lled
up and down the "Allee des Soupirs," so called in remembrance of one
of the early chatelaines who trailed her mourning robes and widow's
veil over the fallen leaves, bemoaning her solitude until a favoured
suitor appeared on the scene and carried her away to his distant
home--but the Allee still retains its name.

The park is small, but very well laid out. Many of the memoirs of the
time speak of walks and talks with Lafayette under the beautiful
trees.

During the last years of Lafayette's life, La Grange was a
cosmopolitan centre. Distinguished people from all countries came
there, anxious to see the great champion of liberty; among them many
Americans, who always found a gracious, cordial welcome; one silent
guest--a most curious episode which I will give in the words of the
Marquis de Lasteyrie:

"One American, however, in Lafayette's own time, came on a lonely
pilgrimage to La Grange; he was greeted with respect, but of that
greeting he took no heed. He was a silent guest, nor has he left any
record of his impressions; in fact, he was dead before starting on his
journey. He arrived quite simply one fine autumn morning, in his
coffin, accompanied by a letter which said: 'William Summerville,
having the greatest admiration for the General Lafayette, begs he will
bury him in his land at La Grange.' This, being against the law, could
not be done, but Lafayette bought the whole of the small cemetery of
the neighbouring village and laid the traveller from over the sea to
rest in his ground indeed, though not under one of the many American
trees at La Grange itself, of which the enthusiastic wanderer had
probably dreamed."

They told me many interesting things, too long to write, about the
last years of Lafayette's life spent principally at La Grange. A
charming account of that time and the lavish hospitality of the
chateau is given by Lady Morgan, in her well-known "Diary." Some of
her descriptions are most amusing; the arrival, for instance, of Lady
Holland at the home of the Republican General. "She is always preceded
by a fourgon from London containing her own favourite meubles of
Holland House--her bed, fauteuil, carpet, etc., and divers other
articles too numerous to mention, but which enter into her Ladyship's
superfluchoses tres necessaires, at least to a grande dame one of her
female attendants and a groom of the chambers precede her to make all
ready for her reception. However, her original manner, th