, 1884-07-16
PATTI AT HOME.
How tho Queen of Song Ihves and
Entertains.
A visit TO h Castle CrsiS-y-Nos-
The Div as n Hostess In Her
Romantic welsh
Homo.

49,
informed us that after her phenomenally
quick transatlantic passage she could not
possibly stand the experience OF an ordinary
Welsh train, the pace Of that conveyance
being, 1t seems, n sort of market-going jog,
with halts made whenever tho engineer or
guard wanted to chat with some OF his
numerous relatives along the road. About 4
o'clock in the afternoon everybody was get
ting his or her belongings together, Cray
station being near, where we were to
leave the train. when a roar and crash
were heard away to our right THAT'S the
Krupp," explained Mime. Patti, and she
went on to tell us that the head keeper al
ways fired II in salute whenever sho returned
home. At Cray, which Is but a mile or so
from the castle, we found n dozen or 30 car
ringes OF every description, from a dog-cart
to a landau, in waiting, and a crowd Of peo-
pie who cheered lii a political rally.
A HEARTY RECEPTION.
There were arches of flowers across the
road, more arches at the castle gntes, flags
flying, flowers filling the air. guns booming,
and people shouting until we began to appre-
cinte the fact that Patti was In diva at her
home as well as on the stage. AS soon as
PATHS carriage turned into the driveway a
band struck up "Home, Sweet Home" The
tears came into PATHS eyes then, and as
remembered her farewell singing of that
song at the Grand opera house and thought
of one or two other things away Off in San
Francisco, | am not ashamed TO confess
that l saw everything through a blur
for the next moment or two. Everything ia
connection with the welcome home was car
ried out in the same grand style. Footmen
in livery were stationed on the porch anil as
sisted madame-as l find she is always called
here-and her guests to arrive. All arrange
-. n-.,.t hoo. 49,. ,.-I. IaF...L-.1 g..
everybody was conducted to the bedroom
that had evidently been preassigned to them,
and We found ourselves charmingly located
and with a servant unpacking our valises as
though we had entered a flrst-class hotel.
While we were dressing for dinner we could
hear the villagers cheering every now and
again, while a fife and drum band began
playing some wild music which l suppose
must have been national. Summoned to din
ner by sound OF a gong, we wero once more
treated to music by the brass band. which it
appeared had come up from Swansea, the
musicians being stationed in tho winter
garden" which shall rsfer to further on.
A DIsPLA OF FIREWORKS.
As soon as dinner was over rockets were
sent up and there was begun a splendid dis
play OF fireworks, which lasted until nearly
midnight. When the last Roman candle had
1NNAA ~ a. w. ~ ha@A NAASAkA ~
Next morning, on coming down stairs, we
found all assembled for breakfast in the con-
servatory, tho diva looking as fresh as a
peach. Breakfast had scarcely begun when
the footman brought in the letter-bag and
gave 1t to madame, who unlocked 1t and dis
tributed the mail No excuse ia needed for
reading letters here-sensibls fashion-aud
so for awhile every one was busy. Every
one, too, would read out whatever he or
she thought would be interesting to the
others, so that it wal moro like a family
party thnn anything else. The morning was
chiefly devoted to correspondence and loung-
ing around. After lunch we ali went to our
rooms, we ladies changed our wrappers for
warm dresses and the gentlemen dom
ming coats, hats and gloves, while
the horses were being brought around
for all to take u drive. l had the
good fortune of accompanying Patti in her
high T-cart, she driving and handling tho
lines like a coachman. II. vent with Mrs.
R~osenwald and Miss Lacy, while Nicolini
took Mr.. Rosenwald. Our destination was
the little village of Ystrndgynlais.
ROMANTIC VILLAGE.
Outlandish as its name is, we found the
villuge both pretty and romantic. We
stopped for awhile Mt a little inn, kept-of
coui se-by n man named Evans. / say "of
cur Sc u bp "a Us Il u pttuf IL u DllD
here is not called Jones he is sure to be called
Morgan, and II he is not called Morgan he 1,
certain to be called Evans. The lit
tie inn was as old-fashicrsd as rain, while
down stairs it was the realization of
what ] had heard about quaint comfort
with it's big kitchen with stones, its high
IA esser decked out witt the most remarkable
specimens Of old china. its huge open CRATE,
its lofty mantsl-piece holding tall brass
candlesticls, and its heavy beams, from
which dangled the hams, bacon and onions
for the coming winter. This is the place TO
teach politeness, for / declare l never saw
anything so universal and affecting. Wher.
ever we made our appearance, no matter
what they were doing, the people would stop
their work and drop a courtesy" As we
drove along the old people would flock to tho
doors and dip and drop, while even the
babies playing in the road would scurry away
and then bob up and down with the solemnity
OF m~nrionettes. The lands of Craig.y-Nos
must be almost a doma:", for In all our drive
that day we did not go outside OF the cour.
tesying of the Patti ter antry.
PATHS CASTLE.
Coming home we had a full view of III,
ca stle. IL is called, as you know, Craig-y
Nos, and is perched high up on n cleft noun.
tain, reminding me strongly OF the Twain
peaks TINT lie back OF Noe valley in San
Francisco, except that it is plentifuliy
wooded
The castle contains twenty-five rooms,
none of them very large, but all warm ami
coy, as they should be in this climate
PATHS own is hung with blue silk, all thu
upholstery being to match, while attached
to it is a little dressing-room that is com
plete enough in its appointments for a prin,
cess. The drawing-room is charming, and
be must he a dull person who could not find
something to interest him there. 1t con.
aims two grand pianos, albums, statuotteL
pat es and offerings from admirers, chief
among the latter being an exquisite mail
cabinet containing GOLD and silver coronets
with which almok every nation in the world
has crowned the diva "Queen OF Song In
the billiard room IS an immense orchestrion,
which is set playing every night after din.
ner, which. by the bye, has served ia the
conservatory during the lovely weather We
have been having.
PATHS PARROTS.
One would imagine that the main attrao.
tion OF a conservatory would be its flowers,
but at Craig-y-Nos 1t is the parrots. First Of
all, there is the little gray fellow Patti had
In San Francisco; then a large gray one,