The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-20
CECIL RHODEs's HOME.
He Does Not Find south Africa All
Desert.
New York Commercial Adyertiser.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
The most celebrated house i'm Cape Col
ony is Groote Schuur, the home Of Cecil
Rhodes to which every South African
tourist makes a pilgrimage. The original
old Dutch house was burned down four
years ago. at the time of the raid, but
the new Groote Schuur has risen. Phoenix
like, on its ashes, an improved edition
of its predecessor. Groote Shuur-which.
being interpreted. means great barn Is
built on the plan OF a typical Dutch house
They are usually one-storied. matched
buildings, painted white, with long wings
at each side. Roughly speaking. the shape
Is like capital h with the middle Dash
left out. The vertical part OF the Il con-
sists OF two halls. the latter sometimes
leading into a paved courtyard. The other
rooms give out TO right and left. IL is a
charming arrangement as the offices are
always on one side, and the house faces
both ways, without. so 10 speak, any back
premises At Groote Schuur the stoep
runs around three sides of the house. and
IL Is difficult TO say from which point or
vantage the view IL the most Deautifui-
At the back rises the wooded slopes OF the
DEVILS Peak; i'm front lies vast piano.
rama of mountain plain and ocean.
Inside. the house Is delightful, though
essentially masculine. The hundred and
one little signs OF woman presence are
conspicuous by their absence. The beau
tiful old furniture is simple but severe.
setting of TO advantage Mr.. Rhodess mo
collection of Dutch curiOs The wooc PAN
cling. old-faShloned CRATES anu cdfNeI
mantIepeces are thoroughly i'm Character
with the house There are books every
where some OF the rooms being lined
with them from floor 10 ceiling. Mr.
Rhodes himself Is an excellent guide 10
Groote schuur. ready 10 waste time on
the merest stranger who IL interested
in his collection OF old glass and silver
or wants TO ask questions about the
prehistoric relics from Zimbabwye- Love
OF beautiful scenery Is a marked trait In
this molder Of continents. He likes To
hear Groote Schuur praised: indeed. he
has said of the view from the hill above
the house that IN must have been the spot
where the devil tempted Christ with all
the empires OF the world. The grounds
have been arranged with consummate art.
Whoever planned them fully understood
(what Is so often forgotten) that the char
acter of a garden must be determined by
the class of scenery and the class of build
ing with which IL Is associated. Large,
oid-fa shioned vases. filled with plants.
stand round the stOep. In the immediate
neighborhood OF the house the grounds rise
I'm stone terraces bright with flowers. but
gradually a glade OF pine trees and grassy
slopes replace the formal borders. Finally.
the whole garden Is merged almost insen-
sibly into the park.like land which
stretches away to the rock precipices Of
the mountain crest. A natural gully I'm the
grounds has been planted from end to end
with Towering hydrangeas. IL Ii easy 10
imagine what a wonderful sight this Is
when the vivid pink and blue blossoms are
in flower. Roses grow everywhere in pro-
fusion, and a brook dashes through the
garden-a rare charm IN this land Of thirst
and drought. The Groote Schuur estate Il
n large one, stretching for many miles
along the mountain side. and Mr.. Rhodes
has a private menagerie I'm the grounds.
Many rare and curious animals kept
there, and a lion house is very popular
with visitors