Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-12-27

BONAPARTE PARK.
DUST AND DECAY NOW SUPREME
WHERE REGAL SPLENDcR sHoNE.
The Old Estate 1t BordeDtown, y. D.
The Mansion in the Park - Historic
Family Memories - Prince Bona
parties Only Dread.
New York Herald. !

New York Herald
/ A correspondent in description OF tbs
present condition Of Point Breezs, the es-
tate Of Joseph Bonaparte at Bordentown.
! n j., says:
Born Of an obscure family in Corsica. be
| rose with his immortal brother, defended
him with energy and talent as member Of
| the Council of Five Hundred, became q
senator. invaded and conquered the king
dom OF Naples. became its ruler, and was
made the king-though never master-of
| Spain As such he was the peer Of
such marshals Of France as Soult, Ney,
Massena, Jordan Bs,,,eres. Lanne,, Mortier,
Victor. Marin mt AMI, with France, fought
all tbs world Of Europe" Tho wearing OF
two crowns had not worn him out While
at Madrid he studied the landscape garden.
ing about that sepulchral pile Of Philip II,
that stands about thirty miles to the north
west Of the capital and is called the Es.
curial. These effects he set out to repro
duce at Point Breezs after the sun OF Ma.
poieon went down forever amid tie defeat
and carnage of Waterloo. All, yes. one
thing more he did he declined the crown
of Mexico He was visited at this very
place by a commission from our neighboriy
peninsula and rendered it The memorable
words Of his deciination are honey to every
lover OF this country. Here they are:
Every day l pass in this hospitabie land
proves more clearly to me the excellence of
Republican institutions for America Keep
them as q precious gift from heaven. Set
tie your internal connections; follow the
example OF the United States and seek
among your fellow citizsns a man moro
capable than l am of acting the great par.
of Washington
THE MANSION IL THE PARK.
This is a day of all the days Of tie year
to visit this turf, strewn with acorns and
opened chestnut burra Amid the woodland
the falling leaves threaten to smother Us as
was Cambyses by the sands o. Africa.
Long rows of stately sentry pines keep mel
ancholy guard along the southern side Of
the broad lawn. In this grass plot are fully
twenty acres, and on the north western side
mot in its CENTER stands the modern manor
house, built by Henry Beckett, son of Sir
John Beckett. of Somersby park, Lincoln
shire, England 1t is a fine Italian villa Of
three stories and contains twenty-five spaci-
Gus apartments, besides many corridors and
passagewayA 1t has been untenanted for
many vesr4. Its massive door frames and
really imposing stairway and rotunda stamp
it as an architectural effort Of considerable
taste and skill.
RELICS OF ROYAL SPLENDOR.
The main drawin.ro consisting of
two large pariors, contains the famous ala
baster mantel pressE Ted to Joseph b ma
parte by Cardinal Fesch, his uncle. 1t is
one OF the most exquisite bits OF sculpture
in this country, and the two figures that
gracefully support the marble ledge recall
the two statues that stand in the charmed
treasure-room o: the Altambra, at Granada
pointing toward conceale gold that nobody
has yet been able TO find. That mantel
should adorn sons public gallery. In the
dining room Is another nantel, also sent by
his eminenc, the cardinal Two dragons
glare at each other across the tablet that
crosses the front of the fireplace. The laca-
work on the pillars il es delicate as the ia
brio of ValencienneS II is dainty ex-
ample Of the best Italian stone cutters, bu.
it does not rise to the level of a work of real
art as does the mantel- piece first mentioned.
A fine glass chandelier hang in one of the
largest rooms that was gift Bonaparte
from his sister Hortenss
UP HILL AND DOWN DALE.
The climb to the cupola is made by a neat
stairway, and the view from the top is
quite extensive. The broad Delaware is
seen beyond the narrow strip of lowland
that separates Crosswick's creek from the
larger stream, and at the base of the bluff,
which ends the plateau so abruptly, is the
steamboat landing whence the small YES.
sells run to Philadelphia. A realization OF
the vast extent Of the park is gained from
this lookout In the days Of its grandeur
BonapaI'e park contained twelve miles of
graded gravel drives Scope for cross coun.
try ridin was vast "Up hill and down
dale was an experience that any rider vino
had the sweet privilege of hunting there
might enjoy. As one walked along tine
wide avenue that swings gracefully round
the rear Of the house, constantly peltsd with
falling hickory nuts and acorns, it was easy
to imagine the presence Of the tall, fine
figure Of Joseph Bonaparts striking through
these glades, with his trusty pruning Ratchet
in his hand-an advance upon Charles Mar
tel and his Misunderstanding for small
boys, who, despite his utmost vigilance,
persisted in setting traps for his hares.
THE DREADED SMALL BOY.
Prince Bonaparte had only one cross bo-
sides the downfall Of his family to bear.
That was the persistency OF the American
small boy. The two individuals did not.
never could. understand each other. The
small boy of Bordentown was thu Butcher
of Joseph Bonaparte he would invade
his domain, between two days, and set
traps that nobody but the prince could find
Many cold. raw morning, in the fall or
winter. would the prince rise early, swallow
cup OF coffee so hot that il made his
valet trembls to see him bolt it, seizs his
hat and sally out into the damp woodlands
in search OF the small boys traps. 1t is not
recorded that he ever threatened i'll to the
small boy himself, but he could demolish
raobit-trap at sixty yards by a we'll
direc,ed cast Of his weapon. He loved the
rabbits better than the boys The urchins
were industrious, and during his long seek
ing he found many a one. Though the
spectacle Of an ex-king Of Spain seeking
poachers is not splendid, no doubt it would
have gratifed Mr.. Henry Bergh to have
seen him break a rabbit-trap and release its
prey. Over these wide lands Prince Murat
hunted during his visits to his uncle. This
son OF o waiter in Paris cafe, who rose to
be a marshal OF France, was q tough lad,
and spent his time and money with equal
prodigality.