Morning journal and courier., 1888-10-01
A Modern French Home.


 The Comte de Monteseuion has turned the ancient abbey of Long Pont into a very oom- fortable dwelling place. The old cloisters now open on to gardens laid cut in the French style, with howerbeds, fountains, and alleys of closely-cropped trees. The ruins of the church still remain, almost covered with ivy and creeping plants, but one can still see and admire the oriel win dow and the tall pillars of the nave--thess are opposite the cloisters; and further on Is park laid out in the English style, with stream, lake, etc. The entrance is through an archway, and on the right is 8 fine gallery used as hall, with wide staircase with \ wrought-iron balustrade at the end. This gallery leads into the billiard room, which opens into the first salon, and then into the grand salon, which looks on to the French | garden, and is lighted with very large win dows on all sides. At the end over the l chimney-piecs is glass likewise, so that with the windows right and left 1t is very light and cheerful. It Is decorated and furnished | in Louis XVI. style, with consoles of the period, and numerous small tables of differ ent shapes, covered with miniatures, bonbon. nieres, and thousand trifies. On the con. soles are very fine celedon vases filled with rare flowers, orchids, leaaess carnations; there are also glaienls, or swordgrass, in a large Venetian cradle, curious piece of fur niture, gilt and painted with wreaths of flowers, musical instruments, shepherds crooks and hats, etc. It is now used as a jardiniere. On a table with shelves under it is a very handsame silver tea service in the old French style at its best; the tes-cups are old Dresden. There is also 6 pretty oolored glass arrangement for cooling drinks, etc., little milkjugs in the sky-blue crystal with glasses to match, making altogether a very fine and valuable service in the best style and taste. It is used for the o'clock tea served in the salon. with cakes, brioches,
 bonbons, etc. When invitations are sent served in the dintng-room, galleries, con
 servatories, or in the garden under the trees.
 The billiard-room is decorated with ances-
 tral portraits and busts, also the first saloon.
 The billiard table is placed at the end and
 have it in the middle as formerly, and, be- sides, it takes up too much room so, and renders the room useless for other pur-
 poses The table is very small, which seems
 to be 8 new fashion, but approved of by the
 players. In the middle of the room Is a convenient new-shaped piece of furniture.
 It is long sofa or settee, with central back
 and an easy seat on each side. This cen
 tral back is very wide and dat like table, so that flowers, vases, statuettes, and all sorts of things can be placed on it. At each end, going cro sswise, there is likewise a seat with a similar back. This new piece of furniture is both convenient and useful, and serves as well as 6 table to put down one's book or newspaper, work or fan. On the first floor there is large gallery full of old-fashioned furniture, presses and oof- fers, with brass, iron and steel mountings, and inlaid with ivory; also Sedan chairs painted in the Vernis Martin with Vatican A hung with old Oordova leather and hand some valanees of antique work and material, leads to some splendid rooms, each perfect example of the style of the epoch. There is 8 room of the sixteenth century quite com plete and unaltered. The doors are carved oak. The bed has twisted posts, and old oak panels beautifully carved, as are also the presses and shelves, loaded with gold and silver plate, some in old repousse work, and reliquaires set with precious stones. The bed hangings and counterpane are embroidered in silk, gold and silver on antique material, and are priceless. Space fails me to enum- crate all I saw in this most interesting place, but must just mention the chapel. which is on the ground floor, arched and painted in pure Gothic style. Imagine what pretty the gates of the park open and whole regi- ments enter, with drums, music. and banners flying, te camp and rest for some hours under the shade of trees. A table with fifty covers had been laid for the officers in large hall used as an orangery, and which the chate- laine had had decorated with foliage, flowers and shields with the regimental motto. It was very agreeable and successful fete. All the inhabitants of the neighboring chateaux came. The chatelaine wore q brown checked silk dress, mixed with fine woollen material to match; waistcoat with l large old-fashioned buttons; the skirt looped l up at the side with large buckle to match | the buttons; Agnes Sorel bat with cluster of l brown feathers of the same shade as the dress; | 8 velvet escarcelle (purse) suspended from the waist-band completed this moyenage cos tune. '