The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-07
PATHS CASTLE IN WALES.
Extraordinary Precautions Against Burglars,
and a H~ospitable Parrot.

and a Hospitable Parrot.
Pail Mall Gazette.
The castle is about a mile and a half dis
tant from the little station of Penwilt,
being reached by a road which Nine. Patti
has made. The first thing that strikes you
is a 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 saw
age animals browse about seeking whom
they may devOur. But there is one In par
ticular-Prince. l think, they call him
who lives in a palatial kennel just on the
top of the steep terrace which is cut down
to the river bank. Here he leads a mo-
nastic existence-growling N grumbling
and showing his teeth to all Corners. BY
some magical electrical continuance it is
arranged that Prince shall escape when
the castle is alarmed, and / pity the enter
prising burglar who is interviewed by
Prince. "a word to wise house-robbers.)
Some months ago a guest opened his win
dow in the middle of the night. and was
Mortified to ind that he had alarmed the
whole house; so when you pay a 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 sleepers. 1t
all sounds like a chapter in Monte CristO."
These precautions nave 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, consisting
of a score of rifles and fOwllng-pieces. so
Craig-y Nos would stand a siege very well.
L cannot imagine q 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, paint
ings and busts on the walls. and a garden
of lovely French flowers fashioned into
wreaths and harps and placed in beauti-
fully wrought golden receptacles, the
names of which L know not; Here your
eye is arrested by portraits Of Patti and
Nicolini; there by illuminated addresses,
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
d~rawing-room and at the other extreme the
dining-room. through which you descend
into that charming conservatory and living
room, in which you could spend q lifetime
with great comfort 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 n verltable Eden.
AT one enc are Madanle's three gray par
rOts. If you tap on the screen which stands
behind one of them, and wait for ten Sec
in" as naturally as possible. His comrades
have accomplishments, too. Then on the
wall is a squirrel, who has Just come out
and is revolving at a hundred turns a 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 fnd yourself
in q long passage which leads you into the
beautifully fragrant and reposeful
winter garden, which is now too
small for the growing sIm dc1i
as it is without. is like the tropics, and the
view from the windows is as lovely as 1T Is
possible to conceive. Madame's ooudolr is
a charming little 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 a
year or two ago.a photograph OF Gonnod,
presented after Romeo and juliet" In Parls.
A richly-carved case is full of ~valuables,
such as silver and golden. wreaths. and
photographs of Emperors and Kings, Queens
and Princesses, for Mime. Patti has had them
all at her feet.
In the d~rawing-room it is the same story.
You spend your evenings after dinner In
the splendid billiard-roOms, which contain
what surely must be the finest pocketless
bi~lliard-tables ever manufactured. But not
billiard-tables alone. but music in barrels.
A whole side of one of the rooms is occupied
by a magnificent orchestrion. Madame con-
suits a gilded volume, selects her opera, the
Genius Of the Lamp is called. descends to
the lower regions, where the best brands of
music are kept in stock to the IL of a
hundred or more barrels. inserts one into
the mouth of the vast instrument, gives the
handle a few turns and leaves 1T to pour
forth a whole volume of melody. which as
often as not Madame browns by her own
magic music, which is beyond compare.
Above is q music gallery, and one OF the
happiest moments of your life arrives when
Patti sits down and plays her favorite ne
gro minstrel song called Maggie Judah"