Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-15
JAMISS u. D, AMEb,
2l5 Grand street, New York, 2 eb. 3, '69.
Home Life of the Duchess of 50 atherland

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During the time of stay in Dunrobir
Castle, thirty or forty guests, each with
servants and dependants, ere visiting
at the castle, yet everything. moved OIL
with that air Of tranquility and home
quiet which belongs to sm all, well-reg
ulated family. The DucheI IS at the heat
kept her eye on all, thougl at of all, pro-
vided for all. Every day ito each was
proposed such varied fcrrms of oc
cupation or amusement as it wal
imagined would be most f.gi eeable. The
supervision of the happinei So and com
fort of all was perfect, chou gh invisible
The result could onls be accomplished
by that perfect dome stic ystem which
has for ages been the str king charac
teristic of English family life. Every.
thing there has a precedet Mt, an estab.
lished order; every perst)n knows his
exact place, and is exactly fitted for it;
and it quite possible for generous and
magnAnimous nature, full of hospitality
and thoughtfulness, to infu Sc itself into
every co-worker, down to the meanesi
attendant.
The exact disposition of hours also
give to the heads of esta blishments q
great deal of uninterrupted time, which
they may at pleasure devo te to reading,
stu9y, business, or the car of children.
q. day at Dunrobin Cast was spent
| much III iiiis fashion.
Between eight and nine o'clock, the
guests began assembling 10 a charming
little boudoir adjoining the grand draw
ing-room, where the breakfa st was always
served. Here the du chess, always fresh
and radiant, and with some thing appro-
pirate and kind to say to each one,
waited for few MOI nents before leading
the way to room Rhere the ervants of
the family were assembled for family
worship. On the ntrance of the duchess
and her guests al rose respectfully and
remained standing until they were seated;
after which the duchess re ad morning
prayers, concluding with the Lord
Prayer, in which all join ed audibly.
Breakfast, which Immediately followed,
was on the whole the most charming
meal of the day = the table being
spread in the brightest and airiest
room of the house, whose windows
overlooked the tree-tops of the forest
aud the blue waters of the German
Ocean. 1t was meal of unconv entional
freedom and ease every ones letters
we're laid beside his plate, and th e open
ing and reading of these, and the ,assing
backward and forward Of cheeri ul bits
of information gathered from them,
formed very pleasant feature of the
hour. After breakfast there was little
season of chatting and lounging il, the
! parlors, while the duchess arranged with
some of her friends a thoughtful liro-
gramme of the day, which included p, %
vision for the comfort and amuseme. ut
of every guest; and these arrangement $
being understood, the duchess coult
command her time until luncheon at two
o'clock.
The gentlemen of the family, as a
general thing, were supposed to spend
the day in the open air, as this was the
shooting season. After lunch at two
o'clock, the guests generally drove out,
and spent the afternoon in excursions to
different points of interest in the sur
rounding country, returning in season
for an hour of rest and refreshment be-
fore the dressir g-bell rang for dinner.
Dinner at eight o'clock was the grand
reunion Of the day; all, however divided
in pursuits, we're expected to meet then,
and spend the evening thenceforwRrd in
each others society. Music and .conver-
sation diversified the evening, and at
twelve o'clock the Duchess dismissed
each of her guests, handing her a night
lamp with some appropriate kind word.