Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-31

the center. The vestibule, which is about
thirty feet square, is finished in South
American mahogany and it is lighted
with ceiling Of stained glass. At each
corner OF 1t stands upon its hind legs
stuffed bear. and the immense animal at tho
right as YOU enter was shot last summer by the
Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia and presented
by him to Col. North. In another corner
stands q life-size figure of a man in armor, and
the front doors of the hall in front of you are
wonderfully carved and they cost 81 600 apiece.
The door Of this vestibule is Of colored marble,
and the walls are wainscoted in marbles of diff
ferent colors. Looking to the right you see a
door which opens into an enormous picture
gallery at the back Of which there is a marble
balcony for the musicians when the room Is
used for dancing, and you pass into'this gal
lery between pillars of marble through hall
the walls Of which are of red and yellow mar
Bile set in panels, and separated by great fat
marble columns. which have rich Corinthian
capitals Of gold. The dado Ia of a rich red
which shines like jewels. and the marbles grow
lighter as they rise to the ceiling. The hall is
lighted from the top. and between the marble
wall and the ceiling there are curved windows
Of stained glass. each frame or window being
set into the marble and each made in honor of
some OF the famed sculptors OF the past This
hallway is lined with marble busts on pillars of
onyx and number OF these busts are family
portraits of the household in marble.
VAST ROOM OF ONYX.
The picture gallery itself would be an orna-
ment to any palace in the world. 1t is
hundred feet long and about fifty feet wide and
the ceiling Ia at least twenty-five feet above th
white mosaic floor. The fnishings Of this room
are of Mexican onyx. You think you are giving
a nice wedding present to your friends when
you present them an onyx clock q foot and half
high. What would you think of vast room fin
ished in this rich stone2 Every bit of is of the
finest quality. The doorway to the room would
be large enough for a cathedral The columns
at its side two feet thick and they rise fifteen
feet above the floor before they support the
archway made in q ridge and as big the end
OF a good-sized cottage. The wallis of this room
are covered with pictures and there are some
very fine paintings, among them. One which
struck me was that Of a Meeting Of the Four
finland Club" in Hyde Park during the jubilee.
The plunger, Benson. was looking at this paint
ing while the artist was making it, and AZ he
watched the brush doing its work he concluded
he would like to have it, and he said to the
artist: What do you want for it?' Would
you like to be in it?" replied the artist. eyes,
said the plunger. "What will you take for it
and put me imp 1.-TWO thousand pounds" was
the reply. ''Tll take it," said the plunger. and
the sale made. In time the plunger had to
sell it. and Col. North bought it. Among the
notables at this meeting were Col North and his
wife. and the two represented in the picture
nearby the Prince of Wales.
THE TROPICS IN ENGLAND.
At the end OF this grand hall there is sun
parlor, and beyond this are the CONSERVATIVES,
where tropical flowers and plants bloom and
blossom oil winter long. These conservatories
consist Of vast rooms under glass. They have
waterfalls in them. where the streams gush out
Of rocks and play in and out through ferns and
TO-. II Al