Page:Tourist's Maritime Provinces.djvu/182

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149
THE TOURIST'S MARITIME PROVINCES

grandfather of the rector's wife. A silver-faced clock made in Yarmouth once stood on Judge Haliburton's mantel. His "coasters" and corkscrew are on the dining-room side-board. The drawing-room at the Hillsdale is notable for its display of fine antique pieces. In the Royal Chamber the Prince of Wales slept when he visited Annapolis in 1860. The house register contains the autographs of the royal party, besides the names of many men distinguished in Canadian life who have been guests of this agreeable hotel under its present and its preceding management.

A certain dwelling within sight of the Hillsdale's shady lawns is the repository for a really remarkable miscellany of rare objects. Closet shelves overflow with entire sets of willow ware, walls are covered with drawings by English masters, there are curious screens and tables designed for the needs of ancient times, and chairs turned out by famous cabinet-makers. Most interesting of all is a group of exquisite wax miniatures all done before the year 1800, supposedly by Patience Wright. She was a spy in the service of Benjamin Franklin, and an expert in wax sculpture. It was her custom to go from house to house ostensibly to secure commissions for bas-relief portraits but actually to gain information concerning those in the household. The British Museum cherishes a collection of these cero-ceramic silhouettes which in many ways is not so representative as the one held for