The times., 1889-05-24
PATHS CASTLE IN WALES.
Extraordinary Precautions Against Burg
lars. and a Hospitable Parrot.

Extraordinary Precautions Against Burg
lars. and n Hospitabie Parrot.
The castle is about mile and half
distant from the little station OF Pen
wilt, being reached by road which
Nine. Patti has made. The first thing
that strikes you is notice to burglars,
to the effect that numerous traps for
their capture are strewn about the
castle grounds. Patti loves dogs, who
constitute themselves her protectors OF
a night, when numerous savage ami
mails browse about seeking whom they
may devour. But there is one in par
ticular-Prince, think they call him
who lives in palatial kennel just
on the top of the steep terrace which
| is cut down to the river bank. Here
he leads monastic existence-growl-
ing and grumbling and showing his
teeth to oil comers. By some magical
electrical contrivance it is arranged
that Prince shall escape when the cas-
tie is alarmed, and pity the enterpris-
ing burglar who is interviewed by
Prince. "a word to wise house rob
bers). Some months ago guest
opened his window in the middle of
the night, and was Mortified to find
that he had alarmed the whole house;
so when you pay visit to Craig-y-
Nos you are warned not to, open your
window for if you do you set the
electric currents in motion, and play
the deuce with the nerves of the sleep
ers. 1t all sounds like n chapter in
Monte Cristo" These precautions
have been taken since an attempt to
break into the castle was made some
little time ago-I am happy to say
without avail Mr.. Nicolini has quite
an armory in his dressing room, con-
sisting of score of rifles and fowling
pieces, so Craig-y-Nos would stand a
siege very we'll.
L cannot imagine more grateful
sight than the brightly lighted hall
into which you enter the castle, hung
with hundreds of trophies which the
famous prima donna has won in every
part of the world, paintings and busts
on the walls, and garden OF lovely
| French flowers, fashioned into wreaths
and harps, and placed in beautifully
wrought golden receptacles, the names
of which l know not. Here your eye
is arrested by portraits of Patti and
Nicolini, there by illuminated address
es, here, again, by piscatorial trophies
which seem to be swimming about in
what is but cunningly simulated
water At one end of the hall is the
boudoir, in the center is the drawing
room, and at the other extreme the
dining room, through which you de-
scend into that charming conservatory
and living room, in which you could
spend lifetime with great comfort
and joy. Imagine a long and lofty
house of glass, filled with palms and
ferns, and hanging plants of every
description, with fountains FLASHING
and birds singing. 1t is o veritable
Eden.
AT one end are Madame's three gray
parrots. If you tap on the screen
which stands behind one of them, and
wait for ten seconds, he invites you to
"Come in, Come in, " as naturally as
possible. His comrades have accom-
plishments, too. Then on the wall is
squirrel, who has just come out and
is revolving at hundred turns min
ute on one of those wire wheels which
are supposed TO compensate him for
the joys of the forest. Open the glass
doors at the end of the conservatory
and you find yourself in long pas
sage which leads you into the beauti-
fully fragrant and reposeful winter
garden, which is now too small for
the growing timber. And the whole
atmosphere, bitter cold as it is with
out, is like the tropics, and the view
from the windows is as lovely as it is
possible to conceive. Ast
Madame's boudoir is charming lit
tie apartment, in which many OF her
most sacred treasures are kept. On
the walls you see the big photograph
of the old German emperor, Mr. SAINTS
portrait of Patti, which was hung in
the academy year or two ago, a pho
tograph of Gounod, presented after
Romeo and Juliet" in Paris. A
richly carved case is full of valuables,
such as silver and golden wreaths, and
photographs of emperors and kings,
queens and princesses, for Nine. Patti
has had them all at her feet.
In the drawing room it is the same
story. You spend your evening after
dinner in the splendid billiard rooms,
which contain what must surely be
the finest pocketless billiard tables
ever manufactured. Bat not billiard
tables alone, but music in barrels. A
whole side of one of the rooms is oc-
cupied by magnificent orchestrion.
Madame consults gilded volume, Sc
lects her opera, the Genius of the
Lamp is called, descends to the lower
regions, where tho best brands of
music arc kept in stock to the tune of
hundred or more barrels, inserts one
into the mouth of the vast instrument
gives the handle few turns and
leaves it to pour forth whole volume
of melody, which as often as not Mad
anne browns by her own magic music,
which is beyond compare. Above is n
music gallery, and one of the happiest
moments of your life arrives when
Patti sits down and plays her favorite
negro minstrel song called 'Maggie
Judah. Pail Mall Gazette.