The morning times., 1896-07-05

had almost forgotten our trip and the in
CIIatICn. when one morning i'll September,
amongst other letters, one in strange
handwriting ran as follows:
'.Taverndale House, Gloucester.
Dear Mrs. Haywood:-I hope you have
not forgotten your promise to pay us visit.
j am writing line TO say We shall be at
home from .he middle OF October for
month, and DO hope ouwilflnditconvenient
to come during that time. Glcncoine is
longing TO show you this house. knowing
how you appreciate old buildings, and if
only the frost Will keep off, the garden may
still lie looking quite pretty.
Yours, very sincerely,
JANET GLENCOINE."
] consulted my almanac sound, Curlously
enough, that | was engaged to pay another
visit in oiiouCeS tershire about that tiIl.c and
that l could fit in a Friday till Tuesday
at Taverndaie with great pleasure and
convenience Ia myself. so l wrote TO Lady
Glencoinc, proposing this time, and in
two days received an answer warmly ac-
cepting my proposal, but regrcttlng the
shortness of my visit. On my arrival at
their STATEN. about half past four in the
afternoon | found the carriage waiting,
and was told hy the coachInan that 1t was
a drive of two miles. We passed through il
lodge, and up a large and beautiful avenue
of elm trees. which We're scattering their
golden leaves with great rapidity: and as
we suddenly swung round a sharp corner
and the house came into view, was lost IN
admiration. One OF those early TUDOR
houses with its gahled roofs and hlgh
windows and chimneys, branching out at
the end into two wings, almost untouched
hv modern hands, except where, here ana
there there wasabsolute MISREPRESENTATION.
I had hardly time to take it in before we
stopped at the door, and stepped through
the ves,ibule into the hall, and again my
eyes had a feast. The dark wainscotinS
OF oak. with which ii wa entirely paneiled,
and dthepictureSque hi Eh windows, theshieids
and armor hanging from the walnscoling,
all made n lovely picture in the setting
sun which was pouring hroughthemulioncd
window.
The footman led me into another room,
also all panelled, which l afterward dis
covered was called My lady's parlor,'
where the party were assembled FOR tea
Lady Glencoine rose and greeted me warmly;
explained 10 me that Lord Glencoine was
out shooting and introduced me to several
of the guests, among whom, much Ia my
astonishmnet | found some cousins of my
own-a Mr.. and Mrs. Broughton. She
also informed me that, being the end of the
week, several guests had gone that day,
but that we We're still a party of ten; Il Sir
Patrick and Lady Granthain; a brother aud
sister. Capt and Lady Mary She!vey. and
my cousins, making, up the party, with Lord
and Lady Glencoine and their son, a young
man of tweniy-four who had just left
oxford. We sat talking and drinking tea
for some time. waiting for the shooters TO
return; but finally she rose and proposed
taking me TO my room. We passed up the
wide staircase, hung with family portraits
of many generations, and then into long,
low passag ge, from which we emerged into
the gallery. which seemed to occupy almost
all one side Of the house, being about
eighty feet long Here again the VAIN
scoting of dark oak reached to the beautiful
white cornicc. The furniture was 1nlaid,
unique ofils kind: and the windo ows beauty
in themselves, with their bows and deep
recesses. The daylight was dying away,
and the whole place looked weird and
ghostly, but very beautiful
Lady GlCDcoine was. | think, quite
amused by my enthusiasm. and said her
husband would not forgive her for show
ing it to me without him. hut she could
not do otherwise. as it was the only means
Of approaching my room; and as she said
this sue threw open a door in the Danelling