Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-01-30

tween the seat arms, that roses anu
calla-lilies should mingle their per-
fume where beauty Tolls. Her IDEA
that this cabinet, three hundred years
old, should be brought from some cas-
tie in Seville or Salamanca to
ment this salon. It is an exquisite
piece with inlaid woods, ebony, pearl
and ivory, with quaint little paintings
under m~arvelously clear glass in the
carved panels. On the manteis
and cabinets are some beautiful, ex-
quisitely chased ewers and drinking
cups in silver, and on one the busts
of Elizabeth of England and Mary
Queen of Scots in very rare silver
bronze.
The drawing room is a museum OF
beautiful things, embracing fine con-
%trasts, rich harmonies and pleasant
innovations that render it indeed "a
Joy forever" Here there is an inlaid
table which once graced the Tuilleries,
as did also three ebony and gold cabi-
nets. There are a sofa and two chairs
that were owned by Marie Antoinette.
A set of four chairs may be seen that
belonged to Louis Philippe.
The carpet in scarlet with its black
lions rampant, made in France, is a
replica of one of Louis XIV, and COW
ers the entire floor of this splendid
salon, on which are chairs of gold and
silk plush of the same era-as there
are also tapestries of incalculabie val
ne and richness that have hung in
palaces before they came to this me-.
In the grand chambers the style is
not less regal; in magniicence these
surpass anything l have ever seen;
no two of them are alike.
A grand hallway extends from south
to north seven hundred feet, passing
through the rotunda. Just south of
the rotunda is the grand staircase,
with its life-size %bronzes, holding
groups of electric lights, and neal by
are the elevators to the upper floors.
The table is of the very best class,
and equal to that of any hotel in the
world. The room may not be faith
fully described in its frescoes and its
lights and pictures, any more than I
could satiate your appetite by copy
ing the menu here-it can't be done.
Just at the end of this hall, and very
near t. the dining room, is a grand
orchestrion, which, with interchange
able rollers, plays the latest music.
The music room is Just off the o
tunda, with waxed floors for terpsi-
chorean uses. There is a perfect stage
suitable for concert, lecture or tab
leau; there are foot-lights, and over
head the electric fire CLEANS in a star
and crescent group.
The interior scenes under the bril-
liant glow of the lights are entertain
ing but l remember in more dreamy
way a stroll by moonlight, down by
the river under the palmettoes-the
moon shone bright and made a wide
silver ribbon far up the broad river
and across it, and here came to me
the idea of Ponce de Leon's dream.
l have seen a great many fine hotels,
but none to compare with this one. l
have always been opposed to living in
hotels, but life in the Tampa Bay
Hotel would be worth living. Just
what it would be worth in money l
cannot compute. 1t would take more
figure 0's than are in the LEDGER Of
fee to express the amount. At the
same time l would rather live my life
in Missouri, in a small cottage, than in
Florida, in its very largest and best
hotel.
We have Hdone' the west coast of
Florida to a finish and leave at once
for st. Augustine, from which point
we will take in the east line to the
Point. Our steamer ride to the Keys
was a most enjoyable trip; in fact,
more pleasant than going clear to
Havana. The captain of our steamer
says the Spaniards have lao, 900 regu-
lars and $4,000 volunteers, and that
the insurgents have NJ show. The
thousands of Cubans who live in this
town and are paying ten per cent of
their salaries to keep up the fight think
differently. The Missourians are all en-
joying themselves finely. Those who
left their wives at home talk most of
the "pretty" Cuban girls, but talk is
cheap. The bathing, shooting and
fishing is fine. There are ducks,
world without end, and the red snap
per fishing banks are "close by" The
good fishing always is "just a little
way from here" In writing up the
finest hotel in the world this morning
I forgot to mention the s'sporting
porter" All irst-class hotels at the
resorts have sporting porters. l was
informed this morning before break
fast, on the quiet, when there would
be a cock fight, a dog fight, horse
race and a "quiet game" and he is
not considered as one of the best
"sporting %porters."
The residences in the South, espec-
tally in Florida, are without chimneys
avnapt from, tho and vay1