Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, December 28, 1902, Page 23

» uxury’s Last Work on Man’s Dwelling Place is spoken by help of marble, carved wood, cunning work in gold and silver and copper and iron, in cles of the dyer's art and the weaver's somewhat also by help of sunlit last word largely stone, UXURY'S nowadays brick and mi skill; airy spaces, for unhindered sunshine within city gates is golden in more sense than one. Where every extra foot of site space stands for many good hard dollars, even multi-millionaires may well think twice over the sccuring of elbow room, let alone ample prospects. Notwithstanding, a good few of them se- cure such prospects. In proof one has but to walk leisurely through the ultra fash- fonable precincts of New York. Even the crush and severe line of Fifth avenue, especially in its upper reaches, are now and then broken by wholesome fripperies of green open spaces, jealously walled and sparingly planted. But it on Riverside Drive and its scattered relatives that onec sees thom at their highest, one also at the highest the reward and usu fruct of diligence combined with pure luck as sees Fancy a house standing upon a boldly swelling corner where a crossway makes into the drive proper. It is tall, it is wide it is big everywhere, but so fine in line and proportion it takes study to realize the mass of it. Strong but iight and beautifully wrought iron grill work guards the open space round about, where the turf is truly velvet in spite of covering a ramp sharp enough to provoke drouth. Broad, easy marble steps go up the ramp, leading to a pillared entrance. Behind the pillars cne catches the gleaming of bronze doors cunningly wrought. They open upon a great hall, floored with the costliest mosaic and set round about with genuine antique columns. The big fireplace has a mantle, also antique, plundered from a ruined palace across the sea. The great stairway came from another palace, but somehow the architect has managed it so the two shall not mournfully war with each other. Perhaps they dare not quar- rel in presence of the rugs which lie be- tween, Some of the rugs are 300 years old and simply priceless—eastern fabrics without a duplicate anywhere in the world. They set the pace in furnishing--all else is in keeping. Each of the five occupants of the house has a separate special suite—bath, bed- chamber, sitting room, dressing room and snuggery, for playing at work, or working at special play. Some of the baths have tubs with silver gilt fittings, others have marble pools big enough to swin in, with marble divans running round the edges of the room. There social bathers can lie at ease, smoking, gossiping, drinking black coffee, after they have done with the plunge and the needle spray and the skilled kneading of the masseur. The dressing rooms are all in silver, silver gilt and rare odorous woods, each so treated as to bring out every detail of its natural beauty. Cedar, camphor, sandal—each and all are preservative. Tne clothes presses have drawers of camphor wood, and the closets are supplied with electric lights automatically turned on by the opening of a door, There is also, of course, a library, a dining room, a breakfast room, a drawing room and a cosy parlor, but no ball room, for the master of all this is evangelistic- ally austere. Still, austerity does not for- bid a billiard room nor a music room, richly harmonious, whose frescoed ceiling alone represents a tidy fortune. Every manner of musical instrument sanctioned by classic taste harbors there, along with the objects of art, pictures, bronzes, engraved gems and antique gold plate, whose cost would endow a hospital. There is a small conservatory whose flowers appcar shame- faced as though they felt themselves some- Episodes and Incidents in the Lives VERAL DEWET, in his recently published book, tells this story of an attempted transaction on the battlefield at Nicholson's Nek during the heavy firing: A man who had been a merchant before the war came up to a burgher who was lying behind a stone, on a piece of ground where bowlders were scarce. 11 me that stone for half a crown,” whined the man. “Loop!" the Boer cried, “I want it my- self.” “I will give you 15 shillings,” in- cisted the other man. But there was no sale. — Last July Congressman Williams of Mis- sissippi, “the poet of the Yazoo,” was a Buest at Congressman Sibley's summer home on the banks of Lake Champlain The other day he said to Sibley: “Joe, I'm writing a poem about that place of yours It's abcut a young couple on the fence of that fine park and making love in the gloaming.” “Oh, that won't do,” protested the Pennsylvanian “Why not? Don't the young men and women of north ern New York make love?' *“Of cours they do, John, but it's a barb-wire fene sitting In his biography of Harry A French once - Alexander Dumas Snurr says that the improvident author, who hated avarice, was waiting in line for his cloak at a soiree, when he saw a millionaire give a tip of 10 cents to the servant who handed out his paletot. Dumas, getting his cloak threw down a $20 note. ‘“‘Pardon, sir, you