St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-06-08
THE CINCINNATI DUCHESS.
Newest American Pesress to Live in
Historic Home

=
of Manchester, who married Miss
Zimmerman, of Cincinnati, and who
has been sued for breach Of promise
by Miss Portia Knight, another
American girl It is one of the least
known, though not one Of the least
interesting, of the stately homes Of
! England. To it are attaehed poig
nant memories of one of the noblest
and most unfortunate of English
queens, and it is strange to think that
a young American heiress will now
be mistress Of the noble rooms where
Catherine of Aragon spent the last
! dreary years Of her life. Kimbolton
is said by some people to remind them
of Hampton court. The original de-
sign, probably early Tudor in its
origin, has almost disappeared, Sir
John Fanbrugh having restored and
beantified the building standing then.
| by the wish Of the first duke Of Nam
chester, but he wisely left the old
courtyard, which recalls Wolseley's 5
palace by the Thames, very much as
| it must have been in the days when
Henry wills first queen was given
it as her dover house.
The splendid pile Of buildings is
surrounded by noble lawns and great
trees. Indeed, it has been rightly said
that everything about Kimbolton is
arranged in the grand manner 2
Even the corridors and anterooms are
hung with fine paintings and treas
ures of all kinds, and in the recep-
tlon rooms are some Of the most IA
nous examples of continental and
English art, worth their weight IN
gold. In the dining-room, an apart
ment Of noble proportions, is theju
" famed full-length Cromwell, "
which recalls the fact that Baron
klmbolton was one OF the great Iron
sides most favored generals. There
also hangs a number Of marvellous
Vandykes and Holbeins.
The draWing-rooms, which will
doubtless now be restored to their.
pristine splendor, are hung with
priceless tapestries, which, IN their
turn, serve as background to family
portraits belonging TO all periods
These, Of course, greatly differ in ar
tlstie values, though. from the his
torical point Of view. there is moi ono
Of them but has some special inter
est. Indeed, it .is to be hoped that.
the young duke and his bride will not
fall into the mistake made BY SO
many modern owners Of fine old
places, who, following the advice Of
their too Jealous friends, Danish all
those of their ancestors who are either
plain or illpainted to the garrets and
lumber rooms. Fortunately, many of
the portraits hanging at Kimbolton
have an artistic value Rubenses,
knellers, Holbeins and Reynoldses
yying with each other IN showing at
their best departed members of the
house of Montague, while at Kimbol-
ton also is the finest known Tandyke
of Charles [.
Peculiarly charming are some of
the family groups, notably Pellegrin's
delightful painting Of the children
of the first duke of Manchester; while
Reynolds presentment of the fourth
duchess and her boy, as a very fully
attired Venus and Cupid, is one Of
the most characteristic and graceful
works Of that great portraitist.
The rooms which have from time
immemorial been set apart for the
use OF the reigning duchess Of Man
chester bear many characteristic
traces of their two most recent own
ers. The present duchess of Devon
shire was very fond Of Kimbolton,
and was intimately acquainted with |
the great historical traditions Of the
place. Consuelo, duchess Of Man /
as Lady Vaudeville, was
brought home to Kimbolton as /
bride and, after her husbands acces-
sion to the title, her exquisite taste
was free to disport itself in the de-
lightful rooms which will now pass
nto the possession Of the new duchess,
Rho will do well to alter as little as
may be the charming boudoir.
Queen Catherine Of Aragon's room
contains a number Of fine paintings,
including one Of the queen herself,
md some Of the furniture which still |
ldorns the stately apartment was un-
loubtedly IN use at the time when
Shakespeare, in some immortal lines,
depicted the dream Of the imprisoned |
queen whom angels visited at Kim
,olton with messages Of peace and
comfort. Intimately associated also
nth Queen Catherine is the quaint
hapel where she spent so many hours