The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-11-01
William Black.
The Famous Novelist's Picturesque
Home.
ILOndon Letter to New York Times ]

off the western highlands, disclosing to US all
the glories and beauties Of its unparalleled pic
turesqueness, its grandness in storms and gales.
its verdure and peacefulness in summer suns
and warmth Through his magic words the
Isles of Skye; Lswes, with its port of storna-
way; Null, Jura, Islay and Cantire, rise before
us in full detail, until, almost, we believe that
we too have stood upon the deck OF the White
Dove and looked upon the sunsets-red, gold
en-, orange, purple and pale pink-which he
makes vivid by his facile pen.
Having for many years admired Mr.. Black
as most conscientious and paiDstaking author,
it was both pleasure and privilege to see
him in his own home surrounded by his lares
ana penates. His house is the older portion of
Brighton, what sixty odd years ago was the ul-
TINA thule Of fashionable society, known as the
marine parade in contradistintion to the Kings
road, which is a continuous drive on the cliffs
from Kemptown to Cliftonville. The house
stands on short side street at right angles with
the sea, called Parton place, and as a natural
sequence the mansion has for its name Parton
house. Outwardly it is plain, light-colored
building, with large bay window on the sec
ond floor, and door painted inc deep Pompeian
red. The hall into which you enter from the
small tiled vestibule impresses you immediate
ly with its good size and proportions; the stairs
are built at the far end, and are broken by two
landings.
From the second of these opens the drawing
room, the stairs ascending still higher and end
ing upon large landing, from which open the
bed-roonas To the left of the entrance are two
doors. one leading into the dining-room, the
other into the children's play-room. The col
oring of the walls in the hall and landings IS
pale moonlight blue, while the stairs, hand-rail
and doors are deep red, highly polished, and
with wonderful brass knobs and hnger-plates
embossed with fruit, flowers and leaves. On the
mantel in the hall, at the far end, stands an an
cient looking copper bell, square and heavy in
shape, its surface covered with green ana
brown spots of age. 1t is a cattle-bell, taken
from one of the tribe of black, short-horned
Iarge-eyed kline that feed upon the Roman cam
pagna familiar to all who know and love that
sad and wonderful plain.
Time has scarcely altered the occupation OF
this bell: only the scene is changed. In its past
it called home, in the soft waning of an Italian
day, the wandering animals to where surer pro-
vender and more secure rest awaited them. In
its present it speaks Hospitality to all those
gathered in this English home OF the advent OF
a genial hour given up to comforts and merry
tests and iibes. On one side of the hall beneath
the staircase stands an old black oak carved
Dorser chest that once belonged to Anne OF
Cleeyes and came from her house at Lewes,
where she retired when good King Hal found
that there were "fairer faces under the sum-
and sweeter voices than poor, good, fat Anne's,
and whittier she brought all the saving OF her
thrifty Dutch mind that she had CLEANED dur
ing her life at the English court. A small 81 /
yer plate upon the front of the chest testities to
the authenticity OF this relic OF a tudor age
The dining room is rather long and narrow,
with a rich stained glass window at one end,
shaded by pale colored draperies.
The walls are seemingly combination OF
bronze and steel, with tiny reflects OF gold; the
dado is of Indian mating, dark in color; the
large. tall mantel is of highly polished oak, as
is also the buffet that stands opposite the win
dow. There are many pictures upon the walls,
all sea views, save a portrait OF Mr.. Black, Dy
Collin Hunter. There are two views OF the
yacht White Dove, familiar to us all, and bits
of sea effects in grays and blacks, with pale
golden sunset DER deep crimson clouds; two
Charming Moorish pIacques in copper lustre
catch each ray of freight or candle and re-
fleet it back a thousand times. The only pic
ture in the hall faces you on entering, large
tr..tfons of Macleod OF Dare when he rides
home across the lonely moor-lands with the
snow lying deep upon the ground, and drifting
ND against him and his holse
PLEASANT HOME.
AS you enter the drawing room, you become
at once impressed withwhat Matthew Arnold
calls s3sweetness and light" it is large apart
ment. free from all the sickly yellows and sad
greens of the so-called "high art SCHOOL, but
lacking nothing that artistic taste and skill
can bestow One good sized bay window lights
his room and forms small recess at the furth-
er end: the lower panes of glass are slightly
tinted, and the light, tempered by pale prim-
rose silk blinds that fold into numerous soft
creases as they are raised or lowered; the
walls of this charming room are painted deep
shade of primrose, without any pattern or trac-
ery: a dado of a very fine dark brown mating
and moulding of ebony at the cove OF the
ceiling furnish the only relief to the soft, warm
tint The draperies at the window all in
straight heavy folds, and are OF bronze plush,
with wide band, top and bottom, OF deep
metal blue.
