carved specimens of Irish bog oak, such as the harp,
the spinning-wheel, and other national emblems;
while the carving of the old rosewood frames, cabinets,
brackets, and of the well-filled bookcases is especially
beautiful. For the cunningly-devised and original, if
somewhat erratic, bookshelves and nook-and-corner
adornments, "Rita's" husband, Mr. Desmond
Humphreys, is responsible. This handsome, genial
son of Erin, who is the life and soul of the house,
has indeed a genius for adapting and inventing which
is not only turned towards beautifying the house;
his ready wit and close observance of human nature,
together with an unusual wide experience of people
and of things, make him a delightful raconteur.
Born at Inverness, "Rita," at the age of four, accompanied her parents and two brothers on a long sea-voyage to Australia, where the family made their home for ten years. Living in a wild part of the country, and chiefly out of doors, the lovely scenery largely influenced her early recollections, and tended to deepen the poetic and romantic element in her nature, which was happily balanced by the exceptional advantage, in that out-of-the-way spot, of being educated until the age of fourteen with her brothers and by their tutor, a man of great ability and of keen judgment. He recognised the peculiarity of his pupil's temperament, and, while judiciously preserving the young girl's reticence and romance, he fortified her mind with a solid foundation of reading, and cultivated particularly the art of composition. He also took care to encourage healthful and athletic exercises, and at an early age she became a good cider and
