Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-02-18

of hearing and fancy it was a memory
of sweet sounds. One Of the ladies of
our party remarked, soto voce, " do
) like an aristocratic clock, that does
not jar upon ones nerves by its tick
ing, nor startle you by its striking. 4
plebian clock is sure 10 interrupt you
Ill the middle Of some fine sentence by
pounding out the hours.
The third room is called the Hercu-
laneum Room, being nearly an exact
copy of a room discovered in that bur
led city. 1t is the library, and one
side OF the room is composed of hand
some dark carved cases filled with
books The prevailing color in the
room is dark, rich and warm. The
ceiling is frescoed to represent a cot-
tered ceiling in dark colors, with beams
lntersecting at the center, giving the
general effect of star The carpet
and furniture are Of the richest dark
colors. In the center Of the room is a
rare table, on which are bronzes, quaint
comic, and tragic; the principal
one is a noble stag, nearly halt life size,
| clambering rocks. The mantelpiece is
ornamented with bronzes, and bronze
statues stand upon pedestalS in various
parts OF the room. These bronzes har-
monize with the Herculaneum charac-
ter of the room, yet do not crowd it or
detract from It's character as a library
The room scenes filled with stately
serenity. 1t IS not solemn, as might
be imagined, but secluded poetic resttul,
just the place for refuge when one
would read and dream forgetful of the
hurrying world i'll which we live.
Beyond this room lies the fourth,
which we entered with an exclamation
of surprise. We seem to have passed
from shadow into golden glow of
| light. We are enveloped in buff here
and there a little green in the furniture
enlivens it; while the lights, streaming
through the stained window, brighten,
warm, and enrichen this buff world till
we are in an enthusiasm Of admiration
But what are these curious walls about
US Carved wood, trees, and vines, and
fruits and flowers The entire walls Of
this room are wood of the natural tint;
the carvings are of ash, upon a plain
ground Of elm. The easements of
doors and windows, the cornice and the
angles Of the room are decorated with
wreaC0s OF leaves, fruits and flowers.
entirely American; corn. with The husks
open, nuts adhering to the branches,
grapes upon the vines. Over the man
telpiece is picture in carving, it repre-
sents an Indian on horseback captur-
ing an infuriated buffalo, in the dis
tance are mountain, meadow and stream
The basreJtef in the nearest object
must be three or four inches. This
is surrounded by heavily carved frame,
both picture and frame constituting the
wall. This curious piece Of work was
executed by Philadelphia artist, and
supervised by DIR. Swami himself.
While we were studying the intricate
carvings, DR.. Swami produced a pretty
! gilt bird-cage, in which were two
feathered songsters, who Immediately
commenced the most charming music;
turning their heads to look at each
other, at their gifted cage, and at us,
tipping their tails and swelling their
throats while making wonderful trills,
arpeggios, and warblings. We were
delighted, charmed; and might have
balleved that We were listening to two
Of natures songsters if DR.. Swami
had not applied key and wound up
the little musicians
While chatting in this bright room
our host told us something Of the
growth Of this world of art about u.s.
lie said he never had a desire to
squander money in driving ''carriage
and four" and horses tandem, or in
any ostentatioE. He preferred to gath
er together objects Of beauty which
might be delight and benefit to his
friends as well as to himself He
said he had frequently been asked by
visitors ''if he lived bere?' The
question is not at all singular. We
had visited several rooms, six of which
seemed exclusively devoted to art;
but there were stories above and below
these, and mysterious stairWays, OF
course between the alcoves. Beside,
we had visited the drawing g-room-a
parlor fit for prince, but not too good
fer an American gentleman-and this
room, with its graceful carvings, was,
of course, the dining-roOm. Who
would not doubly enjoy feast sur
rounded by such beautiful tints and
such graceful forms?
As we grow wiser we beautify the
places where we eat aud sleep, where
, we work and where our children play
so that our souls may constantly feed
on beauty. When men grow rich in
purse and not IN soul they invest
their entire wealth in business, or In
banks and bonds; when the soul
grows rich as we'll as the purse, one
, of the uses men make of their wealth
/ is to promote culture; they surround
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