Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-07-09
A VENETIAN PALACE.
ROBERT BARRETT BROWNING BEAU.
TIFUL HOUSE.

ROBERT BARRETT eRoWNlNG's BEAU
TlFUL HOUSE.
A Building Fnied With Memories and
Relics Of Two Poets Dear To Thousands.
The Owner Regards All Visitors ~ His
Guests and Is Unusually Kind.
On the Grand canal at Venice there is
q singularly interesting group of build
ings. First. at the corner Of the small
canal which every tourist trayerses on
his way to and from the station is the
great red pile known rs the Palazzo Eos
carl Ii is now used rs u sort Of business
college, and young venetians learn
bookkeeping in the banquet halls Of the
old doge. Next to it are two gray and
ancient buildings. leaning against each
other and the FoScari for support They
form ono OF the Gustiniani palaces and
harbor mosaic factory Beyond is a
solid and rather gloomy looking build
ing somewhat aloof from the neighbors
and with broad semicircular flight Of
steps leading from the pillared entrance
down into the water of the Grand canal
The posts outside for the convenience Of
the gondolas are painted dull brown IN
contrast with the blue and white posts
of the other palaces. High iron gates
close the entrance.
The first trip you make on the watery
highway Of Venice your curiosity will
be satisfied in regard 10 this palace, II
Oh 10 other point. for every gondolier
knows the Browning palaceI,Get him to
poke the nose Of his gondohs between
these brown posts, and If the custodian
is not in sght ring the bell beside the
iron gates A rather grabbed looking
man Will let you III, and with grutT-
ness which Is only. Is it were, SKIN deep
tell you 10 20 through the court and up
the broad staircase at the rear.
III the court you will ind "a bronze
statue Of beautiful woman, about
wh SO nude body serpent has eoiled It's
folis. She holds Its head to her bosom
and looks Mt IL with a strange fondness
II You like speculation. you will begin
to wonder what manner II man II Is
who modelled this figure, and you will
climb the staircase with more than ever
Of anticipation, for the sculptor Is Rob
ert Barrett Browning, the sole heir 10
tL... ~ tNkr.. -
master Of the house you have come 10
see.
At the top Of the broad stairs the Gus
todian Will be waiting for you at the
doors leading into IA great hall with a
high frescoed ceiling by Iiepolo and "a
polished wood floor II you are Us young
as it is 10 be hoped You ARE, you Will
take an experimental whirl across this
shining expanse while the custOdian's
back is turned. Result, an envlous sigh
when he announces that this Is the sale
du bal. You sigh again even more wlst-
fully when he tells you that few years
ago Emma Eames spent month rs a
guest in this palace, and that every even
ing she sang to her host and his friends
~ they sat III the great easy chairs you
see CT thct is!lcd Of ru9s 10 tho other
end Of the hall. As If IL We're not
en- agh to have this del l-Ghtful old pal
acc without also having one OF the great
sin ;ers Of the world come ard fill II
with music You become more tAar
ever orthodox on the subject Of ito
whom that hath shall be- given.
The custodian unwittingly helps 20
ground you III the faith by leading you
through one apartment after another,
filed with beautiful old wood carving,
old frescoes, inlaid cabinets and pic
lures and statues by the owner Of it all.
More interesting than the works Of art,
however, are the reminders Of the two
poets whose personalities are SO dear 10
thousands of people. Here is bust ot
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, modelled
by her son, and her portrait by the same
careful hand, and there Is IN earlier
Do, trait of her, more beautiful than
thCsc enc generally sees, and bust OF
he ..s q young girl, with the curls III
the s.inie way that she wore tnein AL
her life. In one corner Is the small writ
ing de-. sl.o EsCd. and near il Is the
bust of her husband. In small alcoye
is n reproduction If memorial tablet
in Florence.
One is surprised to find how livablot this
big palace has been made. In the first
place, the owner in addition 10 the kind
ness Of permitting people 10 visit tbe
house has added the courtesy of regard
ing them rs probably honest. Most
"show" houses are scrupulOusly swept
and garnished Of everything which
makes them homelike and real They
contain u barren array of chairs, tables,
and so Oh, but that is all. Mr. Brown
ing has been kinder 10 the visitors,
whom he evidently regards rs i'll way
his guests. There are books on the table,
there is music on the rack III the music
room, and there are interesting photo
graphs Of his father and mother. He
makes you feel as if he understood why
You came and was glad. You look at his
own photograph with kindly interest
and are not sorry, after all, that he has
a palace, and that Emma Eames came
and sang 10 him.
He is, rs shown by this photograph,
man of 30 or 81, with dark hair, which
in your present kindly mood You regret
to see SO thin Oh top. BE has dark
mus.ache and seems well built fellow,
quite as capable Of riding across country
as of painting the pictures and model
ing the statues with which the adJoin-
ing hall is filled.
The dining room, looking out On the
canal, has n fine big fireplace, lined
with polished brass. You long TO see
how the light would dance in it. The
buffers pantry adjoining is Is large as
the dining room itself, and the walls