Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-09
THE ROYAL HONEYMOON.
A Visit to Lord Flies Sheen Lodge,
M0rtlake.

From the Pail Man oasetts
The only sign that the master was absent
from Sheen when went down the other day
to see Lord Flies place, where he and the
princess are to spend their honeymoon, was
the shutters on the glass panels of the front
door. The outside is simple and unpretend-
ing, closed In among trees, the walls white
washed with enough Of weather staining to
take the newness OF and overgrown with ivy
and creepers. found the bell-pull after
much searching among the wv, and IN due
course had the door unlocked from the inside
by trim housemaid. Had I his lordship's
authority to go over the houss?'' Having
satisfied her on that score followed her mn
some steps into the hall. ssYou must
be careful how you step on the foor," said
ene, the boards are very slippery" And
IN truth they were, and the rugs had an alarm
ing tendency to go away with ones feet
Cameron, his lordships valet and piper. fen
upon them the other day. and have slipped
upon them myself" The hall is rich dark
apartment going right from the front Of the
house to the back, where through the French
easement is a glimpse Of the extensive lawn.
Inc walls and ceilings are panelled, there is q
carved chimney piece, An eight-day clock, q
number OF low. easy chairs and q table With q
blue and white vase with flowers A tall screen
covered with Vanity Fair caricatures by Pelle-
GRIM, is something of a revelation of the highly
decorative effects OF these works. There are
stays heads ON the walls, an oil picture or two,
and on table conspiouously placed. a big Ger
man hthograph from German painters nor
trait OF the queen, with her maiesty's autograph
attached. dated from Balmoral 1 followed the
housemaid through large opening with cur
tains into the dining room. .His lordship
generally dimes in the hail." said she; eve
only use the DINING room when there is
a large company" I passed through the Ii.
brary-very comfortable looking. with Japanese
screens and blue and white pots-into the draw
ing room, which has bay window looking OUT
to the lawn and a glass door on the left leading
down some steps into the conservatory The
drawing room is light and cheerful in its deco
ration, as drawing room should be, with a
very beautiful plaster cornice and ceiling and
pretty chimney piece and a big mirror over.
There is more than abundance of chairs. and
wherever you turn, on tables and in odd cor
ners, there are flowers in glasses, little vases.
and, indeed there are flowers all over the
house. A very fine palm grows out of a huge
blue and white pot. The curtains are OF a rich
Japanese pattern, giving by contrast a pretty
gossamer effect to the muslin curtains behind.
The first floor consists of bed rooms. went
upstairs, and, turning to the right. found my
Self opposite his lordship's room. 1t has a pic
ture over the door of young lady displaying
the beauties OF very ample bust in the way
young ladies are wont to do-in pictures
The bed rooms are highland airy, with Japan
csc pattern curtains and coverings of chairs.
with wall paper to match. "The house is not
very large" said the housemaid; 'we have only
rooms for about three couples" went down.
stairs and out through the French easement, on
to the lawn, as level as billiard table, but of
a much prettier color. It is intersected with
paths, in the middle of which is a little foun-
tain with water-lilies in the basin. And there
are beds Of geraniums dotted about, and more
large blue and white pots with palms. There
Is a quaint japanese summer house, which
looks as If it were made for honeymooni in,
with wicker chairs and japanese tapestries on
the walls. 1t is only from the la wn that You
get anything like full view of the length of
the house, the view from the front being very
much hidden by trees. The whole OF the
grounds are surrounded by a high wall. which
is very artfully hidden by greenery of all sorts
Lord Fife is evidently man of considerable
taste for an autocrat, with a strong bent for
Japanese art. There are very beautiful screens
and vases in all of the rooms at Sheen; indeed.
such decorative effect as there is in the house
is mainly dependents on them. The pictures
are poor from decorative point Of view II
Is charming house, beautifully kept-small,
perhaps, but cheerful, and no doubt comforta-
BILE. and it only wants what to-days event will
provide it with-a mistress