenhouse, a new red carpet for the altar steps,
and of course vases, tall candlesticks, et cetera. There was
one handsome bit of old lace on a white not
pay for the altar, and a good dress for the virgin.
(09:07):
We could have the school benches, and the mayor would
lend chairs for the quality on the whole. We were
satisfied and told W triumphantly at dinner that the mayor,
so far from making any objection, was pleased as punch.
He had never seen a Christmas tree either. The next
day the list of the children was sent according to
age and sex, also the old people, and we were
(09:28):
very busy settling what we must do in the way
of toys. The principal thing was to go to Paris
and get all we wanted toys, betisis and shiny things
for the tree, et cetera. Henrietta and I undertook that,
and we went off the same day that W left
for London. It was bitterly cold, the ground frozen hard.
(09:48):
We had a long drive eighteen kilometers through Villaires Couterette's forest,
but no snow, only a beautiful white frost. All the
trees and bushes covered with rime. Driving through a fairy forest,
when we had occasional gleams of sunlight, every leaf sparkled,
and the red berries of the holly stood out beautifully
from all the white. The fine old ruins of Laferte
(10:12):
look splendid, rising out of a mass of glistening underwood
and long grass. We are very proud of our old
chateau fort, which, as was stood well the work of time.
It was begun and never finished by Louis d'Orleans in
thirteen o three, and was never inhabited. Now there is
nothing left but the facade and great round towers, but
(10:34):
quite enough to show what it might have been. There
is also a base relief, perfectly well preserved, over the
big door of the Coronation of the Virgin, the kneeling
figure quite distinct. On the other side is a great
grass place, village green, where the fetes of La Ferte
take place, and where all the town dances the days
(10:54):
of the assembly. From the bottom of the terrace at
the foot of the low wall, one has a magnificent
view over the town in the great forest of villers
Cotterets stretching away in front a long blue line on
the horizon. In the main street of Laferte, there is
a statue of Rocinne, who was born there. It is
(11:14):
in white marble and the classic draperies of the time,
and is also in very good preservation. The baptismal register
of Jean Roscine is in the archives of La Ferte.
The road all the way to Villaire's Courterretes was most animated.
It was market day and we met every description of vehicles,
from the high, old fashioned tilbury of the well to
(11:36):
do farmer to the peasant's cart. Sometimes an old woman
driving well wrapped up her turban on her head, but
a knit shawl wound around it, carrying a lot of
cheeses to market. Sometimes a man with a cow tied
behind his cart and a calf inside. We also crossed
Manire's equipage de Chassel, horses and dogs being exercised. We
(11:58):
talked a few minutes to Hubert the Picquoort, who was
in a very bad humor. They had not hunted for
some days, and dogs and horses were unruly. The horses
were a fine lot, almost all white or light gray.
We go sometimes to the meats and the effect is
very good, as the men all wear scarlet coats and
the contrast is striking. We had an exhausting day in Paris,
(12:22):
but managed to get pretty nearly everything. The little children
were easily disposed of dolls, drums, wooden horses, et cetera,
but the bigger boys and girls, who have outgrown toys,
are more difficult to suit. However, with knives, paint boxes,
lotos geographical and historical for the boys, and handkerchief in
(12:42):
work boxes, morocco bags, et cetera, we did finally get
our fifty objects. They are always extra children. Cropping up
shopping was not very easy, as the streets and boulevards
were crowded and slippery. We had a fairly good cab,
but the time seemed endless. The big bazaars tell de
Ville Route, the Amsterdam, et cetera, were the most amusing. Really,
(13:04):
one could get anything from a five sous doll to
a managerie, the little cooking stove all the peasant women
used in their cottages. There were armies of extras, white
apron youths who did their best for us. We explained
to one of the superintendents what we wanted, and he
gave us a very intelligent boy who followed us about
with an enormous basket in which everything was put. When
(13:27):
we finally became almost distracted with the confusion and the
crowd in our list, we asked the boy what he
liked when he was eleven years old at school, and
he assured us all boys liked knives and guns. When
we had finished with the boys, we had the decorations
for the tree to get and then to the bon
Marche for yards of flannel, calico, vas de lan, tricos,
(13:50):
et cetera. We had given w rendezvous at five at Henrietta's.
