Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-12-17

London Figaro.
Few, even of his nearest neigh
bors, have the slightast idea how he
spends his time. He is never seer
at court, and fashionable aristocratlt
circles know him not. So far as so
ciety is concerned, he is dead to the
world, and even the few visitors to
Welbeck Abbey seldom set eyes on
their host. He surrounds himself
with an atmosphere OF the closest
mystery, and no one, peer or common.
er, is permitted to penetrate into the
secrets of his life. Even his own
solicitors, the firm to whom is in.
trusted the legal management of his
enormous estates, are never allowed
an interview with him, and in aris.
tocratic circles it is habitually-but,
as will be seen hereafter, enormously
asserted that the only person who is
permitted to see him is his contiden-
tial valet.
His hat is of an unusual height; a
long, old-fashioned wig reaches
down to his neck; wet or fine he
never stirs out without an umbrella;
hot or cold loose coat is always
sluhg over his arm, and whether the
ground be dry or muddy his trousers
are invariably tied up below the knee
with piece of common string, in ex-
actly the same fashion rs is adopted
by a navy at his work. His mind
is as active and his intellect as acute
as those Of almost any of his broth
ers in the peerage. lie is now just
sevcnty-five years of age, having been
born on the 18th of September, 1900
lie is of course enormously wealthy.
Four or five years ago his annual in
come was upward Of 100000, and
since that time it has very considera-
bly, increased. He is a very large
owner Of land around about Welbeck
Abbey, where he usually resides,
and he has besides enormously valu-
able property in London, chiefly in
the district Of Marylebone, besi les
very large estates in Northumber-
land, in Derby shire, in Caithness and
Ayrshire.
His Grace has never been married,
nor, to the best of living belief, has
he at any time been smitten by wo-
mans charms. His ruling passion is
an inveterate love for building. At
Welbeck Abbey alone, for many
years, there have been employed up
ward Of 500 masons, and ike num-
ber of smiths and joiners, beside the
staff necessary for the ordinary work
Of the estate. His Grace is his own
architect, and all his plans are layed
out in the most methodical manner.
Before he will allow new building
to be commenced he makes the de-
signs, and causes to be constructed,
often ut Il cost of some hundreds of
pounds, a large model Of the work
to be put in hand. If the model does
not please him he destroys it, draws
new plans, and has Il fresh model
made. During the progress of the
work he superintends it in person.
His Grace is, by experience, very
clever in building matters. He can
detect the most minute fault, even
such tritling defects as would escape
the eye of the practiced and expert
enced workman. 1t a fault cannot
be remedied by alteration he causes
it to be, without ceremony, razed to
the ground, and the work commence
ed atresh until it is dcne to his sat
isfaction.
He has a deeply-rooted dislike to
the observation of the outside world.
He has even sought by various clever
expedients to hide the old abbey of
Welbeck, where he constantly resides
from casual passersby, while the ap-
proaches to the abbey are entirely
subterranean. There are upward OF
fifteen miles of tunneling round Wei
Deck Abbey, and no one can approach
the house without traverslng some OF
them. This most extraordinary ar
rangement has taken many years to
accomplish, but it is now complete.
Some of these subterranean passa-
ges are constructed upon the most
admirable principles. They are all
well ventilated from above, and are
lighted by natural or artistic means
by day and night. In order to take
away the monotonous effect OF these
underground passages His Grace has
built, in some cases parallel with the
passages, other open corridors cover
ed with glass, while at distances Of
every few yards ale to be found
statues and other works of art, plac-
ed in inches in the wall. He possesses
an extensive stable. He has upward
of fifty hunters bred from the bes
stock in the land, and this although
he has not for many years followed
the hounds himself. A gallery made
cf iron and glass, and quarter of a
mile IN length, has been constructed
in order that the horses may be ex-
ercised in damp weather; his riding
school is magnificent affair, with a
lofty glass dome, and he has besides
carriage-houses, hunting-stable and
carriages Of every description.
His kitchen and culinary Offices
are constructed on All extensive scale,
although there is only His Grace to
cook for, as, when he occasionally
gives Dinner parties. the food Is sent
from elsewhere. Yet the Duke is
almost simple in his diet. He takes
regularly but two meals a day, and
at each he has half a chicken, one be-
ing killed and prepared for each
morning. He passes much of his
time among the workmen, but will
seldom go near 4 stranger. Many
people write to him, but he seldom
or never gives reply. He is a mem
Der of four London clubs-Boodle's
Brooks, The Travellers and Whites
but he never goes near them. lie
gives large hunting and shooting
parties to different members Of the
English aristocracy, but never sees
or converses with them.