have made a mistake, I think,"” said the what put out of court by the bronze and lady’s carriage, for there are separate drive jewel glass enclosing them. ways for such vehicles, and clean out of The building is about an open court, sight, glass roofed in winter. It has, besides the The ground plan of one of these big costly great stairway, back stairs and two electric apartments is as intricate as that of a coun elevators—one for the master, one for the try house. There are foyer halls, passage gervants. In the basement there is a ways, arches and alcoves, bay window con complete electric plant for lighting, laun- gervatories, floors of hardwood or mosaic dry work, some special cooking and the mail chutes, telephones, hot and cold water, recharging of automobile batteries. There hot and cold air, gas and electric range is also an automobile room, big enough two to three bath rooms, with separ to hold a dozen machines It is below gervants’ toilets and elevators: a bl street level and the gay-colored monsters plenty of closets for every conceivable ride up and down upon a special lift all open fireplaces, brave in tilework and their own. The big kitchen, which matches and bal- ances in a way, the electric plant, has a is floored with tile, walled with vitrified brick cold-storage chamber attached, and mirrors wherever they should be, and occasionally where they should not, and walls hung with whatever stuff the fancy of the occupant may demand. Nearly the windows supply enchanting outlooks always and furnished throughout in black real Rents rise with the floors. The higher English cak. All the cooking vessels are one goes, the more one ys. The con- of brass, copper, silver or vitrified china. struction is supposed to be fireproof, a fact To make use of them there are a chef (hat is largely considered in the rents (whose salary approaches that of a diplo- Some few of the houses have automobile mat), two masculine under cooks—one es- prooms in the basement and charge batter- pecially for bread and pastry— a woman jes from the surplus of their electrie plants vegetable cook, a kitchen housckeeper and when lights are not required. Nearly all a brace of scullery maids. Altogether the have perfectly equipped laundries independ number of servants is between thirty and ept of the tubs in each Kkitchen. Stor forty, without counting the companion, tWo pooms are, of cou ., provided. But guest private secretaries and the almoner, who apartments are rather new. The are dispenses charity and investigates such ap- suites set apart to be rented in gingle rooms peals for aid astare not upon the surface to tenants hospitably inclined, but who lack fraudulent. The electric engineer lives space for guests. Servants' quarters out- outside, although his helper is reckoned gjqe of and apart from the main manege among the household staff. recommend themselves as an innovation Truly up-to-uate housekeeping apart- equally desirable. So do the sun parlors ments offer all the discomforts of a home, which crown some of the roofs. These fur- along with the splendors of a hotel. Inci- nish excellent play places for little folks dentally, there are also many comforts. and old folks in stormy weather. One can have apartments of two stories. dverywhere there is a laudable attempt There is an imposing entrance. Light and to let in the light and make the most of it, air are in bewildering plenty. Some big In the upper streets and avenues of New houses are built around a great central York, which are almost solidly apartment court with four passenger elev each tor: , one in built, one sees nearly every imaginalle de- court corner. Others are in shape yice for ventilation and brightness. The somewhat of a letter H; still others ap- days of the air-shaft are plainly numbered. proximate the Maltese cross. No trades- Even in tenement construction there is a man's wagon may stop the way for my chance that the central court may oust it, Ask Where 10 Gxl yampah Mineral Wates, 1 Towhit But it is a far ery from tenements to the costly piles where rents tor a single suite vary from $3,000 to $20,000 a year. This the outline of salient points house, with nishihgs, an investment $3,000,000. That is far 1 that it hardly It is merely congpicuous type among palac built for the modern industry There are finer much costlier, where the owners are cop noisseurs, with a weakness for collecting objects of fabulous These gentlemen collectors often store within a single irt riches surpassing king's ransom Possibly the owner of millions prefers to display them mainly in a great country Then for the scant city he wants only what the French happily call foot of carth, a place where he can rest a few its fur a little won- exceptional the captaing .ef and very merest The represents is beyond derful than s is a ones cost room estate, sojourns and poise himself between flights, It must be luxurious, of course, even in camps and lodge so-called, there is a palpable trail of gold dust over everything. He has choice between several excellent things all warranted costly enough, yet not entail great