He was going to cross at night. We found him
there having his tea. It's lots of people been to
the Elise and had a long interview with the President Greve.
Then to the Quys de 'orsay to get his last
instructions from the minister, and he had still people coming
(14:12):
to see him. When we left, a train was before
his He was closeted with one of his friends, a
candidate for the institute, very keen about his vote, which
w had promised him, and going over for about the
twentieth time the list of members to see what his
chances were. However, I suppose all candidates are exactly alike,
and w says he is sure he was a nuisance
(14:35):
to all his friends. When he presented himself at the institute.
One or two people were waiting at the dining room
to speak to him, and his servant was distracted over
his valise, which wasn't begun. Then I promised him I
would write him a faithful account of our fit. Once
we had decided our day, we took the five o'clock
train down in anice cold drive we had going home.
(14:57):
The roads were rather slippery, and the forest black and weird.
The trees, which had been so beautiful in the morning,
covered with rhyme, seemed a massive black wall hemming us
in is certainly a lonely bit of country. Once we
had left the lights of Villaire's cotrees behind us, crossed
the last railway and were fairly started in the forest.
(15:18):
We didn't meet anything, neither cart, carriage, boucheron, nor pedestrian
of any kind. Henrietta was rather nervous, and she breathed
a sigh of relief when we got out on the
plains and trotted down the long hill that leads to
La Fertee. The chateau lights looked very warm and home like.
As we drove in. We gave a detailed account of
(15:38):
all we had bought, and as we had brought our
list with us, we went to work at once settling
what each child should have. I found a note from
the Abbe Marechal, the Curee of La Ferte Milone, whom
I wanted to consult about our service, is a very clever,
moderate man, a great friend of ours, and I was
sure he would help us and arrange a service of
(16:00):
some kind for the children. Of course, I was rather
vague about a Catholic service a Protestant one. I could
have arranged myself with some Christmas carols and a short liturgy,
but I had no idea what Christmas meant to Catholic minds.
We had asked him to come to breakfast and we
would go over to the village afterward see the church
and what could be done. He was quite pleased at
(16:23):
the idea of doing anything for his poor little parish,
and he is so fond of children and young people
that he was quite as much interested as we were.
He knew the church, having held a service there three
or four times. We walked over, talking over a ceremony
and what we could do. He said he would give
a benediction, bring over the Enfant Jesus, and make a
(16:43):
small address to the children. The music was rather difficult
to arrange, but we finally agreed that we would send
a big omnibus to bring over the harmonium from La Ferte,
one or two sisters, two choir children, and three or
four of the older girls of the school who could sing,
and he would see that they learned two or three catacles.
(17:04):
We agreed to do everything in the way of decoration.
He made only one condition that the people should come
to the service. I could answer for all our household
and for some of the neighbors, almost all in fact,
as I was sure the novelty of the Christmas tree
would attract them and they wouldn't mind the church service
thrown in. We went, of course to see the mayor,
as the cure was obliged, to notify him that he
(17:26):
wished to open the church, and also to choose the day.
We took Thursday, which is the French holiday, and that
left us just two days to make our preparations. We
told Madame Isidore, the schoolmistress, we would come on Wednesday
for the church, bringing flowers, candles, et cetera, and Thursday
morning to dress the tree. The service was fixed for
(17:48):
three o'clock the tree afterward in the school room we
found our big ballots from the bazaars and other shops
when we got home, and all the evening we wrote
tickets and names, some of them so high sounding is
Mehdi alaine Leukadi, et cetera. And filled little red and
yellow bags which were very troublesome to make with dragees.
