The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-08-26

SAouiNs>s <tIl>A ~A"NAs~s sH'S >>>A
vent of Mr.. Bennett. Presently \ vii
lage cart-thc two-whccled, unpainted
little continuance that every boy and
girl in Newport drives-hovc in sight
through tho gate, an iii it was MIR.
Bennett, wearing tho same Old gray
suit that he Wore here all last summer,
and looking the very incarnation Of
simplicity and humility. l believe
that for once Ely Goddard wished that
he was driving a village cart instead Of
of 4 coach and four.
The magnificent grccnsward upon
which tho polo games were playing
was set apart and prepared by Mr..
Bennctt's muniticcncc. The brilliant
spectacle of tho players charging across
the turf would not have been seen if
Mr.. Bennett had not set the fashion; !;
the glittcring mass Of cquipageS, with
their burden of fair women and more
or less cofpulcnt men, had come there,
in certain sense, at Mr.. Bennctt's
call, and yet there was rather less
ssstyle'' about him than any other
| visitor on tho grounds. He could
| hardly have put on less style, indeed,
unless he had gone outside the fcncc
and taken standing-room on 'sdead-
head hill''-a long ledge of rocks which
command the best possible view of the
| whole polo field, and which is always
covered by the rabblc of "citizens on
foot" when the games take place.
These rocks, by the way, would have
been deprived of their commanding
view of the field by the erection OF q
high board-fcnce if Mr.. Bennett had
not intcrposcd his veto TO the PROPOSE
ton. The citizens Of Newport, thanks
to Mr.. Bennett, can sec the polo games
| to Inf 70, Il J,,, with.
in the enclosure, and sec them without
money and without price.
The man who shows such a delicate
consideration for the welfare and pleas
urc of the people of town where he
spends two or threo months each year
is not ut all handsome or striking in
personal appearance. His face is long
and thin, and wears an expression of
settled melancholy, as if the pleasures
of the world had pallcd on him. lie
docs not seem ut all broken down III
health, and docs not have tho appear
:lncc of 4 man whom dissi patton has
worn out. but he docs look as though
tho world yielded him no furth enjoy
mcnt, and as if his only occupations
now were to kill tho time. Certainly
he has provided himself witt, excellent
wcaponsc to kill it with.
LIS uOU5c llclS3 WI
some time since for SOS, 900, no has con
vcrtcd into Il palace. lie calls it Stone
Villa, and it stands just opposite the
Casino, on bellevue avenue, the
principal street i'll tho new part
of the town. Stone Villa is a
large, plain, two-story structure of
granite, originally square, but not
provided with 4 projecting octagon
dining room, of MIR. Benefits own
design, and surrounded with Il broad
and airy vcranda. Tho grounds, which
the owner has just decorated with some
costly and beautiful marble statues
bought in Italy, poised curiously on
sWivcls or piVots, SO that they turn
about, are surrounded with low
granite wall, which does not ohstruct
the view of even child.
Inside the house everything is
sumptuous. Livcricd servants are al
ways in attendance, day and night,
relieving each other in phalanNcs.
The octagon dining room, which has
windows opening to the air on all of
its eight sides but one, is i marvel OF
completeness. From the hosts seat at
the chief tablc-:n claborately carved
affair eight feet across, and made, by
the way, by q local cabinet maker
electric bells communicate with all
parts of the house, enabling him to
communicate with any servcnt he
wants. In this dining room the tables
are always spread in the Kitchen cooks
are always on duty, and Mr.. Bcnnetts
| friends are ut liberty to come in and
order what they want at any hour of
the day or night. 1t is "hot meals at
all hours" at This establishment, and
| free meals, too, to all who enjoy Mr..
Benefits friendship. The host may
| be said to entertain every night, for
| there arc always guests at his house,
and their wants arc carefully provided
| for.
| Stone villa is strictly 4 bachelors
hall the greater part of the time. The
only female member of the household
is the housckccpcr, who is elderly. All
other servants, including cooks and
chambcrmaids, arc men. But notwith-
standing tho almost exclusively mas
culinc character of the household, Mr..
| Bcnnctt docs not deny himself the
pleasure of fcminc companiOnship.
The ladies OF society here either do not
believe the stories OF his social irrcgu-
laritics or else have forgiven them, for
they welcome him freely to thcil