THE LATE DUKE OF PORT LAND.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1525, 2 April 1886, Page 4

THE LATE DUKE OF PORT LAND.

Up a strop hill after leaving the forest, and stopping at an old-fashioned inn, we regaled ourselves on gingcr-ale. The landlord pointed with some pride to the sign that hung over the door. "The duke himself—the old duke, sir, his grace of the leathern breeches—brought that sign here himself—in his own hands and in his own carriage, and it isn't many real gentlemen that would hare done that, sir ! " The memory of the old duke is as much reverenced here, it appears to me, as that of Peter the Great is in Russia The stories and anecdotes of his life you hear in the neighbourhood would fill a volume. People all admit he was eccentric, but his eccentricity filled many a hungry mouth, soothed the sorrows of the aged, and made many and many a home happy. The tunnel towards Warsop is about two miles long, lighted by gas at night, and from windows above by day. There is a riding-school and wonderful stables underground, ball-room, &c. The place looks like a smal 1 city. Just one anecdote of the old Duke's eccentricity. It was told me the other night, and proves His Grace to have been a man of kindly feeling. A certain architect had finished on some part of the ground—a large archway and pillared colonnade, at great expense to the duke, no doubt. It did not please the latter, however, but he would not wound the architect's feelings by telling him so. No, but one evening he got together some 200 men, and every stone was taken away and the ground levelled before morning. The architect must have stared at the transformation when be came next day, but the matter was never even referred to by the duke, and of course the architect said nothing.-- " Summer Rambles in My Caravanin Leisure Hour.