The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-08-25
EBESSI BONEHILL'S HOME
FIFTY ACRES OF FOREST AND
 MEADOW,

Lawns, Gardens and Orchards-A Nat
 ural Beauty spot-The Owners Fu-
 yorIte Retreat-skeich of the Career
 of Miss BOn.hiiI, Who Is Now Dying
 at Portsmouth, England.
 Sayville, L. l., July u.-Bessie Bone 1 hill, the well known vaudeville actress, who is now dying of cancer in Ports mouth Eng, was brought from Eng land, her native country, to America by Tony Pastor, when 12 years old. She had already exhibited wonderful talent, both as a singer and dancer, and soon became one of Americas stage favor ties. She has since returned to Eng land to fill many seasons engagements at the most popular theaters through out the United Kingdom and has al- ways been greeted with the greatest enthusiasm.
 The actress has been twice married. By her first husband she had three chil- dren-Misses Marion and Lena and 8 son, Jack Seeley, they having taken the name of their stepfather, William Seeley, Miss Bonehilrs second husband. These three children also developed tal- ent for the stage and have never been without a seasons engagement. By her second marriage Bessie Bonehill had one son. William Seeley, now F years old, who is at school in Boston, where he lives with his aunt.
 Besise Bonehills song, "Buttercups and Daisies" has long been one of her most popular renditions, and she has rarely appeared here or in Europe without the audiences calling for the song Tn many ways has Miss Bone hill endeared herself to Sayville people, having taken personal interest in the various local enterprises. When the Sayvile Hose company new opera house was opened Miss Bonehill, though just home from long foreign engagement, kindly consented to appear gratuituous- | ly, and delighted all who heard her. On that occasion, the actress had her phy- sican stationed behind the scenes, and he was called upon between the acts to administer stimulants, enabling her to carry out her part of the programme. That was the beginning of her present serious illness.
 About six years ago Miss Bonehill bought an old, abandoned farm, known as the Barr Homestead" situated three miles north of Sayville. The farm comprised about fifty acres. half of which was clear d. It being elevated and givng evidences of deer abounding in the vicinity Miss Bonehill named o,o1 the past five summers she has spent her vacation with her family at this exceed ingly quiet rereat Soon, by the labors of both the actress and MT. Seeley, Dear Hill Farm" was converted into beauty spot. MT. Seeley occupying much of his time in building artistically constructed rustic work of cedar, form ing shady hooks and arbors. At the main entrance MT. Seeley built a hand some rustic gateway. which is arched over the drive, showing close paneling in the gates, while on the face of the arch is set in cedar work the name, | Dear Hill" ."'an,
 There was an old apple orchard on the place and Miss Bonehill had several hundred additional fruit trees set out; many acres were devoted to the smaller fruits.
 The house at Deer Hill, though very old, contained sufficient number of rooms for the family and has been made exceedingly cozy and comfortable. On the front is a broad piazza, partly inclosed with lattice work, over which the honeysuckle has woven a pretty screen. The exterior of the house Is 1 painted the color of English brick. The parlor, or sittingroom, walls are cover- ed with papers of neat design and from the walls hang several life size por- traits and paintings of the owner and members of her family. Tn the same room there is an ever open piano, with music lying all about. Tn all the rooms may be seen vast quantities of curios, bric-a- brac, etc, collected by Miss Bone hill during her many tours of the old | world.
 A feature of the grounds is pump, located in shady nook, from which water of exceptional purity and cool ness is drawn. It is said that Miss Bonehill has often remarked that in all her journeyings she has never tasted such delicious water as is drawn from the well on Deer Hill Farm.
 l It is among these scenes which sur- round her beloved Long Island home that Miss Bonehill has found a rest. a 1 few weeks at time, far away from the hurly burly.
 ] During the past few years Miss Bone- hill has experienced not a few losses, misfortunes and financial reverses. Two of her fine carriage horses were burned 1 to death when her barn at Deer Hill was consumed by fire. Then her father, 1 William Bonehill, was accidentally asphyxiated in New York city while his daughter was absent in Europe; next came the death of Mir. Seeley's father, which occurred at Deer Hill. A year ago Miss Bonehll and her family were l in a railroad disaster in Africa, in which a number Of people on the train were killed, and at which time Miss Bonehill lost all of her stage parapher- nalia which was consumed in a burning car. Owing to the Boer war she was obliged to cancel an important stage engagement in South Africa, and now comes her present sickness, which. &C., eording to authoritative reports, is like l ly to prove fatal. Yet in the midst of all these reverses Miss Bonehill has not closed her heart and purse to the ap- peals of the needy, and it is known that