Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-02-18
The Home Of a Yirtuos0.
BY HELEN P. JENKINS.
From the Home Journal:

The recent articles in Harper's Maqa-
zane on Architecture and Art Decor
atlons IN England" have been full of
novelty and interest, and naturally
direct attention to our possessions of
the kind. We have many imposing
public buildings, and costly private
residences, but fine interior decoration
is seldom found on this side of thu At
lantic. Yet there are a few gentlemen of
taste and enthusiasm as we'll as wealth
who have made their dwellings as rare
and beautiful as poets vision. OF
this class is DR.. ". G. Swami, of Phil
adelphia. He is Virginian by birth,
a gentleman Of wealth and culture, a
devotee Of art, in reality a Ujrtuos0.
A few months ago, while visiting in
Philadelp phIa, our hostess said as we
gathered around the breakfast table one
morning, II hope you are all in an aes-
theteic mood this morning as l have
arranged to visit one Of the most
interesting residences in Philadglp hia. y
We declared ourselves IN the proper
mood and tense also-extremely active
and inclined to agree with her in all her
plans.
An hour after breakfast we found
ourselves at the door of DR.. Swans
residence, 1912 Walnut street. There
is nothing in the exterior Of the house
to distinguish it from a hundred other
! fine substantial residences. It is gray
stone building, three stories in height,
standing upon the street, with a large
handsome vestibule, but with no more
suggestion of the beauty within than
many plain face. and quiet presence
give Of the hidden beauty of soul. On
being admitted we were conducted to
the Office at the right of the hail. This
room is not suggestive of medicine ;
it has rather the air of studio. Up
on the walls are several dark and mys5er-
Gus pictures Enthusiastically foreign and
cid; pictures are leaning against the
walls as if an artist had placed them
for convenient reference, and two OF
three small studies npon the mantei
piece. La this room is a carved cab.
met with bronze medallions upon tht
doors; a rare old monkish clock, anC
"a handsome carved library table, OF
which are al the belongings of litter
oteur Soon we were conducted
through the hall, where rich subduec
l;uL+ T., IL, ,,D0,, ctoA1oc n + ,,,ovbIo . n =
bronze. into the reception room, where
) our host Joined US We found him az
enthusiast in art, and courteous
gentleman, willing to tell us the thous
and and one peculiaritea in the objects
about US.
The room which is called the recep
ton room is a large shadoEy apart
ment, unique in its arrangements
quaint in every detail. The walls are
covered with rare old pictures whicI
seem, in subdued light, to be reach
ing out of the shadowy past which
gave them birth. In the center o
the room is a fountain, whose figure
piece is graceful bronze, nearly lif
size. From the ceiling are suspended
three flying female figures Of bronze
bearing the clustered gas lights. 4
stairway winds up from this room
among pictures and past a tinted an
tique window Back Of this shadow
region is a weIl-lighted room, commu
nicating by broad, arched doorway, a
each side Of which stands a figure clat
in armor from top to toe" [ sa,
figure; indeed it required strong ef
fort of the understanding to assure our
selves there was not Briande Boi
Guilbert, or some other medieval war
rior encased within these suits Of steel
In the rear room, opposite the broao
entrance, is large picture nearly fill
ing the side wall, representing tn,
Farewell of Louis XVI, with hi
Family before his Execution" TIL
figures are life size; the grouping, tn
attitudes, the drapery, are marvels 0
art. The other walls are covered will
pictures by the old masters referring t,
legends of the saints and martyrs
Surrounded by these pictures Of sacret
old times and legends, whose painters ev
en- we call cold, and have placed rever
emily in the inches Of the past, one for
gets the pretty prosaic life of toda.
and drifts away back into romantic me
dieval times, and fingers there in sor
of serene ecstacy, almost believing til
aureolas about these heads are luminus
i. [ had taken one of these luxuriou
seats in the room and was delightful
J., drifting into this sort of dream when
! was aroused by our host saying, Il
n you are ready we will go up stairs
i I had supposed this was the e1ten
:. of the collection we had come to see
and would have felt amply repaid ha
had it been beside | was loathe t
lDes leave this enchanted region, but III
y resistingly followed through the shac
owy fountain room, up the windin
stairs, past the eager, sad and agonize