The Democratic advocate., 1878-07-27

-f ~ - oueoAuS . Sih5uiaiAJ dCuUe
interest in the result of great races On
the day of the Derby, the St. Leger, and
other important events, his groom may be
seen waiting at the telegraph Office at
Worksop to carry the result to his mas
ter, who, with all his rage for improve
ment, cares too little for the outer world
to have telegraph wires laid on to his
house.
He is most interested in what may be
called Hthe works" at Welbeck-the mighty
borrowings and scOopings, the dwellings,
the widening and deepening of the lake,
the building of the new subterranean
church, and the manufacture "on the
premises" of the rolling stock necessa-
ry to the operations in the woodward and
machine shops hard by the new riding
house and covered tan gallop. But he
has yet plenty Of time to care for the Al
derneys with black points which furnish
Welbeck with milk, and the black polled
Scotch oxen which supply Worksop as
as well as Welbeck with magnificent beef
Welbeck is also famous for its deer
These are Of three kinds common to Great
Britain, red, fallow, and roe deer, the latter
being recent importation from the High
lands, whence they arrive in padded car
.;o,as Tba - H. Laun lo-ll,, lo,o
well in Nottinghamshire. In their native
land they are accustomed to much exer-
else and little food, and at Welbeck are
placed under exactly opposite conditions.
Naturally they languish and die; but this
is small matter, for the Duke of Portland
wishes roe deer at Welbeck, and when one
set expires another can be found to re-
place it. Except for the merit of looking
pretty, the roe deer is absolutely useless.
Few Britons would dream Of comparing it
with the plump haunch of well-fed fal-
low buck. The latter animal has plenti-
full food at Welbeck, where he is put up
to fatten ox-like in an enclosure. BY
these means there is venison in the park
all the year round, in season and out of
season fatted on Spanish chestnuts aud
other delicacies.
In the course of the season thousands
of pheasants are shipped from Welbeck to
the friends of the Duke of Portland who
want good day's shooting. Their owner
never fires shot; aud when, few years
ago, he gave permission to the late Lord
Galway to invite friends to shoot the We'll
beck coverts, he sedulously kept out of the
way, and, having provided in every posi-
bic manner for the comfort Of the guests,
remained the invisible prince to the last.
As he cares for game, so does he care for
fruit and flowers, trout breeding and farm
ing. "Haunch and ham, peach and pine,
and some of the finest black Hambro,
Frontiguan, and Muscat of Alexandria
grapes are despatched in huge quantities
to Lady Cork, who also receives frequent
presents of ponies, Digit for the occasion
in garlands of flowers. The Duke of Port
land is satisfied with breeding and turning
out forty thousand young trout per annum,
with farming some twelve thousand acres,
with having the finest avenues of apple
and pear trees in the world, and with su-
pervising the disposition of his enormous
wealth, provided always that people will
let him alone-a phrase on the most lit
eral Interpretation of which he peremp-
torily insists.
This great territorial magnate chooses
to live quite alOne-so far as his equals
are concerned. His gardens are carefully
watched by his servants to prevent the
possible arrival Of visitor; and should
any hapless tourist founder on to the
ground, the great potentate himself is apt
to descend upon him, clothed in lengthy
gaberdine, and warn the intruder off, Not
long ago q man of Sheffield wandered from
the highroad on to the charmed region
around the Abbey, and was rudely warned
off by the proprietor himself. Next day
the Shefielder wrote letter to the Duke
of Portland complaining bitterly that he
had been grievously insulted by one of his
dependents. When he travels on rare oe-
casions beyond the limits Of his domain,
he immures himself in an old-fashioned
travelling carriage, provided with every
device for excluding the gaze of the vul-
gar This wonderful carriage is driven
to the railway station, placed on truck,
and on its arrival finds horses waiting to
pull it to its destination.
The last of the dukeries is Welbeck, but
in notoriety it abundantly supplies the
places of all the rest. One of its chief
marvels is the tunnel, or rather cover
ed way, built across the park lest any pie
beian form should come betwixt the light
and the nobility of the Duke of Portland.
A right Of way exists across Welbeck
Park for foot passengers and pack horses,
in fact, an old-fashioned bride path. In
direct opposition to the policy of those
more liberal noblemen who admit the pub
lie on show days even to their houses, the
Duke declared that, as the right Of way
through Worksop Manor aud Welbeck
could not be contested, his part Of it should
be made as uncomfortable as possible. To
that end he constructed a covered way,
which, decked with turf, rhododendrons,
aud other shrubs above, should not prove
an eyesore to Welbeck, and by dint Of
thorough lighting and ventilation should
satisfy the public. The public of Work
sop and Whitwell is easily satisfied by a
duke who employs a couple of thousand
workmen, and this fragrant violation Of
public rights has evoked no village Hamp-
den to denounce it. 1t is not matter Of
passing under road or a lawn, but mile