(18:11):
Wednesday we made a fine expedition to the woods, the
whole party, the donkey cart and one of the keepers
to choose the tree, a most important performance, as we
wanted the real pyramid sapine tapering off to a fine
point at the top. Labee keeper told us his young
son and the coachman's son had been all the morning
in the woods getting enormous branches of pine, holly and ivy,
(18:34):
which we would find at the church. We came across
various old women making up their bundles of faggots and
dead wood. They're always allowed to come once a week
to pick up the dead wood under the keeper's surveillance.
They were principally from Lovre and Saint Quentin, and were
staggering along carrying quite heavy bundles on their poor old
bent backs. However, they were very smiling today, and I
(18:58):
think the burden was lightened by the thought of the morrow.
We found a fine tree which was installed with some
difficulty in the donkey cart, Francis and Alice taking turns driving,
perched on the trunk of the tree, and Labez walking
behind supporting the top branches. We found the boys at
the church, having already begun their decorations, enormous high pine
(19:19):
branches ranged all along the wall, and trails of ivy
on the windows. The maids had arrived in the carriage,
bringing the new red carpet vases, candelabras and tall candlesticks.
Also too splendid wax candles, painted and decorated, which Gertrude
Schyler had brought us from Italy. All the flowers the
gardener would give them, principally chrysanthemums and Christmas roses. It
(19:44):
seems he wasn't at all well disposed. Couldn't imagine why
says Dames wanted to despoil the greenhouses for set pititro
de Saint Quentine. We all worked hard for about an hour,
and the little church looked quite transformed. The red carpet
covered all worn dirty places on the altar steps, and
the pine branches were so high and so thick that
(20:05):
the walls almost disappeared. When the old woman god In appeared,
she was speechless with delight. As soon as we had
finished there, we adjourned to the schoolhouse, and to our
joy snow was falling quite heavy flakes. Madame Isidore turned
all the children into a small room and we proceeded
to set up our tree. It was a great deal
(20:28):
too tall, and if we hadn't been there, they would
certainly have chopped it off at the top, quite spoiling
our beautiful point. But as we insisted, they cut away
from the bottom and it really was the regular pyramid
one always wants for a Christmas tree. We put it
in a big green case, which we had obtained with
great difficulty from the gardener. It was quite empty standing
(20:49):
in the orange urret, but he was convinced we would
never bring it back. Moss all around it and it
made a great effect. The Garde de Bornay arrived while
we were working. King had said he would certainly come
to the church in his tenue de Garde. Our two
keepers would also be there. End of Section twelve.
Section twelve of Chateau and country Life in France. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
public domain. For more information or volunteer, please visit LibriVox
dot org. Chateau and country Life in France by Mary
King Wattington, Chapter six, Christmas and the Vallois One. It
(00:24):
had been a cold December, quite recalling Christmas holidays at
home when we used to think Christmas without snow wasn't
a real Christmas. And half the pleasure of getting the
greens to dress the church was gone if the children
hadn't to walk up to their ankles and untrodden snow
across the fields to get the long trailing branches of
ivy and bunches of pine. We were just warm enough
(00:47):
in the big chateau. There were two caloriffairs and roaring
wood fires, trees in the chimneys. But even I must
allow that the great stone staircase and long corridors were cold.
I couldn't protest when nearly all the members of the
household of all ages wrapped themselves in wooden shawls and
even fur capes. At night when the procession mounted the
(01:09):
big staircase. I'd want it for a long time to
make a Christmas tree in our lonely little village of
Saint Quentin, near louvere Or Farm. But I didn't get
much support from my French friends and relations. W was
decidedly against it. The people wouldn't understand, had never seen
such a thing. It was entirely foreign importation, just beginning
(01:30):
to be understood in the upper classes of society. One
of my friends, Madame Cosimir Pierre, who has a beautiful
chateau at pont sort seyne of historic renown. La Grande Mademoiselle,
danced there a pont jeif fe venierres vielance, she says
in her memoirs, also disapproved. She gives away a great
(01:54):
deal herself and looks after all her village, but not
in that way. She said that I had much better
spend the money it would cost on good, sensible, warm clothes, blankets, bones,
du poms, et cetera. There was no use in giving
them ideas of pleasure and refinement that they never had
and couldn't appreciate. Of course, it wasn't all perfectly logical
(02:16):
and sensible, but I did so want to be unreasonable,
and for once give these poor wretched little children something
that would be a delight to them for the whole year,
one poor little ray of sunshine in their great, dull lives.