burdens. He may establish himself at one of the great hostelries, built, ing tno ays an firreverent wit, *“to provide ex clusiveness for the masses.” Or he may set up his foot of earth in an apartment hotel; or, if he is willing to go to the level of mere millionaires, he may live under his own vine and fig tree, in a cosy apartment, renting for anything between $3,000 and $20,000. It is hotel which catches the cream of the Life goes tripping there, with a holiday aspect, to the liveliest piping. The very spectacle is inspiring and better than half those the play houses offer, That is, to a mind wholly material and sceking surcease from with the big often cream most gilded vacuity, no sort of mental or emotional strain intermixed It the in. dweller is newly rich and yearns to be known and noted, he has but to make himself severely exclusive in order to be- come the center of interest. He may rent MEMORY OF A MERRY TIME IN UTAH—COLONEL J. J. DICKEY “ON THE WATER WAGON."” man, offering to friend,” answered Dumas, dainful glance at the the other gentleman mistake.” return the note. “No, casting a dis- millionaire; *“it is who has made the Mark Twain said be pondering on just how far a humorist’'s duty to his fellow men extends. This unusual line of medita- tion has been suggested by receipt of the following letter from Baltimore “‘Mark Twain, New York: Some people think you is to are immortal, but if you really ever do intend to die it is certainly your duty to g0 to h—., Funny men are needed there but they are very small potatoes up in heaven You have always preached phil anthropy and now yon have the chance of a lifetime to demonstrate your consist- ency.” Mr. Clemens acknowledges that this letter is ‘““full of suggestion,” but he more than intimates that the writer must have been full of something more substan tial when he indited it. ‘ When President McKinley was consider ing the appointment of a successor to John Russell Young as librarian to congress, ex Representative Barrows of Massachusetts was a candidate for the place John D Long was his most persistent champion and Mr. Reed inquired of a friend the rea son of Mr. Long's insistence. *“I suppose was the reply, “that it is due to the secre tary's interest in things pertaining to the Unitarian church. You know Mr. Barrows is a Unitarian minister?” “You don't say £0 responded Reed “Why, I thought Barrows was a religious man.” The ab surd humor of this remark is heightened by the fact that while Mr. Reed was not a member of any church, he and his family attended the Portland (Me.) Unitarian church and helped support it . By way of illustrating one of the differ- ences between Lords Roberts and Kitch ener they are telling this story in Lon don Just before “Bobs" left Cap:town he assigned an officer to a particular duty and asked how soon it could be done. The colonel said in about a fortnight Lord Roberts said pleasantl “I know you will do the best you can.' Later the colonvl told Kitchener about the matter “Now, colonel,” said the new commander, “if vou can't do it in a week we shall have to ses about sending you home.” The job was done in the time set by Kitchener If large ears are indicative of honvsty then the possessor of the greatest amount of that noble virtue in Massachusetts is Governor Crane When an ambitious poli tician learned that there was a vacancy in the capitol he saw, in imagination, those ears. They were a token of honest dealing in political reward. He mentioned the va cancy and the ears to a friend and received the encouragement ‘“‘that those cars are too big not to lend themselves to an ap peal from an honest mg Some weeks later the acquaintance eiicited an expla nation from the disappointed office seeker ~ .~ of Noted the “I thought man,"” he sald disgustedly, honest for me The that he had retired a no vacancy., He had among the other clerks from them a good da governor was an honest “but governor clerk, but there divided the and thus labor.” he admitted 's too was work exacted Major Charles Dick, who intends the next republican candidate for governor of Ohio, les when trying his first law case which has kept him hum- to be says he got a s0n ble ever since He was a student in a law office and was getting nothing for his time except opportunity to associate with lawyers His first case was in a petty court and he indulged in some skyrocket oratory After the trial an old man who had known him all his life said: “Charli be you makin' much at the law business?" ““No, I am not getting anything, being only a student.” *““Well,” sald the old man “strikes me ye're gittin® purty well paid anyhow.’ Congressman Hepburn was very busy at his desk in the house one morning when a page announced A gentleman in the lobby to sece you, sir “Tell him I'm not in my seat sald Hepburn after looking at the card. The boy, a sturdy-looking chap did not move Jut you are in your seat sir,” he answered in matter-of-fact tones “and I can't say you are not." The lowa man looked at the lad angrily, but seeing that he was in carnest moved into the va- cant chair of his neighbor ‘Now tell him the state apartments; the cost is but a paltry thousand a week, and gen tlemen have tried to take them upon yearly several lease. That will set all the folk who know of it to staring and talking whenever ho veuntures forth, so that all in a breath the state apartment’'s occupant finds himself a celebrity He can incres the celebrity by having his meals served in private and if he wishes to approach a semi-sen saticnal climax there must be a man in the corridor keeping a weather eye upon all who approach the door Privacy of th severe and unbending desceription brings a reward of publicity truly grateful to aspiring climbers A royal atmosphere and a truly royal disregard of cost mark and dignify statoe apartments, There are, perhaps, ten rooms in them —music room, parlor, breakfast and dining rooms, reception cabinct, secretary's den, chamber, dressing a bath fit for a Roman woodwork is solid mahogany, the deadened, the walls hung with $10 the yard, or pricele tique tapestry; or and _overlaid with private room ALl floors and the emperor are brocade at an 5, genuine, paneled in rich woods marvels of the potter .\leli The big bed stan upon a dais, out of deference, possibly, to a royal shade, for it belonged originally to ¢ famous King The rugs came straight from Persia, and more than half the furniture is costly an tique stuff, The other molety is all hand made and beautifully wrought., Each room has a separate color note, but all melt in- sensibly into an indescribably harmonious whole. Here I8 something beyond the glare and gilding, the flambuoyant frescoes, onyx and bras , and mosaic, so plentiful else where in the great structure. Taste and genius, severely refined, wrought here for the perfecting of all things. It is not strange that some few occupants find thems selves out of harmony with their surround- ings, bored, and in a degree envious of the folk who have lighter and gayer, if less distinguished, quarters. These mingle with the throng in palm room and smoking room, mount with the awed sightsecers the dizzy heights of sun parlors up in the fif- teenth story, and take afternoon tea in the pala room and the corridors where the dr parade warms the hearts' cockles o* feminine onlookers, while men play softly n stringed instruments as the tea drinking to and gossip go forward. The apartment hotel is very unlike all this. It i8 no more than an ordinary hand some apartment, with exemption from housckeeping cares. Materially, it is less gorgeous than the big hotel, yet more ornate than the sverage apartment house In it one can be (ruly a private person if one chooses. One can also dine in public with almost the same show of damask, glitter of silver and glow of flowers inevitable on the dinner tables of the bigger There are great ball rooms, foyers and roof garden places dining halls. The buildings are light and airy throughout, well built, but *h bears in some subtle fashion the earmark of its construction era. Change is the apartment hotel’'s law of being. What was the heighth of fashion five years back is distinetly out of architectural fashion in this present year of grace. One can rent here apartments complete to the tinest detail, or wholly empty, or only partly furnished, to leave room for one's special Lares and Penates. The ten ant has little to do beyond paying the rent Light, heat, service, meals, all are looked out for by the management It is an easy life, and so easy that it often ends by be- coming strenuous. Varlety is impossible in the menu, or rather that sort of variety which satisfies palates strongly individual in the main it is a life suited only to very lazy, or very busy, people. There must great plenty of such folk, for apart- ment hotels continue to multiply and flour- ish. S0 as So be a cople Yes, sir,” said the deliver the mes I'm not in my seat.” hoy briskly and went Bage, to B The reproduce a #ud his “rule following Critic publishes a skit conversation King Edward of life" words purporting to between Andrew The the " former monarch may be in doubt admirabl Carnegie confides the summed up in the phrase, ‘When found library." 1 find the rule and most restful. If I receive letter and don't know how to reply it 1 found library and when that the solution is simple If I miss a train I found If dinner late I found i other night I couldn't slecp three libraries. On play golf it's som« number of libraries 1 . to in a a begging to a is over a library is a brary. The 1 got up wet days fearful and founded when 1 can't thing the found The of be a government royal father, us this crown prince financial Siam for for his visit seems to of agent his advance agent said, Is and who, The York them While versity it is to year New interesting has been sounding several with a of his Columbia uni prince had hi of Chiness is prince capitalists the being the attention view of through day the the history in development country shown other called and chair ‘That “and where had yi to literature the of Siam?" good that him onl orict 1 said royal tourist, The diplomatically is who replied that been professor in tow as a beginning had made in the department \