Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 3).djvu/442

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ILLUSTRATED INTERVIEWS.
445

cotta, the chairs remind one of those generally associated with the Knights of the Round Table. Over the fireplace tiny Egyptian idols are set out, above the marble table is Arabi Pasha's pistol, and on the marble slab are a couple of Cetewayo's milk pails—yellow vases about one-and-a-half feet long. Underneath are more milk pails, a wooden dish big enough to hold half a sheep, and some Zulu pillows of wood. These were all taken from Cetewayo's kraal.

To the left are the small reception rooms leading into the drawing-room. The walls are of white enamel, and the colour of the various upholstery harmonises to perfection.


Lady Wolseley.
From a Photo. by Elliott & Fry.

Every one of these apartments is the resting-place of something of striking interest. Flowers are in abundance. Lord Wolseley says that flowers make life happy—they are the perfume of life. Crocuses of all colours, snow-drops, violets, and lilies-of-the-valley, fill the vases. In the first apartment are a couple of oil-paintings of Lady Wolseley and her daughter, as a child. These were painted in 1884, by Julian Story, who married Miss Eames a few months ago. Here in a niche is a portrait of Lord Wolseley's great-great-grandfather, in armour, who fought in Ireland with William III. In the second room, over the mantel- piece is Frank Holl's picture of Lord Wolseley, given by the artist to Lady Wolseley. On the mantel-board are three dolphins in Japan ware, which had been at the bottom of the sea for over ninety years. Staffordshire pottery is plentiful. This was a great hobby of Lord Wolseley's; indeed, he has one of the finest collections of Staffordshire ware in the kingdom. His quaint old watches, with enamel backs, picturesquely set out under glass cases, and on cabinets, are distributed all over the house, and are of great value.

Near the door is a glass case. Lord Wolseley opens it, and replaces the sword he has just been wearing. The weapon once belonged to King Coffee, and was taken from his palace. An inscription on one side reads that it was given by the Queen to the King of Ashantee; the other side tells how it was bought by Lord Wolseley's staff at a private sale, and presented to him. Another sword belonged to Lord Airey; a third cost £2,000.

"It was given to me by the people of Cairo," remarked Lord Wolseley, "and was richly studded with diamonds. However, I took the stones off and gave them to my wife."

"Who makes good use of them!" chimed in Lady Wolseley.

Another sword was presented by the City of London, and on the ledge below