The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-11-15
The Queens Parlor and the Queens Kitchen.

Windsor Castle, the home of Queen Vic
toria, gave us bright day in England. We
had neglected to write to her Majesty that
We intended to call at her house that day, so
we missed seeing her. She had left few
hours before for Osborne House, on the Isle
of Wight, but her absence gave us an unusual
opportunity to see what sort of home roy
atty has in this world.
The guards and doorkeepers of Windsor
Castle were dreadfully fatigued the day l was
there, and at once denied US an entrance,
but few honest English shillings, quietly
handled, unlocked every door in the house Of
Victoria The castle is located in the very
garden of England. AS far as the eye can
reach in every direction the landscape seems
preferred, both by nature and art, for the
outlook of king Oh it is wonderful the
ravishing beauty of England as seen from the
terraced tops of Windsor's towers You
linger with the surprising beauty, certain of
this, that no inside of even a royal house can
compare favorably with these extraordinary
surroundings; but once within, and you al
most forget the glory of the without
Every room in Windsor Castle is dressed
in it's own color, and each room has that
deep, sweet hush of home about it! There
is elegance at Windsor, golden elegance at
Windsor. Every room blazes with it, but
there is comfort as well.
Somebody has known how to combine the
highest art with the completest comfort
The great state dining-room, the private
dining room for the family, the parlors, the
library, the reception room, the drawing.
room, the inclosed corridors-every room in
the palace, at Windsor, is abreast with the
highest culture of these times in art and
luxury, and yet marvelously adapted to the
truest home life
When you 60 to Windsor ask to be shown
to the Queens Kitchen, and you will be in
troduced into vast apartment, where you
will feel as comfortable as if you were in
dukes parlor; not that it looks like parlor,
not at all, for thousand utensils of burn
ished glass fash upon your eyes. But you
instantly get feeling of comfort, especial
ly if you be bit hungry, as was that day,
which will last you for a week.
There is nothing an American in foreign
lands misses more than he does good, square,
wholesome, clearly living. Ali through the
British Islands they live we'll, and in the
great cities in Northern Europe, and in some
parts of Switzerland the hotel life is very
enjoyable; but alas for you as you drift to-
ward the South and the East. When you
cross the Alps, good-by to nice broiled steaks,
and first class cups of coffee, and crispy ap
pie pie. In the East all the cooks are men,
and you can easily guess what cooks they
are, unless they are professional cooks, and
even then l would as soon have a camel in
my parlor, as man in my kitchen Men
are allwell enough in their way. Ihave moth
ing to say against men; they answer for the
drudgery of life, but when you come to the
delicacies of the table, when you come to
solve the nice problem of what you shall eat,
commend me to a woman! Women some
times make mistakes in what they offer us to
eat. But few months experience in those
ands, where men are cooks, will drive you |