Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-06
AT GREYSTONE.
The Retreat Where Tilden Enjoys
the Sweet Doing-Nothing
Of Life.
a Place of Architectural GRANDEUR
stately Rails, Charming Bon
doris. aud RegaIIy-FUr-
nished Rooms.

Il would be quite impossible to describe tbs
architectural grandeur Of Greystone. A me-
dieval castle, with crenelated b2ttlements
and towers of massive proportions, stands on
a commanding hill, which slopes down
through orchards and chestnut groves to the
great river. The central tower rises above
a porch approached by three colossal stone
staircases. The front is for carriages You
step at once upon the granite pavement
three feet above the ground, and ascend to
the broad pOrchlike veTanda, while semi
circular steps lead up from either side. The
vestibule, with tessalated pavement, blue,
buff and white, is exquisitely carved in wal.
nut, paneled ii porcelain and painted in
Egyptian design above the deliberately carved
panel frames
A low voiced valet admits you to a superb
hall, nearly forty feet wide, and running tbs
whole length of the mansion to the river
view piazza in the rear. The splendor Of the
eastern looms gives portieres OF exquisite
workmanship to the grand salons and recep-
ton rooms opening of from this huge hall,
carpeted with rugs of princely price, and
hung with choice studies from the antique
and Vatican treasures. On the right is a
small study, library or office, the daily abode
OF the ex-governors private secretary. Books,
bells, telephone, and we believe telegraph
also, connect this room with New
York and the rest of the world
A door leads into the private
retiring rooms of the ex-governor, where he
rests from over arduous labors, and where he
takes his afternoon nap, soothed to slumber
by the voice Of his lady reader Then the
great staircase leads up to the apartments for
guests as there is no family to enjoy them.
Beyond this staircase, still on the left, is the
dining room, a charming apartment fur
nlShe,i in black walnut and green leather
great glass closed etageres of rare porcelaini
and silver, tall ferns and palms and epergnes
Of exquisite exotics on every side. The views
OF the river and northern pleasure grounds
from tie broad stone mullioned windows of
this room are grand in the extreme.
Crossing the hall we pause for moment
on the broad veranda to look down on the
green clover fields, orchards, and that won
drouS tree, another Charter oak, but known
In all the country round as the Tilden oak
tree which so fascinated the governor a
few years ago that he had solid embank-
ment, sixteen feet high, shoveled down, so
that be could see the oak from this veranda.
A tastefully-furnished boudoir, opposite the
dining room, adjoins the drawing room,
which, in its furniture of blue and gold
IS not unlike the blue room at the White
House. Superb vases of Sevres, Dres-
den and Limoges, marvellous tables and cabi-
nets of Indian and Abyssinian workmanship
few masterpieces of French and Spanish
art grace this princely room. Then almost
WearIed at looking at the numerous art
objects and the elaborate embroideries of
tables, mantles and sOfaS we enter faSci-
mating little boUdCir in Indian red shades of
damask and satin. Here are portraits on the
wall, the grandmother and grandfather of
the governor are represented as admirable
old people, plain, simple Quaker folk, with
genial, pleasant faces.
From this lazy-woman'sp paradise of lounge,
softly cushioned chair and well stuffed win
dow seat we pass to a reception room on the
left Of the entrance and opposite the secre-
tary's sanctum. In the regal splendor Of
crimson velvets and vases fit for an imperial |
museum we paused to rest until the valet |
came to show us the upper rooms and take us
to the leads Of the tower to see one of the |
most glorious views the banks of the Hudson |
affords. Upstairs the upper rooms, similar |
n arrangement to those below, but most lux |
urlantly furnished in English fashion for the
reception OF guests, surround a broad hall.
whose walls are lined with bookcases, CON |
tanning most valuable editions Of works upon |
literature and art ,
Still up to another story we ascend, to find |
more guest chambers, seductively furnished |
with lovely French cretonnes and chintZes in |
all the easy grace and elegance of Partisan |
Interiors. Steep wooden staircaseS lead into (
the tower where there is 4 fine telescope,
through which objects are plainly seen at q |
distance of titE miles. Up q steep stairway i
we reach the leads, the roof of the great cen
traI tower, and, gazing down upon what !
seemed on acre OF elaborate iron coming and /.
slate roofing below, and less pretcntious tur- |
rets Ian the olo on which We stand, we feel |
how firm foundation We occupy, and then |
feariessiy gaze CT 10 The highlands and storm |
king or the north, over Long Island sound to |
the great is}-ui itse to the east, few Dur |
pie hills orer tAe crest Of the grand old west !
eTn paGs2a-5 then down the river to Staten |
island, I'll lies like an emerald germ on the |
chrysc,. g.. ~ the ocean.
4 s:,e-' Wight shrouded the land !
is. - away in the south the sun
was pouring rwn the golden Light of noon
day. Moments passed rapidly away on thest |
i9s heights We almost forgot that |
we We awaittng-the awakening of the |
master q Greystone, the politician who |
grants audiences as an emperor might, but |
probably wouldn't, were he overwhelmed by |
such a crowd of axgrinders as is the ex-gov-
ernor. We did not call to talk polite or dip |
our journalistic pen into interviewer's ink
" hat we see we are reasonably sure of, what |
we hear we rarely insult wisdom by trans
mitting to cur DEAR delightful public