New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-17
LIFE N AN ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSE.

Nil, I'll Won littlc-it can be brt a little
about lite in the great houses. as ,hey ne caied
here when you are asked TO come 70 one I T
IL sncoeSted and you are told tnat carriage VIZ
be at tie station TO meet yen. somehow the loot-
man. manages 10 find yOu out. Al -, which Is
!, Ittle station ut which few people get our, htu
narSie lef+ the train when very respecta5le-ook-
inc person not a fOotman. Stepped up TO me aIl9
said Lord IS carriage Is waiting TOT you sli.
IT. carrioq e ana The foOtman and coachInan were
OF conrSe ON the other side OF the building. MY
drive from the station 10 - TOOK quite rs iong
time it took me to come uo% gran t ini The
aonntrv was beautiful stretching of on both SIDES
I'm hroad fields and meadows, darkened III lines DS
hedges and in spots ~ clunps oi trees ne roiiGs
- 1erv rorrow-thcy seemed rather like lanes.
and this effect was increased py ine niPh "aIiss
and hedges either side. Two caiTiaEeS h i1
baIdlr room tn pass in some Places WIN calelul
dT.ving Being in Lord IS well Known ar
RAGE. was qIite i'll state, and the country folk.
INST of them. bowed to me as went on; and OF
course l followed the apostolic injunction ana
condescended unto men Of low estate.
/ ought to have said that the-s are IN deep
mourning. Lord - having lost his father and ms
s'star and another near relative within nine
months; and it was very KIND OF them To invite
me | was met at the door 10y digniiied pei s9nAge
- hlack who asked ne if / would 20 up 10 Lady
IS room She welcomed ne warmly, said that
Lord - had been called away for a few hours,
And by the way, you are usually asked 10 come al
a time which brings you TO . o'clock tea ana SUD
mits You to feminine "Xaninata0h' 'elore you arc
tnrncd loose.-as you soon are. ms also gives you
On onnortunty to rub of the rough edge OF strange
n"sS teior Won dress for dinner. Lady 49, S own
room large ara hnns Win VIII hpTSiIy, anu yci
sonare aud the walls are covered with old arms.
The staircase is good, but not so grand as others
that | have seen; that al -. for instance, where
there Wa an oriel window on the first landing.
This one has no landing; II is OF ponshed OAK; Dnt
is carpet,d. Lady - is very aliractNe, ana eie-
cant woman sensible sensitive, and with soft.
Gentle way of speech and action which IS all the
more charming as she Is tall. HcT Tea was good
She talked we'll. and got on together very salts
Droc "A
little daughters. i thought s'e must nave ap-
proved OF her savage Yankee guest Tor she en-
cconrared them to come 80 me ana SIT upon my
knees: and all mothers are shj about that. Soon
i'm popped Lord -, and gave me IN" hGaitest
welcome that have received since nave been IN
England He has altered somewhat since 10 was
in New-YoIk; is grown 4 little stouter, and very
little graver; but is just the same frank, simple
fellow as when you saw hlm About o clock
was ed if | would like to go up to my room. lie
went with mean attention whlch 1ouna gen
eraI: ana directly he had left me-. according to
the nhTase here very fne-manneTed person, in
dress coat and white tic. appeared ana asked me
for my keys. / apprehendNd the situation at once
and Submitted TO his ministratl0nS. lie did every
THING for me except actually 10 wash my race ana
banns and put on my clothes. lie Land everything
that ] could need out " IN WOW, hke ioIu DUN
drearv's night-shrts opened and lald out my
dressing-case and actually turned my stockings.
Dinner at !. | take in Lady -. Butler very
solemn Gn no, SG bn or Since have
been m England. Dining-rOom, large and hand
some Some good portraits Gas In globes at ths
walls candles on the taulc Illh'i N'i9 EV'u' VI
course Menu written in pencil on porcelain
card with the formula in gilt and cOronet. IN
deed the earl's cOrOnet and clpher was On Inc
very cans that came up to my bedroom WIN not
waf4r was inclined to scof NJ this, at first, as
ostentatious: but after all as the things were TO be
marked how could it be done better After
dinner. a very pleasant chat IN the drawlng-toon
untii about IL o'clock, when Lord = sent Lady
- TO bed She shakes hands on bidding me good
night and asks if half past is too early for break
fast for me | was tempted to say that It was, and
To ask il it couldn't be postponed tli 10; but
didn't The drawing-rOom, by the way, although
n was handsome and cheerful was Tar inferior III
its show TO a Thousand that might be found IN
New. York many Of when, too. are quite equal to
If in comfort and in tasteful adornment. Lord -
aud sit up awhile and chat about old times and
fhe shooting on Long Island. aud when go TO inv
room / find that although | am 10 stay but two
DAYS my trunk has been unDacked and all my
cIothes nut INTO he wardrobe and the draN"r and
NEST carefully arranged as # ! were COINS to stay
"a month - $3.50
I'm the morning the servant comes, opens
my window. draws NY bcd-curtain, prepares my
bath. again lays out everything that need N il
WOW" turns nv stockings. and iii fact does every
thing but actually battle and dress me, ana all with
a syery pleasant and cheerful effectiveness. At
0uarter past the gong rings for prayers. These
are generally read by the master % the household
m The dining room with the breakfast table laid !;
but here in O morning groom. After breakfast you
are left very much 10 yourself.