70 BRINGING MADEIRA TO ENGLAND. 



her pride humbled, said, she could not, of course, 

 interfere with Mr. Smith's domestic arrangements. 

 She then applied to the housekeeper to allow her 

 to take her meals in her own room, as she could 

 not sit down at the same table with " those low 

 people." 



" Then you must starve,'' was the housekeeper's 

 reply ; " for I should lose my situation imme- 

 diately if I dared infringe on Mr. Smith's 

 orders." 



I could relate many more stories and anecdotes 

 of the late Assheton Smith, as told to me, which 

 have probably been told to hundreds of others, 

 but I have deemed it best to confine myself chiefly 

 to those which have come under my own observa- 

 tion. I will, however, give one more of private 

 life. 



At one time, Mrs. Smith being in rather a deli- 

 cate state of health, a change to a warmer climate, 

 during the winter months, was suggested by their 

 medical adviser, to which the Squire, from his 

 well-known avocations, was rather averse ; but he 

 immediately replied, " As we cannot well go to 

 Madeira, Madeira must come to us r 



This led to the construction of a most magnifi- 

 cent conservatory, or winter garden, in which the 

 choicest plants and exotics were placed, and 



