The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-30
MADAME PATTI Ar HOME.
The Famous Prima Donna the Hostess al
Craig-y-Nosi Castle.

The Famous Prima Donna the Hostess al
Craig-y-Nos Castle.
Correspondence Philadelphia Press.
Footmen in livery were stationed on the porch
and assisted Madame--as / find she is always
called here-and her five guests to alight. There
was marked absence of ceremony, and every
one was made to feel at home at once. WOOD
fires burned in the great open fire places. and
there were maids and mensservants in every
room while the unpacking was going on. Al
dinner, over which Patti presided with wonder
full grace and tact there were fireworks and mu
sic by band from Swansea the
festivities continuing until midnight Al
o'clock the next morning breakfast
was served in the conservatory. Madame
looked as fresh and happy as a child. No soones
was breakfast begun than the footman brought
in the letter bag, and gave it to the Madame
excuse is needed for reading letters here-sensf
bic fashion-and so for while everyone was
busy. Everyone, too. would read out whatevea
he or she thought would be interesting to tha
Others so that it was more like family parts
than anything else. The morning was chiefly
devoted to correspondence and loung
ing around. After lunch the. ladies
changed their wrappers for warmer dresses, and
the. gentlemen donned coats, hats and gloves,
while the horses were being brought around for
all to take a drive Patti started off in her high
L cart, driving and handling the lines like
coaehman. Wherever we made our appearance
no matter what they We're doing, the people
would stop their work and drop courtesy
AS we drove along the old people would flock to
the 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
marionettes The lands of Craig-y-Nos must ba
almost domain, for in ali our drive that day we
did not go outside of the courtesying OF the Patti
tenantry
The Castle OF Craig-y-Nos is perohed high I'm
on the cleft of a beautifully wooded mountain,
and limpid lakes lie in the valley below The
castle is built after the common, fashion of all
Welsh castles, with low FASHIONS, and what il
called a curtain between--that is. a straight lna
of wall joining two semcircuar towers This
walls, which are of the grayish- green slate 50
plentiful here, are topped with battlemepts ana
covered here and there, with ivy, while tae
windows are either arched or gabled, Spread
ing away in front are the gardens and lawns
all terraced because of the precipitous char
| acter of the ground and so coming gradually
down to the little valley along which we had Just
driven Through this valley runs tumbiife
river, with unpronounoeable name spanned
with pretty bridges aud we'll stocked with fish
The valley opens into the great Swansea valley
while the whole country around is extremely
mountainous and Astounding in game.
The castle contains twenty two rooms mona
of them very large bat all warm and COSY. al
they should be in this climate. PATHS own is
hung with blue silk, all the upholstery being
to match, while attached to it is little dress
ing.room that is complete enough in it's ap-
pointmentS for princess The drawing.room ID
charming, and he must be dull person who
could not find something to interest him there.
1t contains two grand pianos, albums, statnettes,
| pictures, and offerings from admirers. chief
| among the latter being an exquisite nlaid cab
| met containing gold and silver coronets with
| which almost every nation in the world has
| crowned the diva Queen Of Song" The morn
ing room contains a picture of the late Duke of
Albany, with his autograph across the top, and
manly, modest letter begging Patti to accept his
picture in return for one she had sent him. In
| the billiard-room is an immense orchestrion,
which is set playing every night after dinner
The. conservatory leads out from the dining
room proper, and this in turn leads to the winter
garden, which consider the. great beauty Of tbs
| estate. This is garden of great size, entirely
| covered In with glass, and containing RUNNING,
| fountains, graveled walks and rustic seats. Ad-
| joining the winter garden are the lighthouses
| one In which nothing but grapes are cultivated,
| the second devoted to pineapples, cucumoers
| and strawberries, and the third for flowers. A
| short distance from. this third conservatory ia
| the gas-house where, under the superin tendence
of two men, gas for the whole establishment il
manufactured.
Then come the stables, containing ten or
twelve horses. and carriages and carts of all de-
scriptions while adjoining each other are an i'm
mense flower garden, kitchen garden, orchard a
farm-yard with cows and chickens of all sorts,
and a pleasantly" which, as its name indicates,
| is filed with pheasants. You will easily
imagine that such an establishment as this is
not run without considerable help" There
| are indeed, twenty servants, not including the
gamekeepers and gasmen distributed as follows
Two cooks, two chambermaids two buffers, five
gardeners, two coachmen, two footmen, two
stablemen, Madames two maids, Monseur's
valet and the women Of thelaundry, whose num-
Der varies according to that of the guests,
Abundance and good cheer are on all sides.
while Patti shows new and more lovable side
of disposition in her anxiety to please every ono
alike and to make all around her happy and at
home