The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 28, April 1893 | Page 5

of the
associations of this home must of necessity be saddening, but on the
other hand, much must remind of many little acts of kindness and
loving attentions paid; and were this a biography of the late Prince,
many little anecdotes of his great thoughtfulness for those around him
might be told; but his monument will be in the memories of all who
knew him.
To return, however, to description. After the Prince has dispatched his
necessary business, he generally takes his visitors round to view the
park, gardens, model farm, stables, kennels, or whatever His Royal
Highness thinks may interest them most. If you are an enthusiast in
farming, you will be immensely interested in the 600 acres of land
farmed on scientific principles. Every known improvement in
machinery, etc., is introduced, with results of as near perfection as
possible in crops. The Prince looks a genuine farmer, as he tramps
through the fields in true Norfolk garb of tweed and gaiters; and it does
not require much attention to find from his conversation that he quite
understands what he is talking about; so it behoves one to rub up his
weak points in this direction.
In the stables all are disposed to linger; every one of (I think) sixty
stalls being inhabited by first-rate steeds, many of them good racers.
The prettiest sight of all is the Princess's stable--a smaller one adjoining;
this is tiled white and green, with stalls ornamented in silver. Here are
some charming ponies driven by Her Royal Highness, and her favourite
mare Vera. On this mare, accompanied by her children on their mounts,
the Princess may often be met in the lanes around Sandringham,
occasionally also driving in a little pony carriage, and in both cases
almost unattended.
[Illustration: THE BALL-ROOM.

From a Photo. by Bedford Lemere.]
The kennels come next in order: they contain dogs of every breed from
all parts of the land. The younger members of the family especially
have many pets--cats, dogs, and birds; indeed, one of the first things
you notice on your arrival is a parrot in the entrance saloon, that
invariably greets you with calling for "three cheers for the Queen!"
It is now nearly luncheon time (1.30), and here you all meet again;
some of the ladies perhaps having been honoured the first part of the
day by spending some time with the Princess. Generally speaking, but
not always, their Royal Highnesses join the party for lunch; but in any
case, after that meal, forces are united, and the company entire start off,
sometimes on foot, commencing with gardens, sometimes in carriages
for a more distant inspection. To-day it is fine, and so we commence
with emerging on to the west terrace, and into the western gardens.
The terraces are very handsome, and many of the rooms open on to
them from French windows or conservatories. First you will notice a
Chinese joss-house or temple, made of costly metal, guarded on either
side by two huge granite lions from Japan, all of them the gifts to the
Prince of Admiral Keppel.
The gardens are tastefully and artistically laid out, with such a wildness,
yet with such a wealth of shrubs and pines, aided by artificial rockwork,
a cave, and a rushing cascade, that one might well imagine one was in
another country.
The Alpine gardens contain flowers and ferns of the choicest; and you
presently emerge on the shores of a lake of considerable size. Here
boating in the summer and skating in the winter may be indulged in, the
latter, especially by torchlight, being a most attractive sight. The
illuminations in the trees around, the flaring torches, the lights fixed to
the chairs as they glide about like will o' the wisps, and the villagers
(who are always invited) standing around, make up a picture not easily
forgotten. This lake has recently been supplemented by the excavation
of another in the centre of the park, a running stream connecting the
two.

Chief, or almost chief, of the Sandringham outdoor sights is a famous
avenue of trees. At some future time this avenue will be of even more
interest than it is now, and will become, in fact, historical; for every
tree there has been planted by some personage of note. On each one
you will notice a neat label, stating name of planter and date of planting,
chief of the names being Queen Victoria and the Empress Frederick.
[Illustration: H.R.H. THE PRINCESS OF WALES.
From a Photo. by W. & D. Downey.]
The model dairy is a picture; but here again the preference must be
given to that owned by the Princess. It is a Swiss cottage, containing
five rooms, one of the five being a very pretty tea-room, and here Her
Royal Highness sometimes favours