THE STORY OF THE BARON DE RICHEMONT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 26

THE STORY OF THE BARON DE RICHEMONT.

It was in the year 1853 that a stir of unusual curiosity was awakened in Villefrauche, near Lyons. The Countess of one of the oldnst aud richest Legitimist families had sent her carriage to awail the arrival of a train — horpejf following on foot, although seventy years of age, leaning on the arm of her son, the Count Maurice. The train arrived, the Count ad vanced, quite uncovered, hat in hand, and rocr-ived a vigorous but venerable old man in simple attire. Still uncovered, the Count coadnctod him to tho carriage ; the Countess, it is said, receiving him also with those distinguished marks of the politeness of »he anciant regime which ma now rarely affected anywhere but on tbo slugo. N'> wonder that tho mysterious Btr&ngQi excited curiosity. Startling, indeed, when that very nighfc ia tho old castlo the mysterious psraon died of apoplexy, The funeral followed ; but before that the train which arrived from Paris brought about twenty men, simply attired, but among whom many persons declarod they recognised dukes and princos — the known attaches of the grant and truo Legitimist family of France. The funoralover — and it wss, naturally enough, a large one — all theas returned by the next train to Paria. Tho very sl;oiy seemed to ba resolved when eight days after a grav^t-jre arrived f rora Paris, upon which, when placed over the remains, the astonished spectators road, " Horo rests Louis CharJpß of Franco. Born iv Vors.iilles, March 27. 1785 ; died at Castle Vieux Runard, August 10, Itis3. i: Now the people were enlightoncd as to <he personality of the old gentleman who vena recoived with such distinguished honours, and who had been for ao brief a time the gu.ist in tho old caofclo ; and at the same time the Paris newspapers announced tho duiAth of the Baron da Richemout, whose life had beon one long succession of persecutions! in defiance of his claims to be regarded as tho legitimate succassor to the sceptre of Franco. Naturally enough, however, the gravestone was not allowed to retain its place long. On the 12th of November arrived the Prefect of the Department, tho Judgo of Inquiry, and a baud of military omceru. These summoned the mayor, and thoy all proceeded to the churchyard, attended by a great crowd, and the tombstone was demolished. But the greatest mystery remained behind. As the prefect was about to leave the church yard a telegraphic despatch from Psiriß was handed to him. Ho was surprhod, startled, consulted with his fellow oMicois, then called for the gravedip;g6r, and commanded that f,ha grave should be immediately opeaoti, The exjiroj-dons on tho facop were curious — incredulity, contempt, tvatoujshnienfc—but the work was done. The gravodiggers came <;o the coffin. What next ? The profoot commanded them to lift the cover. The order w:w executed, but this only showed a second coffin nf lead. This was also oponed. A cry of asfconwhment burst from the crowd — tha coffin was empty ! Wo believe no light was ever thrown upon tliifl marvellous transaction, Thuro wrsn but one fragmentary hiut, T', waa said that pasaing through Lyons a day or two before hi« TPpuied doflth, iv an hotel there happened to bo lyiog a, cpy of Dumaß' celebrated novi.'l " Monte Christo," ami whilo turning <iver tha lnjivos tho bnion eai-J to n pocso:i utandiag by, "Da you thiuk it posoibla that from tha 1 tfecUi of haa'siah a person can bo for some days apparently dead, buried, &ud brought clivo again <JVI. "f h>« «r^vy>;'"_T J i>i £ iijrt> lJii\jr for Aprfi.