The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-29

tints Of sea. And on the other side of the
water tower the mountains of Albania, the
high peak OF Pindus, Parga with its head
land, the wild, treeless ChimRra and the
still wilder cluster of the Acrocerauniau
mountains, the Ysika, the highest and most
pointed Of them all"
And IL is here, on these nights, softly
famed by the sea breezes, that the empress
passed two happy months in the autumn OF
the year 1883, which her health so impera.
lively demanded, Ia the Braila villa, named
after its former owner, the Countess Braila.
Then perhaps the wish might have risen ia
her heart 70 be the owner of this paradise,
TO build home for herself beneath these
trees, and her wish was seconded by the
baron who had himself been so much
charmed by the site. Already in January
OF 1889 the first negotiations were opened Ia
regard to the purchase of the land and Ia
connection with these the purchase Of the
numerous smaller farms adjacent, In order
to facilitate the laying out Of the gardens
Of the villa and OF park of olive and cy-
press trees. The main point was to find an
engineer and architect who was thoroughly
acquaintedIwith southern residences. Baron
Alexander of Warsherg went to Naples, In
whose neighborhood were 80 many villas
which suited his taste. He found in a
young architect named Ratfaeio Garlic a
man calculated to carry out his plans. He
now zsalously devoted himself to the work.
and his plans were accepted by the empress,
with whom be had personal interview In
Juue, 1889. The whole responsibility then
rested on the shoulders of the Italian archi-
tect, as his former friend and helper, the
baron, died In that year.
The entire property of the empress In
cludes at present 1896 square metres, Of
which 83,047 are taken up by the park and
garden, the remainder being occupied by
the building. This consists Of a "palaz>
2na' (52S square metres) three stories high
destined for the apartments of the empress
One story recedes behind the other, SO that
the third one is on level with the highest
terrace Of the garden, on to which POM
peiian portico opens. The exterior is of
Greek, the interior Of Pompeiian style.
The second building Il, 12S square metres) is
occupied by the servants and suite of the
empress. 1t consists also of three stories,
and leads into the palazzina by covered
way. The other buildings comprise the
imperial stables, the houses Of the gardener.
janitor and others.
The empress has named her villa "Achil-
leon" II is built of pink Ferrara marble.
ornamented with fine mosaics. The root
is fat, and is inclosed by an deliberately
carved balustrade. The gardens and park
slope down to the sea. ana flight of steps
of pink marble leads to a private harbor.
Just behind the villa there is field Of roses.
with trellised walk covered with climbing
noisette. baskien and nephetos roses. There
are up ward of %, 900 varieties OF roses in
the field. A marble lighthouse, provided
with an enormous electric lamp, lights up
the sea and the surrounding woods. The
sea wall. also OF pink marble, is crowned
with vases Of majolica filed with aloe
plants. The villa contains 1913 rooms, and
the stables have accommodation for fifty
horses. The rooms are furnished in excel
lent taste; the rugs, tapestries, lamps and
carpets wero bought by the empress herself
10 Morocco and Tunis. The walls are dec
GRATED with frescoes by the celebrated
Italian painters. Scanni, PastiglIone and
Paliotti. The view from the boudoir and
sleeping apartment of the empress is SUI