The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-10
BARON FERDINAND DE ROTH
SCHILD.

Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild's
death will be widely and sincerely
mourned. His circle of intimate person.
al friends was not large, but among
them his death leaves a grievous gap.
His acquaintance were numerous and
there can be few even of the slightest
of them who do not bear a kindly re-
membrance of his gentle fascination,
his unfailing thoughtfulness, and good
nature Those who benefited by his per-
sonal bounty were innumerable, yet
to the vast bulk of them he was posi-
bly, nothing more than a name. For
years he had ceased to go into general
society; still he was very notable, in
many respects a unique social figure.
The habit of seclusion was growing
more and more upon him-he used to
say it was hereditary-and he passed
more and more of his time alone at
Waddesdon-alone, that is, with his
books, his pets, his flowers, and his
works of art. The death OF his wife
thirty-one years since left touch of
sadness on his whole subsequent life.
Baroness Eveina was his cousin, sis
ter Of Lord Rothschild woman of
rare charm, talent and brightness of
disposition Their marriage had been a
love match, and her memory remained
to the end Baron Ferdinnnd's dearest
possession. To commemorate her name
and their one year of married happi-
ness he founded the Evelina Hospital
for Children, and as year by year its
needs have grown his beneficence had
grown with Them But his charities
were beyond count, and the bulk Of
them We're dispensed privately. Every
mail brought appeals for help. 1t was
his practice to have every one of these
that presented any appearance of gen.
uineness made the subject of inquiry,
and if they bore investigation help was
always Forthcoming.
The business Of his life was in large
measure the exercise of benevolence;
his principal relaxation for the last
twenty years had been the creation of
the magnificent chateau Of Waddesdon
and the beautiful park of 5000 acres
that now surrounds it. He had long
ceased to have any active connection
with the great firm in the city. Like his
elder brother, Baron Nathaniel of Wen
ma, his inclinations were not bent in the
direction of finance, so, like him, after
a few years in the city he became a
sleeping partner in the house.
Waddesdon, as it stands to-day, is
one of the greatest achievements of it's
kind accomplished in the same time by
any one man. The place struck Earon
Ferdnands fancy once when hunting;
he bought it some years later, and with
infinite patience he transformed its vast
acreage of tillage land into sylvan
paradise, and erected a house upon it
indeed, a palace-whch has attained
almost classic fame for its beauty in his
own lifetime. The house is the repro
ducton of a sixteenth century French
chateau, modelled under the Baron's
own direction by very talented
French architect, the late M. Desstail-
leurs. 1t stands upon lofty hill, and is
a striking object in the fine landscape |
of the vale of Aylesbury. Its propor- |
tions are extremely graceful, and, be- |
ing built of white stone, it glistens in |
the sunlight like a fairy palace, its del! |
icate outlines being thrown into relief !
by the dark foliage of the trees that
frame it in at either end. The two spa
cious spiral stairways-on one of which .
the Prince of Wales met with his I'M
accident of last summer are /
copied from the famous open staircases
n the chateau of Chenonceaux, and
form one of the most effective archi-
tectural beauties of the house.
For years the Baron had agents |
working for him abroad, collecting Old