The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-13
ADAY AT LICHFELD HOUSE.
An Interview with Miss Braddon, the
Distinguished Novelist.
Miss Braddons Workshop-"The Woman in
White Inspired LADY Audley"-How
Mrs. Henry Wood Designs Novel.
oserh Hatton, in London Age.

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I'VE have known each other twenty years"
she said sYou were one of the contributors to
the first number of Belgravia, and if you want
to write about me am sure you have material
enough, without making formal advance upon
so poor subject"
but want to interview you something in
the fashion of stranger as if l did not know
you, as if my editor had directed me to drive
from London to Richmond for the express pur-
pose.'
''Aud do you do that kind of work when you
are directed by your editor as you sayf she
asked, smiling.
when it pleases me- and know the lady or
gentleman am to call upon,D said
''Ah, forgive me, thought there was some
thing of an aping of humility in the description
of your mission she said.
But, seriously, do wish to interview you,
and in business-like way, for the purpose of
publication in America and in the Age
VERY we'll, then" she replied, II have never
been interviewed yet, but 1 am willing to sub
NIT to the ordeal after luncheon, and in the
meantime here comes Max, who vll be glad to
have chat with you while I give some house
hold orders"
pleasant matron-like woman Miss Braddon
Mrs John Maxwell above the medium height
fair, with complexion that suggests more of
horse exercise and the open air generally, than
pens and ink, and hard work in library. Her
eyes are small, and look trife tried; her mouth
large and characteristic, firm lips, strong chin
The expression Of her face suggests an amiable
| temperament and a kindly nature; and like all
authors who are at work on an engrossing book,
there is in her eyes an occasional vacancy of
expression, which means that their owner for
a moment is thinking of her work, taxed un-
expectedly with sudden idea, worried with
one Of the yagaries of of the fictitious
characters she mas created and cannot altogether
control.
The gentleman Familiarity spoken of as 'Max"
is Miss Braddons husband-hale, hearty. breezy,
in spite OF his sixty years. A keen business
man, news paper proprietor, publisher printer,
he has been everything in connection with the
journalistic history of Fleet street; had hand
in starting the Standard and was for years the
proprietor of the Belgravia Magazine; he is
known as we'll for his generous hospitality as for
his smart clever business operations.
Nv elcome! Glad to see your he SAYS and we
sit down to talk over the events of the day, until
turn his thoughts into the channel that is most
useful for this article An inveterate collector
of pictures and brio abrac, have no difficulty
in making him call my attention to some of his
Il
Clarkson Staufeld and two examples of Linne
1t is a noble room in which wo We're talking
the drawing room with its three great bavwin
dows But L have omitted to say what / may
set down very appropriately in this place. that
Miss Braddon. her husband and family live at
Lichfeld House, Richmond, and that it is here
where / am received as an old friend and your
representative.
Lichfeld House was originally built for the
first Earl of Abergavenny. 1t afterwards became
the palace of the Bishop of Lichield, and hence
its name, one of the bishops using ii as his epis-
copal residence. The drawing-room has a cnr-
Gus history. Having been used for ecclesiastical
examinations, and for consecrating serious
students to the service Of the church, it passed
into the hands of Kataani the famous vocalist
who, at the height of her popularity, gave
style of Queen Anne. Sala says Sir Chris
TOPPER. Wren must have built it. The drawing
room is a picture gallery, and, indeed the
house is decorated throughout with many fine
examples of the best English masters. In the
breakfast ROOM among other curiosties, is the
little table used by the Duke of Wellington dur
ing the Peninsular war, and on which he wrote
the dispatch that recounted the victory of
Waterloo. 1t is a curious table, so constructed
hat 1t is either a dspatch-box, a card table, a
chess table. dining table, or a writing desk.
''Sir William Hamilton Maxwell says my
host. 'talso wrote the tales of Waterloo on that
table; but here IS another thing | believe have
invested in and filled since you were here last"
He directed my attention to a magnificent
bookcase of English marqueterie work. Open
ing it there displayed collection of
large volumes, handsomely bound in red morocco.
The Braddon novels, my host exclaimed,
scripts. 1t might be said one day that no one
pen could have written so much and so well.
Here is the answer"
'Show me the manuscript of Lady Audey's
Secret [ said.
1.-THE only one l do not possess; it was burnt
in fire at the publishers Office"
''And the truth is" said the author, who Joined
us at this moment, MAX did not think so much
of my manuscripts in those days l am sure it
never occurred to me to take the trouble of pre-
serving them; and luncheon is ready
The dining room at Lichfeld House is like
most English rooms devoted to eating. plain and
unpretentious ia it's furniture and decorations.
The sideboard was in the famous exhibition of
1851; the chairs are old, designed by lingo
Jones; the walls covered with oil paintings,
including portrait of the hostess by Mr.. Firth;
the smaller works include Tadema. and several
landscapes by equally famous painters.
At last we have assembled to the first floor my
hostess and myself, traversing an old wainscoted
staircase and landing, and sitting down in a
large square room with an outlook upon long,
trim, George the First garden.
This is my workshop" she says; ''the usual
sort of thing, | suppose; lots of books of refer
ence, somewhat disordered desk. This block
of shelves is full of French works. bought, by
the way, almost the whole of Tom Taylor's
FRENCH L1efc ID dL AMERICAN eultlOn OF
Dickens, with the green covers of the original
monthly parts of Pickwck. Here are Scott,
George Eliot Lamb, Steele a host of old come
dies the customary dictionaries, and so on
We walk about the room as she talks and I
note the thorough business-like character of the
place-pain solid book shelves, desk that
might have been made for merchants Office
chairs for ease and chairs for work. no piano,
guitar; workshop. and at the same time
comfortable room, and with bright, cheerful
fire burning on bright cheerful hearth.
''These my commonplace books" says my
hostess, taking from a shelf one of several small
volumes. II don't do anything in this way as
Systematically as our friend Sala, nor on the
elaborate plan of poor Charles Reade."
She handed me volume. 1t was full of care
fully written extracts from books and newspa-
pers.
'Now tell me" say as sit down by the fire.
something about your working day
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