The fireplace and mantsl of ebony is divided
into numerous little shelves that make appfo-
pri ats, resting places for favorite bits of brica
brac and old china, repeated In the beveled
mirror that forms the back. The coal box is q
marvel of brass repausse work; sunHowers and
their leaves are from an original drawing of
Mr. Blacks, and the andirons are made of the
hrass sea horses that formed thelprow of Ven
tian gondola. Thes spoils of the Adriatic are
Souvenirs of a delightful holiday on the RIVE
nlush stand on either side of the fireplace and
at rieht angles with it; grand piano at one
end Of the room, numerous tables, quaint in
desi ON and loaded with current magazines OF
England and America, charts OF every descrip-
tion and suited to every mind, while on tall
ebony cabinets, one with open shelves, the 9TH
ar with little curtain of Turkish silk, con-
tanning some valuable specimens OF falence,
hlua vase up~n high bracket holds a sun
flower, two silver jars each hold bunch o.
peacock's feathers; upon the bell hangs an old
maiolica "pilgrim BOTTLE" such as ChauceI
SIMS Of in his "Canterbury Pilgrims, in shape
like the figure s, with small lip on the upper
circle. -.
from ali parts of the world, a long muslin Gov
er of the fourteenth century, Italian, elabor-
ately worked with the initial letter "P inter.
!, twined with trailing sprays and creepers, once
n srhaps, psrt of the marriage coroellie OF some
Sar k-eyed Florentine; table cloth in flne bat
;sta Fellow with age, embroidered IN white, as
a~on;s; q as minature-paintlng; gorgeous Dll
of aastarn, applique thrown over the pianos
~ ,uhara oSs'0 m On q dark background, deep REQ
roses fnsbi sg peonies and proud dahlias are
ossro,san.ad in glowing silks; rare piece o.
Italian church, york is on white silk, desigl
81 d;ffarent color ed tulips most delicately en-
wrought, while ur On enalrs anu sapies arc ', os
o. sesh sshatic o in their mute tribute to the many
aasrs "f woman's pat ience and endurance they
A1f1 T1non the walls hang the original studies II
black and white, by the dlnerent ar.ists @ Wn'
illustrated Macleod OF ISa'e aru hrotbor mI' !,
Its DuDllCaIlOu, oChe eAoAhA
word nainting as souvenirs Of their anectloh
ate REGARD. There is Macleod III piaie an,
kilt. tail, fair and handsome, by y. fettie, n
A.. who has given to his Saxon facs pi. % u -
absent look, as those who live alone VIII Ia
ture SO often wear; there is George Dougll
TOMS "a. r.. Al Laurel Cottage, WIN I'M tn
famous actress, Gertrude White, IN hef lov
chair. surrounded by flowers and trailing glnes
her new drama held listlessly in one hama, am
the light of expectancy in her eyes, as she WAL
for the Young Scotch laird.
There is "The River Thames" by a. TEa
ham. with a bit of the embankment and biacss Z
fr;ars, bridge in the early dawn and Macleod
weary and dissatisfied, leaning upon the ston
narapet, rather too modern and danoin n
ure for the stalwart, honest earnest son ol ~ La1
Dare. There is "Macleod's Return, Dy w Y
Orchardson, r. A., when he meets the ntel
Christina, with her tuft of swhsie heather, an
lifts her in his arms and kisses oer, pecaus1
the new unexplained love in his heart Una !
makes him tender in all things: ana bnelo
"Castle Dare" sea-girt, with the gre&s WAY .Ie
dasbing in white foam upon It's r0cAy pssn. .',
ments. while the gloomy pile LOOKS aSm e.ss.
nroudiy and scornfully upon the I'M oot9ns .ea
Of the Atlantic. Here also hang two nailrnD i,
;shed sketches of poor Frederic Walkers liiui
trating the scene In
| ga DAUGHTER OF HETH
xvbere Coauette is discovered on the Sabbat
nlavine upon the piano by the old house keel
| ar. who, furious at such popish ways, bursts
| upon her, holding aloft the idolatrous lmaige
| a crucifx which She has found in the yonn
Il go .c1fOn