A small staircase leads to the private apartments of La Fayette. Near the entrance door is placed a portrait of the corporal of the prison of Olmütz, made from a sketch drawn by La Fayette’s daughter Anastasie during their imprisonment. She is said to have made the sketch upon her thumb-nail to avoid the notice of their jailers. The hangings in La Fayette’s bed-chamber are of yellow silk, the furniture is simple, and the walls of the room are covered with family portraits and engravings. On one side of the chimney hangs a large miniature of Mr. F. K. Huger, the son of Major Huger of South Carolina, who may be called La Fayette’s deliverer, on account of his bold attempt to secure his release from the prison of Olmütz. The portrait is surrounded with a gold frame of exquisite workmanship and inclosed in a box of massive gold. It was presented to La Fayette in 1825 by the city of Charleston. Above the bed is a painting representing a group of American officers, together with La Fayette and General Rochambeau, at the siege of Yorktown. Upon a chest of drawers is placed a silver vase presented to La Fayette by the midshipmen of the Brandywine frigate. Among numerous decorations on the vase, consisting of vine leaves, river gods, and acanthus leaves, the American eagle is carved on one side grasping in one of his talons a bundle of javelins, and in the other an olive-branch: above him floats a cloud spangled with stars. Upon the base of the vase are three bas-reliefs representing the Capitol at Washington, La Fayette’s visit to the tomb of Washington, and the arrival of the Brandywine at Havre.
Near the vase is a box containing the silver epaulettes, embroidered with three stars, which La Fayette wore as Commander-in-chief of the National Guard.
Beside the chimney stands the cane usually carried by La Fayette. It was the gift of Commodore Taylor. The head is a stag’s horn, with a gold plate upon the side, with the name of the giver and receiver. In the presses of the bed-chamber are preserved the general’s clothes. Amongst them is a complete uniform of the Warsaw National Guard, presented by the Poles; also a blue cloth suit, given to him by the Americans of Carolina. The cloth of the coat and the massive gold buttons are of Carolina manufacture. On the buttons is the head of Washington.
La Fayette’s library contains numerous paintings, in the cameo style, representing Washington, Franklin, and many others. There are many fine works of German and English history, and various other valuable books. A special place is reserved for American works. The most remarkable among these is a superb manuscript folio, presented to La Fayette by the city of New York. It contains the acts and deliberations of that city, together with a narrative of the events which relate to La Fayette’s visit there. It is adorned with artistic pen drawings. The volume is richly bound, and to preserve it from injury is inclosed in a mahogany box with lock and key.
The furniture of this room is of mahogany, with the exception of two chairs, the cushions of which were embroidered by Madame La Fayette. In the table drawer are two seals; one bears La Fayette’s monogram; the other, the head of Washington, surrounded by rays. Among the other mementos in this room is a Roman standard, presented to General La Fayette by the city of Lyons. This trophy is ornamented with a crown of oak leaves, surmounted by the Gallic cock, inclosing a large shield, on one side of which is represented the self-devoted Curtius, precipitating himself into the gulf, the flames of which already envelop his horse’s breast, and on the other side of the shield is a lion, which had been adopted as the arms of that city.