Omaha daily bee., 1883-03-27

ular art In this country, and possibly
In the world, undertook, with her
assistants, the embellishment with
the needle Of this cloth of
gold. Worked in silver and
delicate blue and sea.green metal
threads, are the scenes Of the Eneid.
Into the late hours Of the night were
these busy fingers working to accom-.
plish their work at the promised time.
II the hours spent upon it we're reck.
oned by the eight-hours.a.dsy system,
four years and a half would be the re-.
suit shown Of the time consumed.
This is the way of the nineteenth cen.
fury In America. II we have the
money we must have what we desire at
q moments notice. To walt q year is
such q long time.
Passing within the door we find that
1t is In fact two months over a year
since the decorator and the interior
finisher began their work. 1t Is a
large, oblong room, with a spacious
conservatory at the end, which will be
filed with rare exotics At the other
end an arch separates the breakfast
room from the dining hall. One thing
that is the most noticeable Ia the alb
sence of windows around the room
There Is no light except through
the glass Of the conservatory,
and that will be partially obscured
by q screen of stained glass. This
portion of the house Is but one story
high, and consequently a jeweled
glass skylight of immense size forms
o large part of the ceiling. The room
is high studded, and the woodwork,
which Is Of oak, darkened to give an
antique appearance, Is paneled with
heavy mouldings of hammered brass,
making a dado of about five feet
around the room. The heavy beams,
q foot In thickness, intercept each
other on the calling, allowing the
stained glass skyllght to fill the differ
ent center panels.
But the delight of any n looking
upon this room will be conferred upon
the panels which constitute the
''style," or that space between the
walls and the skylight on the ceiling.
Here art has triumphed. Four Of
these panels represent the seasons In
bas-relief figures three. quarters life
size, and others of classic design.
To attempt to describe them will be
to fail, but the mere suggestion of au.
tumn may be the foundation of a
dream which the writer will vouch
q not equal the reality. Here Is
a partially made figure. the flesh
paris cut from solid ivory,
and the drspery chiseled from a
greenish stone known as s~erpentine,
standing against vines and leaves
carved from the solid oak that consti-
tutes the whole background, with the
left hand raised above the head grasp
Ing q heavily carved grape branch,
from which hang In clusters of varied
hues punches of grapes carved from
mother. of-pearl. The right arm LIS
extended, the hand holding a bent
circle of inlaid mother. of.pearl and
ebony; the deepening of the flesh
tints has been given to the
ivory with acids, shading 1t
Into the browns and ecru coloring.
Hammered brass and cast bronze are
also utilized In the hair. Although
Mr.. Lsfarge reapst the praise that now
Is and ever will be given to these,
there is one to whom a great deal of
the praise belongs. While he Is q
great oolorist, Mr.. Lafarge Is, alas! q
poor draughtsman, especially where
the human figure Ia concerned. These
panels must have been q failure had
not the hand of St. Gaudens modelled
them.
Within this room there are no
chandeliers, but above the skylight q
ts0wa1d gas jets will cast q mello y
light through the stained glass of the
table below. The heavy beams of the
ceiling are inlaid with the Grecian
pattern of mother. of-pearl, and the
high mantel has an exquisite i~nlaying
of pure silver, ebony, mother.of-
pearl, and ivory, forming vases, birds,
and foliage. The breakfast. room Is In
white and gold, and the ceiling Is
paneled with places for ten pictures
which are now being finished In Mr..
Lsfarge's studio. 1t Is estimated that
these rooms will cost 800. 600 when
finished.