Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-10-10
THE WHITE HOUSE.
I'm Apocryphal story of its Plan of Con
Observation-Disclosures which Adorn
and DiStgurc the walls.

II ~ Sillu llldl tine W nlIt House Is an en-
act copy of the Carton lIousc, in the coun-
~ oi Kildare, ireland, and the rcsidcucy
of the Duke of lrinstcr The plan for the
IhCsldcut'S house was made 10y Captain
James iiOban in 1872. and ON October III
the corner stone was laid. II was wholly
constructed after the designs and under
the direction of Captain IIoban. and the
interior was rebuilt 10y him after it had
been destroyed by the British in lsl4
Whether the design was borrowed by Cap
tain lloban from the plans of the Carton
House is not known. but story is told by
one of the police force about the White
House that one day he found an Irish gen
tlc'nan sitting in the park to the south of
the building WccpinGand moaning. When
asked what was the matter lac replied
"OnlN Il momcntary feeling of home
sickness"
"What causes il - asked the officer
The stranger dried his tears and said =
"The sight of yonder building 1t looks
SO like my fathers barn in Ireland.
The impressions strangers formerly had
was that the Executive Mansion was in
deed Il good sized barn. The rooms. with
the exception of the Blue Room and the
library over It, are square COrnCrrd. with
very high ceilings, aud the walls until re
Gently nave been Us devoid of ornaments
ton and art as the walls OF Il city ware
house.
In what might he called Il guide book of
Washington. printed mere in 1850 10y ,luuH-
than Elliott. Is Il paragraph ON the prcsi-
dents house which illustrate, the paucily
of decorations. He says:
Some persons. under every udmini,tra-
ton, have objected to the style of the
Presidents mansion us bordering ON un-
necessary state and parade It is the
house provided by the people for the resi-
choice. and he is the tenant at certain sea-
sons for four. or at the most eight wears.
II hardly equals fine seats of many Of fine
nobility and Weather commonprs of Eng
land. and bears no comparison with the
residences of the petty princes of Germany
or the CRANK Dukes of Italy. 1t exhibits
no rich marbles. fine statutes. nor costly
paintings. 1t is y hat the mansion Of the
head of the Republic should he. large
enough for public and family purposes.
and should be finished and maintained in
a style to crafty every wish for couvcn-
fence and pleasure
Now, this was written during the first
wear OF Andrew IackSun'S term. Wnpu the
decorations of the White House were OF
the most ordinary character. when the
Blue Parlur wa. pHprrcd with crimson
flock papcr with drcp lriidrd hnrdrrs #
was during Mr. .lacksun'S term that
marble side tables were added to the halls
and Il marble centre table WAS suppu,rd tp
he work uf pxtrunrdiunrv L.,iIitv IN
to this time but one painting adorned the
housr-thnt of Wushinrtnn This nnr
trait of the first President rni,r,rniin,r
which there has been snmmrh cnntrntrrsv
is, no matter who painted il an abortive
and wrrtched affair 80 '''
The next portrait that was uermitted to
come into the White IInusr wns thnt nf
Mrs. Tyler, by Anclli, an Italian artist.
which was ppintpd in ISIS in rnni
Flnrpntinr styie with - comnlnvinn and
delicacy of finish thnt made thn ,rn,norkn.
Div handsome bIlst If thr lnJy Ink liz
ninhnstrr itself ike tbn nirt,'ro If
Wnshinrton II had tn have - lnn,, nvila in
the rarrrt and is now in thr hands Of an
nrtist If nntinnni r.nntatinn ,,c.iI i,',,
trrntment tn rnstnre il r. IT,. fnrn,n,. hnni,,I
urrunrntnry tn nrnin ndnrninfr thn NNhIt.
IioiIsr Z3t Inn-r nft"r EiIi,T,rm oni,,,,.
president Nr Z y IinnIv u.hn h".
nnintrI mnnv hi.tnrir,i ni,.:t,,r',I Nv
- full lru,rth ,,nrt,.,it If Lii, uhi,t ,'',,
hams in Inc lnwrr Inn near thn To,t
Room Thr rrrunI'inn ,ict,Ii,. '''', If
iii, style which olsn n,jn,n ks L1II ,,n