Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-04-20
A HOME In VENICE.
AN ENGLlSHMAN'S IDEAL ABODE
Nv THE CITY OF CANALS.

Bits of Rare Bric-a-Brao.
When some five and twenty years az
Sir Henry Layard resolved to make 70
himself, and for the treasures of ar
which he had gathered from the fou
winds of heaven, home in Venice, b
found, fortunately enough, that the Ca
(or Casa Capello was just at the yer,
moment at his disposal 1t had been thu
abode for several years Of an English
man who had just died, and who hat
left Mr.. Malcolm, then wen know
among the English residents and now
their doyen, his executor. A friendship
had long existed between Mr.. Malcolm
and Sir Henry Layard born of similar
ity Of taste, which has ripened with
many years Of neighborhood and inter.
course.
1t was thus that the Ca Capello came
into the hands of Sir Henry Layard, and
from that day it has been his home.
Hither in the intervals of his ministerial
duties, his missions and his visits to his
English kiusfolk. he has returned with
ever growing zest and affection Here
he has surrounded himself with fine
library. a noble collection Of pictures
and br0azas. marbles and mosaics, tap
estries, ancient furniture and bric-a.
brac, relics Of the past, the spoils of a
long and varied career. Here, too, in
the year 1868 he brought his wife, a
daughter Of the late Sir John Guest.
1t is barely possible to reach the Ca
Capeilo on foot You may cross the
RialtO and bear toward the left through
and across a series of tortuous and intri-
cate cali, but the two handsome gon-
dolas. reposing on the broad bosom Of
the canal at the door of Ca Capello,
which has every right to be called the
front suggest to the callers the only
rational method of entrance. It has
been said that the house is not one of
the largest; its aspect, however, is un.
doubtedly one of the most attractive in
the most beautiful highway in the world.
THE HOUSE.
The two sides Of the house, one in the
Rio di San Polo, the principal, with the
porch on the Grand canal, give scope for
display of color which elsewhere might
suggest garishness, but which in Venice,
par excellence the city Of many colors.
Is natural and pleasing. AS your gon-
dOia reaches the broad fight Of steps be-
hind the tall green pail, you cannot fai!
10 notice that every window sill bears
Its burden of flowers after our English
fashion, and that the portico is a veritable
floral bower, with a conservatory over
it, IN which, beside the greenery, an i'm
menSe Venetian glass chandelier is a
most striking object. 1t is a mass Of
vine with depending black grapes, great
creeping convolvuluses, canariensis and
white jessamin, all struggling for life
apparently, with no inconsiderable de-
gree Of success, on the trellis work
which supports them.
As Is common in Italian private resi- .
dences. what we ordinarily describe at
home as the ground floor is given up to
the servants and the domestic offices Of
the establishment. A broad staircase
on the left Of the entrance, on either
side Of which, fixed in the wall, is frag-
ment Of sculpture from Nineveh, leads
INTO hall Of noble proportions which
divides the house itself into two une-
quail parts Here some Of the larger
pieces Of furniture, such as the cabi.
nets. are to be found; and here, too.
pair Of admirable three-quarter length
portraits of Sir Henry and Lady Lay.
ard, painted in Madrid by Palmaroh.
head Of the Spanish academy at Rome.
face each other. Another portrait of
Sir Henry Layard challenges an even
closer nspection-that, namely, by Lud-
Wig Passinl, which was shown in the ex-
hibition Of the Royal academy. Large
reception rooms give out on either side
of the hall. and. like it, all are foored
with terrazza, a material which to its
great beauty adds the advantage of be-
ing absolutely uninHammable.
TASTEFUL FURNISHINGS.
The dining room and the drawing
rooms are filed, but not crowded, with
beautiful works Of art, including mas
terpleces of such painters as Gentle
Belhni. Bonafazio. Sebastian del Piombo
and many other famous Italian masters
Nor are the exquisite and delightful
productions of the furnaces and work.
rooms of Muran0 forgotten. OF the
modern Venetian glassblowing proc
esses. Sir Henry is most indisputablv
the founder, and some of the most per-
feet specimens Of this beautiful art are.
as 1t Is lifting. to be seen in his house
rs well as some beautiful inlay work
and the admirable woodwork by Biraghi.
who executed the famous double stair
case in walnut wood for Lord VIM
borne at Canford, under Sir Henry's
directions
Sir Henry's own sanctum is on the
upper Hoor of the Casa. Here are
records and memorials of a more per
'onal kind than were noticed in the
over reception room, and among
hem the Englishman does not fail 10 ,
notice the framed certificate on illumi- (
rated veiiun headed "Challis, Mayor"
which sets forth the bestowal of the
honorary freedom Of the city Of Lon