We had many discussions in the big drawing room after dinner,
when w was smoking in the arm chair and disposed
(02:36):
to look at things less sternly than in bright daylight. However,
he fondly agreed to leave me a free hand, and
I told him we should give a warm garment to
every child and to the very old men and women.
I knew I should get plenty of help, as the
sisters and Pauline promised me dolls and deroges. I'm sorry
he couldn't be here. The presence of the ambassador would
(02:59):
give more a clut to the fete, and I think
in his heart he was rather curious as to what
we would do. But he was obliged to go back
to London for Christmas. His leave was up, and besides
he had various country and shooting engagements where he would
certainly enjoy himself and see interesting people. I shall stay
over Christmas and start for London about the twenty night,
(03:21):
so as to be ready to go to Nawsley by
the thirtieth, where we always spend the New Year's Day.
We started off one morning after breakfast interview the school
mistress and the mayor, a most important personage. If you
had ever seen Saint Quentin, you would hardly believe it
could possess such an exalted functionary. The village consists of
(03:41):
about twelve little, low gray houses, stretching up a steep
hill with a very rough road towards the woods of Bourney. Behind.
There are forty inhabitants, a church and a schoolhouse. But
it is a commune and not the smallest in France.
There is another, still smaller, somewhere in the south, toward
the Alps Maratimes. I always go and make a visit
(04:04):
to the mayor, who is a very small farmer and
keeps the drinking shop of the village. We shake hands
and I sit a few minutes in a wooden chair
in the one room. I don't take a drink, which
is so much gained, and we talked about the wants
in general behavior of the population. The first time I went,
I was on horseback, so we dismounted and had our
little talk. When we got up to go, he hurriedly
(04:27):
brought out a bench for me to mount from, and
was quite bewildered when he saw w lift me to
the saddle from the ground. The church is a pretty
old gray building, standing very high, with a little graveyard
on one side and a grass terrace in front, from
which one has the most lovely view down the valley
and over the green slopes to the woods Borney and
(04:48):
Villier Corterret on one side, Chaise the other. It is
very worn and dilapidated inside, and is never open except
on the day of Saint Quentin, when the Cure of
La Ferte Milonne comes over and has a service. The
schoolhouse is a nice modern little house built by w
some years ago. It looks as if it had dropped
(05:09):
down by mistake into this very old world little hamlet.
It is a short walk little more than two kilometers
from the gates of the big park. And the day
was enchanting, cold and bright, too bright indeed, for the
low gray clouds of the last days had been promising snow,
and I wanted it so much for my tree. We
(05:30):
were quite a party. Henrietta, Anne, Pauline, Alice and Francis
Bonnie the fox terrier and a very large and heavy
four wheeled cart, which the children insisted upon taking, and
which naturally had to be drawn up all the hills
by the grown ups, as it was much too heavy
for the little ones. Bonnie enjoyed himself madly making frantic
(05:51):
excursions to the woods in search of rabbits, absolutely unheeding
call or whistle, and finally emerging dirty and scratched, stopping
all the rabbit holes he met on the way back
and burrowing deep into them until nothing was left but
a stumpy, little white tail wagging furiously. We went first
to the Mayor, as we were obliged to ask his
(06:12):
permission to give our party at the school. Nothing in
France could be done without official sanction. I wanted to
to speak to him about a church service, which I
was very anxious to have before the tree was lighted.
I didn't want the children's only idea of Christmas to
be cakes and toys, and that was rather difficult to arrange.
As the situation is so strained between the clergy and
(06:34):
the laches, particularly the curee and the schoolmaster. I knew
I should have no trouble with the school mistress. The
school is so small that is mixed girls and boys
from four to twelve, and there is a woman teacher.
