Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1894-07-13
QUEEN VICTORIA'S HONE.
Arrangement OF tho Apartments
ct Windsor Castle.
Rooms Irtc Which None But Members
OF the Royal Family Arc Permitted
to Egter-Eich and Costly
Decorat ions

The state dining-room at Windsor
castle is. according to the Pail Mall
Gazette. very fine apartment in the
Prince OF Wales tower. 1t was redec-
Grated shortly before the jubilee in gold
and white, after a very tasteful design
chosen by Princess Beatrice The fur
niture is Of a Gothic pattern. and is
said to have been designed by Welby
Pugin. The doors are oruarne1ted with
most exquisite Chippcndale work. In
the censer OF the north window, which
looks ont on the north terrace, the
Home park. and Eton college, is dis
played massive gold punch-bowl,
which was designed by FlaXman for the
prince regent. The ladle. which is
very fine piece Of work, is made in the
form OF a .rochus shell. The whole
cost two thousand giincas. Tkis room
was nearly destroyed by fire IN 1853
and again by water in 1891. II Is only
used on grand occasions, when the
queens party is over sixteen. When it
is under that number the queen prefers
to dine in the oalroo1l. which looks out
on the inner quadrangle, and contains
fine pictures of the queens four daugh-
ters-in law. When the party is too
large for the diaing-room St. Georges
hall is used.
The three drawing-roorns are con-
nected with the dining-room, with the
corridor, and with each other by fold
ing doors. and all the doors are dec
GRATED with the same unique Chippen-
dale work. The three drawing-rooms
face the east and look down on the
splendid east terrace and gardens over
the broad expanse of the Home Park
towards Datchet, Old Windsor. The
crimson drawing-room is next to the
dining-room. 1t is decorated and up
holStered in crimson satin brocade,
which. together with the richness Of
the embellishments and the wealth of
gliding with which it is adorned. gives
this room very gorgeous appearance.
Superb carvings, the finest orraolu
work. and the most exquisitely inlaid
cabinets line the wall, and conspicuous
ly placed in one of the windows is q
large ma!achite vase, which, like the
one in the grand reception-room, was
given to the queen by Gar Nicholas. Of
Russia.
The crimson drawing-room opens into
the green, which is similarly decorated,
and furnished in the richest satin
brocade, but the prevailing color. as
might be expected, is green, by which I
do not by any means I4ean eau lie MI.
but grcco Of : somewhat Grade shade
The principal feature Of this room is
the magnificent collection OF Sevres
china which is said to be the finest In
the world. This is another product Of
the e-travagaat tastes of George ~,
and the sight of the innuncrable lovely
pieces delicately nodded and colorad.
is enough to make collector mad with
envy. However. as a rule, collectors
have not much time Co examine very
closely. for 1t is Only on rare occasions,
such as state dinner party or by
special favor, that her rlsjcsty's sub
jects are admitted into the green draw
ing-roon.
| The w bite drawing-room is furnished
in crimson ard gold damask with white
walls decorated in an essentially
French style. The walls of this room
are hung with numerous portraits Of
the royal family, while a number of
exquisitely worked cabinets and a Ia
bic beautifully inlaid with Florentine
mosaic in the form of flowers and fruit
are among the principal ornaments 1t
is IN the white drawing-room that the
queen holds private investiturcs of the
knightly orders, when a few ministers
are summoned from town in order to
form council for the occasion.
Luncheon is held first in the dining
room. The queen then proceeds by
the corridor To the white drawirg--oon.
while the company pass through the
crimson and green rooms to the same
destination
The drawing-rooms were cleaned not
long ago and the furniture rearranged,
but otherwise they have been left un-
touched. The hangings and stuGs with
which the chairs and sofas are covered
might with advantage be altered, for
though they are very rich the style is
old fashioned. belonging to the early
period of her majesty's reign, and shows
only too clearly and somewhat plainly
to the eye the advances that art has
made since then. The queen, however
is very conservative in her tastes. and
she likes the old fashions. One of the
curiosiCies of this portion of thcprivatt
apartments is Mozart's old harpsichorC
which stands in one of the tall win
dows which overlook the private gar
den. II is q quaint, rather shabby
looking instrument with a double SCI
OF keys. These tine rooms are all con-
nected by the grand corridor. 1t il
very handsomely decorated, the ceiling
in gold and cream and the walls il
sage green and gold. 1t is hung on ont
side with pictures of the events in thi:
reign from Wilkes First Council r
Unions Marriage of the Duke of Al
bany." The other side is lined will
portraits OF statesmen, including Auge
lis picture of Lord Beaconsield
Among the numerous curiositics arr
some magnificent china. bust of Gen
Gordon, and his pocket Bible in a glaS
case.
| Reverend Joker<.