Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-23
AT H0LLYH0CK HALL.
Twenty-Four Hours in a Typical
English Country Mansion.
WAKENED BY THE SONGS OF BIRDS.
Tennis and Billiards, Filtration and Tea,
Dress and Dinner.
STORYTELLING In THE SMOKING ROOM
WRITTEN FOR THE DIspArcH.1


Let us take a typical English country
house, and'christen it Hollyhock Hall. Let
us people it with race of Hollyhoeks, who
dwelt within its walls since the prehistoric
period when the Divinity created little
apples. Let US imagine i at present-great,
hospitable and cheerful, under the genial
rule of one Reginald Holl yhock, ESQ.,, J. P.
and d. L.
We are not early birds in Hollyhock Hall,
except during the winter months, when the
fox hunting necessitates rising in time to
enjoy a hasty breakfast But in summer we
are especially lazy. 1t is so pleasant to lie
in bed listening to the birds twittering in
the elms; to lie half asleep-half awake, in
that state so beautifully described by De
Maistre in his ''Voyage Autour de ma
Chambre" Breakfast is popularity sup
posed to begin at 9 A. NJ, but the Squire
himself is the only one down in time, and he
has to help himself to the good things.
By and by others begin to saunter down
the great oak stairs, the men for the most
part in knee breeches and shooting jackets
the women daintily attired in morning
gowns. About 10 o'clock the table is near
ly full, and the matronly form of Mrs.
Hollyhock presides among the ghttering
urns at the head. Breakfast is the most
unrestrained meal, and think this is prin-
cipally due to the absence of servants.
Except when summoned to replenish the
hot-water urn, no servant puts in an ap-
pearance. II there is any carving, the
young men do it themselves. Then. too,
the plans of the day are canVassed at break
fast. Consider the awful importance of
such a subject as this. Reggie and Harry
are going over to Little Dumplingham to
play a ridiculous cricket match with
country pumpkins, when they are wanted
so badly to finish tennis match with Nab
and Captain Silvertop!
MORNINGS PLEASURES.
Ifthe weather is cool there is great mus
tering of hacks outside the ball door, and q
pleasant canter through the park and along
the smooth white roads. Sometimes there is
q picnic to some ruined abbey or disman-
tied castle, and this includes lunch. If not,
tennis takes the place and fills up the gap
between noon and luncheon. In most
houses luncheon is about 2 P. M-that is to
say, the gong sends forth its inharmonious
summons about that hour. A few people
from the surrounding houses-the curate or
rector-an odd subaltern who has driven in
his dogcart from Great Dumplingham, the
county town-theSe are the usual additions
10 the lunch table.
After lunch the ardent spirits continue
their tennis-the elderly individuals aid
digestion by stroll through the gardens, or
a quiet game OF billiards. If it rains we
play billiards all the afternoon. Then there
is period of Irritation. The tennis players
grow tired, the billiards begin to weary.
Those who have been perched in the library
come forth to court an appetite, and are
caught in the tolls OF beauty. There are 50
many places to hide IN about Hollyhock
Hall. A hammock in the shrubbery, hidden
from prying eyes; funny old rustic seat
down by the lake; teahouse, pagoda-built,
Dutch TILED, ,domineering over the frs on the
hillside; great umbrella-shaped copper
beach in the home park-all these are, for
the time, so many temples of Venus.
FIVE O'CLOCK TEA.
Five o'clock strikes from the big time
piece over the stables and sounds knell to
Irritation. 1t is tea time.
Tailor-made dresses whisk into sight from
hooks and corners. White
flannel pants and many colored ''blazers'
fash through the leaves. Where all was ST.
Ience all is now noise and merriment. The
student has acquired an appetite; the subal-
tern is ferociously in love. Here are young
Rawdon fresh from Sandhurst and Miss
Cicely Hollyhock.' They have been whis-
pering by the tennis court ever since lunch
ION; and now he is thinking how deeply he
owes her, while she-she is wondering what
The will wear at dinner.
Afternoon tea passes of insipidly enough.
It is the roll-call of propriety, after the de-
licious relaxation we have enjoyed One
always gets near the wrong people in the
mall drawing room; and the old maids, who
rave been asleep all the afternoon, come
iown at o'clock with their pug dogs, and
ell us all about the mission labors on the
vest coast OF Africa. We are heartily glad
% get to our rooms, and have read over
ome naughty French novel, and leisurely
lress for dinner.
Then down the lamplit halls into the
arge drawing room, all ablase with light,
where we meet the sylphs of the morning,
Transformed into angels by the delicious
reations OF Madame Elise, or some other Of
he great London modistes. A few mo-
nents' chat ensues One is introduced to
ed-faeed Squire, who is ''our High Sheriff."
md to slim, Ianguid masher, who is ''our
u. p, He bows to Mrs. High Sheriff and
he Misses High Sheriff, and mods familiar
y to young hopeful, heretofore met with at
rieket matches. Then dinner is announced,
md we all pair of, after the manner of the
Inimals in Noah's ark. Dinner is delicious,
or the Squire's COOK is good one, and the
,quire's wines are not to be excelled. Soup,
ish, entrees, joints, all appear and disappear.
The ministering footmen glide hither and
hither, murmuring sweet alternatiYes-the
light flashes upon the silver and glows on
he great bank of flowers.
THE WINE FLASHES GAILY
n the glass, and shows itself unwisely be-
Ieath the lashes of many a sage's eye.
there be stolen glances beneath the flowers,
nd pretty signals of distress from those
vho have gotten neglectful or tiresome
Ieighbors. Then the mysterious summons
# the hostess is passed from eye to eve, and
IS if beneath the wand of q wizard, beauty
ises and is gone.
So we settle down to our wine. The old
ogies discuss the conduct of the Ministry
nd abuse the operation of the poor-laws.
'he younger ones recount their big cricket
cores and chat over the prospect Of grouse.
-ust when the politics grows somewhat too
eated, and the youngsters are slipping out
ne by one, the Squire rises, and every ore
djourns to the drawing rooms. Music,
harades, tableaux vivants fill up the re-
lainder of the evening until bed time.
But, bless you, bed time is only a name,
or us men folk. There is a certain apart
nent on the ground floor sacred from noise
nd battle, an apartment where cushioned
eats run round the oak walls, an apartment
7here brandy and soda is ever to be found.
Iere are the billiard tables, and here the
alls viii rattle over the green cloth, the
ipes of the onlookers will puff forth smoke
Freaths, and the raillery and fun flow even
aster than the drink, till o'clock booms
rom the stables, and sleep reigns supreme
trough every corner of Hollyhock Hall.