The Washington times., 1905-04-11
LADY OXFORD FITS
Up A NEW HOME
WOltertOn Hall Now Holds
Its Mistress.
NOT OCCUPIED IN so YEARS
Mr.. and MS. Butler Dean About to
Return to Home in
America.
NOT OCCUPIED IN so YEARS

LONDON. April 1.-THE Countess OF
Oxford, formerly Miss Lo,:.se Corbin, of
New York, daughter of the well-known
railroad magnate. has just moved from
Mannington Hall. Norfolk. to Wolter-
ton Hail. a smaller but more pictur-
esque residence which the eari owns In
the same county. 1t will be their per-
manent hume in future.
Though Lord Oxford was born there, II
had not previously beer occupied fer
something like fifty years. 1t mas taken
two years to get the OLD place fixed up
and renovated The decorations and re-
arrangements Of the interior have been
carried ont urder Lady Oxford's per-
sonal supervision, with rare taste so as
to harmonize with the original structure.
She has replaced all the old pictures
and tapestries which formed part of its
furnishing when II was built by Sir
Horace Walpole. 1t is a fine old Jaco-
bean mansion, standing in the midst Of
beautifully wooded park
His Adventurous Career.
Few peers have had such an adven-
turous career as Lord Oxford. He en-
tered the navy as o midshipman when
II
teen was shipwrecked In the troop ship
Magera. off St Paul's Island. 1850 miles
from anywhere. He spent three terrible
months with his comrades on the ISL
and, subsisting for the most part on sea
fowls eggs and seaweed- He took part
in 4 three years crusade against the
slave dealers of the South Seas after
that. helped annex Fiji, and was In perils
oft after that before he retired from
the navy.
Lord Oxford's American wife, whom
he married in 1855, shared his rowing
spirit, accompanied him on his world
wide travels, and participated in big
game shooting with him in various parts
of the earth. Now that they have done
the globe pretty thoroughly, and settled
down. society hopes to see more of this
interesting couple than 1t has hereto
fora done.
Mr.. and Mrs. Butler Dean, of Wash
ington and New York, who for the last
Ave months have occupied the charm
ing old-fashioned place known as the
Manor House at bennington. about
100 miles north from London, will soor
return 20 America.
bennington is one of England 8
health resorts. and Mr.. and Mrs, Dean
have taken every advantage of what
1t can provide in this res-ect. They
visited the spa daily and partook of
the waters regularly
Sneering at America
Several English writer's are much
given to sneering at the American
social invasicn, attributing The vulgar
and ostentatIous' displayof wealth and
various other evil tendencies to It's In
fuence. But in one respect at least i,
has wrought & pod. Nc less an. author
ity than the manager of Claridge s
Hotel, the most exclusive OF London s
fashionable caravansarfes, asserts that
the diminished consumption of intoxi-
eating beverages in swelldom Is due to
the example set by American visitors
and permanent residents.
The proprietors of the big hotels
and fashionable restaurants are agreed
that their patrons no not consume
nearly as much stirnulants as former
ly. And as they make quite as much
profit out of aerated waters which now
take their place al dinners, luncheons,
and suppers. they do not regret the
change.
But there has been no apparent in
crease of temperance among the lower
classes The average English work
man spends twice as much on drink as
does the American workman, and can
only half as well afford it. If he
could be induced to follow the latter s
example the benefit to England would
be incalculable