The Washington herald., 1911-09-22
FOREIGN GOSSIP
OF INTEREST

associations which has been the favored
resort Of London high life for about two
centuries. In 1870 a big conflagration
nearly destroyed the historic inn, but It
was rebuilt as the gilded youth OF the
metropolis did not relish the idea OF los
llnSlts pleasant rendezvous, which found
mention in so many episodes in the life
( OF the smart set
Many have been the royalties even who
nave made that hotel a temporary home.
They include Napoleon III, King Victor
Emmanuel I, Emperor Macmillan of
Mexico, Empress Elizabeth OF Austria
and the French prince imperial Louis
Philippe and his Queen. Marie Amelia,
stopped there for months at a time, and
were visited at the hotel by Queen Vio-
toria and the Prince Consort.
Countess RosalInd OF Carlisle has sold
to the trustees of the British National
Gallery. for $4,000 and the personal tax
on the picture for the current fiscal year,
the famous Alteration OF the Kings"
by Jan Gossaert. of Mabuse, known as
Castle Howard Mabuse" 1t was a very
generous offer which the countess has
made to the nation. for the price paid IS
much below the market value OF the IA
mous painting. The National Art Collec-
ton Fund contributed GLOON, the board
lof the National Gallery E15.OOO. and the
Loco TO complete the mucn-desired pur-
chase. The picture has been placed on
exhibition in room II of the National Cal
Ilery
This celebrated picture was painted
about the year 1870 for the Abbey or
IGrammont. in East Flanders. Some two
centuries later IL passed into the collec-
ton of Prince Charles Of Lorraine. then
governor general OF the Netherlands. II
next came into possession Of the hrth
Earl Of Carlisle, at Castle Howard. ABOUT
100 years ago 1t measures seven by SIX
| feet, and, in addition to the principal
persOnages, contains about twenty hg-
ures OF men and angels.
Among an accumulation OF old draw
ings and prints at Maidstone Museum
| in England which were gone over for
the purpose of rearrangement. a rare
pencil portrait was unearthed the other
| day, Capt. Marryatts sketch Of Ma
poleon I. 1t was found in a portfolio
without any kind OF label or inscription
that might lead TO the discovery Of how
| II came into the museum. There Is no
| record whatever OF the presentation OF
| this drawing to the institution. But it
| may have come there when another in
! teresting Napoleonic relic was received,
| consisting of the favorite chair used by
! Napoleon in St. Helena. The story OF
how the chair came TO the Maidstone
Museum is told in the following inscrip-
ton which it bears:
| This chair was used by Napoleon
Bonaparte during his captivity in St.
! Helena. After his decease it was pur-
chased by the Rev. R. Boys, then chap
! lain to Sir Hudson Lowe, governor OF
st. Helena. and subsequently vicar Of
: Loose near Maidstone. At his decease
/ II was purchased and presented to this
museum by Alexander Randall, Esq"
The chair is remarkable by reason OF
| its very low seat, the legs being quite
! two inches shorter than the usual length.
! II is Cane-Seated, with a sweeping CirCU-
I lar back. also of cane. No doubt it
I was made especially low, owing to
! NapoleOn's short stature.
The sketch shows the great warrior
Just after death on his bier. a plain
bedlike catafalque. with four high posts.
surmounted by a haldaChin, the whole
draped in black. The sketch was made
! by Capt. Marryatt, whose ship then was
lying in the port OF LOngpOrt, and who
I later achieved fame as the author OF
! stories OF the sea.
Another theory which is advanced to
account for the presence Of the portrait
in Maidstone Museum is that It was in
cluded in a collection of drawings pre-
sented to the institution by Hollings-
worth. one of the most generous bene-
factors Of that gallery.
One Of the few remaining links with
Sir Walter Scott, Mrs. Drew. OF Arden
caple House. in Scotland completed her
hundredth year the first OF this month,
and King George sent the old lady a
COngratulatOry letter. She has lived in
six reIGns-GeOrge III, George ",
William ", Victoria. Edward VII and
George V. She was four years old when
Waterloo was fought. Her uncle, Gen.
Sir Neil Douglas. took prominent part
in the famous battle
Mrs Drew, whose maiden name was
ROsIna Douglas, remembers Sir Walter
Scott. who died seventy-nine years ago.
perfectly we'll AS girl of eighteen shs
net him at the house Of an aunt at
Orbiston, in Lana arkshire, where the
gfreat novelist was on a visit. She also
recolleCts driving with Sir Walter in the
CLYDE Valley. and says he used to give
her copies of his books.
Lord Vernon, the youthful British peer
who came OF age two years ago, has
decided to sell his ancestral home at
POyntOn, in Cheshire, together with the
extensive estates. This IS the second sale
which Lord Vernon has announced in
the past few months. His principal home
Is at Sudbury, in Derbyshire. where he
owns 5000 acres. Last November he in
formed his tenants OF his intention 10
sell all of his Derbyshire land, retaining
only the hall The tenants were given
the option of purchasing their holdings
on easy terms. Lord Vernon gave as
his reason for selling his estates the
present instability Of landed property in
England" 1t was not a question Of per-
sonal finance.
Poynton Hall has been in the posses
sion of the VernOns for generations. In
cluded in the estate are extensive col
lieries and thirty farms. The hall was
erected in the seventeenth century, re-
placing one built in the reign of Edward
VI
The Vernons are very wealthy family.
Nearly all of them married heiresses.
The present piers father welded a niece
of ]. Pierepont Morgan. Perhaps he is
acting on the advice of his distant
Ktnsman, the great American finan-
cier. The young lord is OF a retiring
disposition. His name never is men
toned in connection with any Of the
doings or scandals among the nobility.
His only apparent hobby Is motoring. He
has often been fined for overspeeding.
FLANEUR.
Copyright, 1911 by Court Gossip syndcatsl
AeropIane Mail Service.
Prom the PhiladeIphia Public Ledger.
%brouoI,a PoStnna star