She is the wife of one of our keepers, and
a nice woman. But I didn't know how the mayor
would feel on the subject. However, he was most amiable,
(06:56):
would do anything I wanted. I said, I held very
much to have the church open, and that I would
like as many people to come as it would hold.
Would he tell all the people in the neighborhood. I
would write to the principal farmers, and I was sure
we could make a most interesting fit. It was rather
flattered at being consulted, said he would come up with
us and open the church. It was absolutely neglected, and
(07:19):
there was nothing in the way of benches, carpets, et cetera.
I told him I must go first to the school,
but I would meet him at the church in half
an hour. The children were already up the hill, tugging
the big cart filled with pine cones. The school mistress
was much pleased at the idea of the Christmas tree.
She had never seen one except in pictures, and never
thought she would really have one in her school. We
(07:40):
settled the day, and she promised to come and help
arrange the church. Then we went into the school room,
and it was funny to hear the answer a roar
of we, Madame Wattington, when I asked if the children
were good, so we told them if they continued very good,
there would be a surprise for them. There were only
thirty scholars, rather poor and miserable looking. Some of them
(08:02):
come from so far trudge along the high road, and
a little band in all weathers, insufficiently clad. One big
boy today had on a linen summer jacket. I asked
the teacher if he had a tricot underneath. Must know,
Madame oh laure Il provai he had a miserable little
shirt underneath, which may once have been flannel, but which
(08:25):
was worn threadbare. We choose our day, and then adjourned
to the church, where the mayor and a nice red cheeked,
wrinkled old woman who keeps the ornament such as they
are of the church, were waiting for us. It was
certainly bare and neglected the old church, bits of plaster
dropping off walls and ceilings, and the altar in one
or two little statues still in good condition. But we
(08:46):
saw we could arrange it pretty well with greens. The
few flowers, chrysanthemums, Christmas roses, et c. That were still
in the greenhouse, a new red carpet for the altar steps,
and of course vases, tall candlesticks, et cetera. There was
one handsome bit of old lace on a white not
pay for the altar, and a good dress for the virgin.
(09:07):
We could have the school benches, and the mayor would
lend chairs for the quality on the whole. We were
satisfied and told W triumphantly at dinner that the mayor,
so far from making any objection, was pleased as punch.
He had never seen a Christmas tree either. The next
day the list of the children was sent according to
age and sex, also the old people, and we were
(09:28):
very busy settling what we must do in the way
of toys. The principal thing was to go to Paris
and get all we wanted toys, betisis and shiny things
for the tree, et cetera. Henrietta and I undertook that,
and we went off the same day that W left
for London. It was bitterly cold, the ground frozen hard.
(09:48):
We had a long drive eighteen kilometers through Villaires Couterette's forest,
but no snow, only a beautiful white frost. All the
trees and bushes covered with rime. Driving through a fairy forest,
when we had occasional gleams of sunlight, every leaf sparkled,
and the red berries of the holly stood out beautifully
from all the white. The fine old ruins of Laferte
(10:12):
look splendid, rising out of a mass of glistening underwood
and long grass. We are very proud of our old
chateau fort, which, as was stood well the work of time.
It was begun and never finished by Louis d'Orleans in
thirteen o three, and was never inhabited. Now there is
nothing left but the facade and great round towers, but
(10:34):
quite enough to show what it might have been. There
is also a base relief, perfectly well preserved, over the
big door of the Coronation of the Virgin, the kneeling
figure quite distinct. On the other side is a great
grass place, village green, where the fetes of La Ferte
take place, and where all the town dances the days
(10:54):
of the assembly. From the bottom of the terrace at
the foot of the low wall, one has a magnificent
view over the town in the great forest of villers
Cotterets stretching away in front a long blue line on
the horizon. In the main street of Laferte, there is
a statue of Rocinne, who was born there. It is
(11:14):
in white marble and the classic draperies of the time,
and is also in very good preservation. The baptismal register
of Jean Roscine is in the archives of La Ferte.
The road all the way to Villaire's Courterretes was most animated.
