The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-12-31

OCCh ACuphOlStCACN III AOO anu a.
warm, homelike look Otherwise it is
ruined by profusion of machine embroid-
cry, such as one sees on the cheaper articles
sold in the shops. On the window lambre-
quins, as on those of the lofty East Room,
it may pass for better things, but there is
humiliating confession in the mantel lam
brequins, although bravely trying to carry
off a show of elegance, and on the meagre
scarf table-cover of the Red Room, so
small that it exposes on the inlaid top that
its heavy decoration is but delusion and
a snare IF such decoration is desirable at
all it seems it should at least be of the
honest kind. In some respects the White
House has had harder fate than most
houses, having been subject to the capri
cious or untutored taste of its various mis-
tresses, who seem to have each carried out
her wishes regardless. In some respects
this has been a matter of limited appropri-
ations, no one having enough money to see
to the end any idea she may have conceived,
and her successor being equally restrained
Still, it is strange how often things have
been bought with no reference to one an
other Mrs. Hayes, for example, has left
legacy in the state dining-room whose
prevailing hue is green, of commonplace
red and blue carpet, hard in color and ugly
in pattern, and which looks most provoking
ly new Her choice seems the more in
credible since she opened from this room
the windows into the conservatory which
had been closed for thirty years, and which
gives lovely vista of green freshness from
out the heat and lights of state dinner.
And to Mrs Hayes must be ascribed that
remarkable dinner-set which must be at
once the despair of President Arthur and
the amusement of every guest at the White
House for years to come, unless grateful
Congress will Obligingly make her present
of it. On the other hand Ohio must be
accredited with the buffet and dining-table
of the private dining-room which were
carved at Cincinnati by the Fryes and their
accomplished pupils. Mrs Grants pur-
chases, barring that East Room carpet,
consist of the beautiful Miltonian shield
purchased at the Centennial Exposition,
some Venetian glass mantel-sets with Egyp-
tian professions for their decoration, Jap
anese bronze bowl and ever, and two bronze
vases copied from Pompeiian designs, all of
which can be unblushingly exhibited to the
foreign or other fastidious visitor.
Aside from the paintings, which are of
no Importance except as portraits, there are
no works of art worth speaking of in the
White House. Mrs. Hayes portrait by
Daniel Huntington, which will be the most
important thing of the kind, has not yet
returned from Paris, where it has gone to
be engraved, although her friends are not
exactly satisfied with it as portrait. The
only two articles of vertu worth considering
are the screen of tapestry and beads pre-
sented by the Austrian Government, and
the brass clock with the female figure seat
ed above reliefs of coats of mail, he'll
NETS and other warlike emblems; and the
interest in this is mainly historical, it hav-
ing been presented by the first NapoleontO
Lafayette and by him to Washington, as
Mr.. Blaine explained to the French guests
the other day.
Now that the White House is in meas
ure defended against the ravages of the Gu
rious it is possible to conceive of it as the
worthy show place of the nation, instead of
being only the repository of the memories
and Joys of the long line of men and women
who have occupied it. As its interior now
is there is nothing in its antiquity to re-
spect and but little of its present worthy to
be perpetuated. If a generous appropria-
ton could but enable President Arthur to
put it in the hands of such decorators as
are making New York homes beautiful, or,
at least, deliver over one room at a time
and give it for once the impression of 4
single mind instead of that of several ladies
of divergent tastes, there might result some
thing which would be worth preserving
until it took on the charms Of antiquity.
After this succeeding appropriations might
90 towards the accumulation OF works OF art
which would give other interest to the bar
rem spaciousness of the state rooms. Such
purchases could be gracefully left to the
different occupants instead of leaving them
to vex one another with discordant carpets
and curtains and no remedy in shallow
purses. 1t is an unfortunate decision which
gives to the East Room a carpet at all
rather than noble inlaid floor such as one
now sees in all rooms of the kind. AS a
mere matter of economy the idea is worth
considering. The inner corridor is now
being redecorated The mahogany doors
are revarnished and the woodwork is painted
dark red, handsomely picked out with gold.
Between the panels hang vicious walnut
pier-glasses with gilt tracings, and there is
to be new carpet. This corridor opens
into the East Room through wide doors in
which hangs a portion of raw silk with
traversing woven bands of deep red and
light rose garlands in soft, artistic shades
When the doors are Opon and the scarlet
carpet, the corridor carpet, the red wood
work and the soft rich tones of the pOr
there all come together, it can be easily i'm
agined how the West will go to the wal
and the East Room send its triumphant
7 note to the other end of the corridor.
| The private rooms up stairs are beins
exquisitely refurnished under the advice o.
Mrs. John. Davis. Mrs. Davis is thu
; youngest daughter of Secretary Freling
huysen, and her husband, who was Mr.
] Fish's private secretary, is the nephew o.
, Mr. Bancroft Davis There are two rooms
f on the northwest corner, the bedroom
being upholstered in blue satin with tn
: bed blue-canopied with draperies, the cove
| white lace over blue and blue eider-dowl
| coverlet lined with rose and border exc
: cuted in outline stitch, all of which speak
e of luxury, comfort and good taste, and tn
adjoining cabinet simply and handsomel
equipped as private writing-room of tn
e President.
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