It was market day and we met every description of vehicles,
from the high, old fashioned tilbury of the well to
(11:36):
do farmer to the peasant's cart. Sometimes an old woman
driving well wrapped up her turban on her head, but
a knit shawl wound around it, carrying a lot of
cheeses to market. Sometimes a man with a cow tied
behind his cart and a calf inside. We also crossed
Manire's equipage de Chassel, horses and dogs being exercised. We
(11:58):
talked a few minutes to Hubert the Picquoort, who was
in a very bad humor. They had not hunted for
some days, and dogs and horses were unruly. The horses
were a fine lot, almost all white or light gray.
We go sometimes to the meats and the effect is
very good, as the men all wear scarlet coats and
the contrast is striking. We had an exhausting day in Paris,
(12:22):
but managed to get pretty nearly everything. The little children
were easily disposed of dolls, drums, wooden horses, et cetera,
but the bigger boys and girls, who have outgrown toys,
are more difficult to suit. However, with knives, paint boxes,
lotos geographical and historical for the boys, and handkerchief in
(12:42):
work boxes, morocco bags, et cetera, we did finally get
our fifty objects. They are always extra children. Cropping up
shopping was not very easy, as the streets and boulevards
were crowded and slippery. We had a fairly good cab,
but the time seemed endless. The big bazaars tell de
Ville Route, the Amsterdam, et cetera, were the most amusing. Really,
(13:04):
one could get anything from a five sous doll to
a managerie, the little cooking stove all the peasant women
used in their cottages. There were armies of extras, white
apron youths who did their best for us. We explained
to one of the superintendents what we wanted, and he
gave us a very intelligent boy who followed us about
with an enormous basket in which everything was put. When
(13:27):
we finally became almost distracted with the confusion and the
crowd in our list, we asked the boy what he
liked when he was eleven years old at school, and
he assured us all boys liked knives and guns. When
we had finished with the boys, we had the decorations
for the tree to get and then to the bon
Marche for yards of flannel, calico, vas de lan, tricos,
(13:50):
et cetera. We had given w rendezvous at five at Henrietta's.
He was going to cross at night. We found him
there having his tea. It's lots of people been to
the Elise and had a long interview with the President Greve.
Then to the Quys de 'orsay to get his last
instructions from the minister, and he had still people coming
(14:12):
to see him. When we left, a train was before
his He was closeted with one of his friends, a
candidate for the institute, very keen about his vote, which
w had promised him, and going over for about the
twentieth time the list of members to see what his
chances were. However, I suppose all candidates are exactly alike,
and w says he is sure he was a nuisance
(14:35):
to all his friends. When he presented himself at the institute.
One or two people were waiting at the dining room
to speak to him, and his servant was distracted over
his valise, which wasn't begun. Then I promised him I
would write him a faithful account of our fit. Once
we had decided our day, we took the five o'clock
train down in anice cold drive we had going home.
(14:57):
The roads were rather slippery, and the forest black and weird.
The trees, which had been so beautiful in the morning,
covered with rhyme, seemed a massive black wall hemming us
in is certainly a lonely bit of country. Once we
had left the lights of Villaire's cotrees behind us, crossed
the last railway and were fairly started in the forest.
(15:18):
We didn't meet anything, neither cart, carriage, boucheron, nor pedestrian
of any kind. Henrietta was rather nervous, and she breathed
a sigh of relief when we got out on the
plains and trotted down the long hill that leads to
La Fertee. The chateau lights looked very warm and home like.
As we drove in. We gave a detailed account of
(15:38):
all we had bought, and as we had brought our
list with us, we went to work at once settling
what each child should have. I found a note from
the Abbe Marechal, the Curee of La Ferte Milone, whom
I wanted to consult about our service, is a very clever,
moderate man, a great friend of ours, and I was
sure he would help us and arrange a service of
(16:00):
some kind for the children. Of course, I was rather
vague about a Catholic service a Protestant one. I could
have arranged myself with some Christmas carols and a short liturgy,
but I had no idea what Christmas meant to Catholic minds.
We had asked him to come to breakfast and we
would go over to the village afterward see the church
and what could be done. He was quite pleased at
(16:23):
the idea of doing anything for his poor little parish,
and he is so fond of children and young people
that he was quite as much interested as we were.
He knew the church, having held a service there three
or four times. We walked over, talking over a ceremony
and what we could do. He said he would give
a benediction, bring over the Enfant Jesus, and make a
(16:43):
small address to the children. The music was rather difficult
to arrange, but we finally agreed that we would send
a big omnibus to bring over the harmonium from La Ferte,
one or two sisters, two choir children, and three or
four of the older girls of the school who could sing,
and he would see that they learned two or three catacles.
(17:04):
We agreed to do everything in the way of decoration.
He made only one condition that the people should come
to the service. I could answer for all our household
and for some of the neighbors, almost all in fact,
as I was sure the novelty of the Christmas tree
would attract them and they wouldn't mind the church service
thrown in. We went, of course to see the mayor,
as the cure was obliged, to notify him that he
(17:26):
wished to open the church, and also to choose the day.
We took Thursday, which is the French holiday, and that
left us just two days to make our preparations. We
told Madame Isidore, the schoolmistress, we would come on Wednesday
for the church, bringing flowers, candles, et cetera, and Thursday
morning to dress the tree. The service was fixed for
(17:48):
three o'clock the tree afterward in the school room we
found our big ballots from the bazaars and other shops
when we got home, and all the evening we wrote
tickets and names, some of them so high sounding is
Mehdi alaine Leukadi, et cetera. And filled little red and
yellow bags which were very troublesome to make with dragees.
(18:11):
Wednesday we made a fine expedition to the woods, the
whole party, the donkey cart and one of the keepers
to choose the tree, a most important performance, as we
wanted the real pyramid sapine tapering off to a fine
point at the top. Labee keeper told us his young
son and the coachman's son had been all the morning
in the woods getting enormous branches of pine, holly and ivy,
(18:34):
which we would find at the church. We came across
various old women making up their bundles of faggots and
dead wood. They're always allowed to come once a week
to pick up the dead wood under the keeper's surveillance.
They were principally from Lovre and Saint Quentin, and were
staggering along carrying quite heavy bundles on their poor old
bent backs. However, they were very smiling today, and I
(18:58):
think the burden was lightened by the thought of the morrow.
We found a fine tree which was installed with some
difficulty in the donkey cart, Francis and Alice taking turns driving,
perched on the trunk of the tree, and Labez walking
behind supporting the top branches. We found the boys at
the church, having already begun their decorations, enormous high pine
(19:19):
branches ranged all along the wall, and trails of ivy
on the windows. The maids had arrived in the carriage,
bringing the new red carpet vases, candelabras and tall candlesticks.
Also too splendid wax candles, painted and decorated, which Gertrude
Schyler had brought us from Italy. All the flowers the
gardener would give them, principally chrysanthemums and Christmas roses. It
(19:44):
seems he wasn't at all well disposed. Couldn't imagine why
says Dames wanted to despoil the greenhouses for set pititro
de Saint Quentine. We all worked hard for about an hour,
and the little church looked quite transformed. The red carpet
covered all worn dirty places on the altar steps, and
the pine branches were so high and so thick that
(20:05):
the walls almost disappeared. When the old woman god In appeared,
she was speechless with delight. As soon as we had
finished there, we adjourned to the schoolhouse, and to our
joy snow was falling quite heavy flakes. Madame Isidore turned
all the children into a small room and we proceeded
to set up our tree. It was a great deal
(20:28):
too tall, and if we hadn't been there, they would
certainly have chopped it off at the top, quite spoiling
our beautiful point. But as we insisted, they cut away
from the bottom and it really was the regular pyramid
one always wants for a Christmas tree. We put it
in a big green case, which we had obtained with
great difficulty from the gardener. It was quite empty standing
(20:49):
in the orange urret, but he was convinced we would
never bring it back. Moss all around it and it
made a great effect. The Garde de Bornay arrived while
we were working. King had said he would certainly come
to the church in his tenue de Garde. Our two
keepers would also be there. End of Section twelve.
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