The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-08
MINISTER PHELPs,S HOME.
An Establi shment Which Is Truly English
in All Its Details.

An Establi shment Which Is Truly English
in All Its Details.
Burlington Letter. in Boston Herald:
Hon. E. j. Phelps, newly appointed minister
to England, has of the loveliest homes, here
in Burlington that can be found anywhere in
New England The moment a travellers eyes
lighted upon the house and grounds of the dis
tinguished lawyer, he would say:
"Why, that is an Engishman's home, isn't it?"
Mr. Phelps is not an Englishman, but he is an
Anglo maniac of the approved type; and with his
love and admiration for every thing that is best
in English customs and characteristics; he has
modelled his Vermont home after modest
English country-seat. There is a patrician
air about the place which arrests the
eye at once. The house itself, of brick, is low
and somewhat rambling. empowered in trees and
vines. There is a northern L. containing Mr..
Phelpss study a broad, but unpretentious porch
in 'front.' and vinecovered piazza on the south
west, overlooking the lake and the Adirondacks
beyond. The lawn about the house Is wonder
fully fine in summer time, the admiration of the
whole city, for there is not another such in
town, nor, doubt in all New England. 1t COM
biIes the quiet and natural elegance of an
English park with the smooth shaven neatnesS
of the American front yard. It's natural slope
and long, rolling banks-nott the ugly and promi-
nent terrace so common In New England
are simply superb. One looking at them
through the cool vistas of the trees has lux
urious sensation, as it were, of drifting and
floating away just between the velvet grass and
the broad shadow of the leaves. The lawn is
exqusitely kept, and extends far back of the
house and deep into the orchard-pot ending
abruptly in coarse, ragged grass. tin cans and
bits of kitchen rubbish as the impertinent New
England lawn usually does, but shading away
like picture into the background of garden and
grove just over the fence to the south, how
ever is Mr.. Phelps's distinctively English
park. A noble grove of yews, extend
ing over nearly five acres of smooth
and slightly sloping ground, verging
upon broad, sunny field, and all surrounded by
the prim, high, arstocratic paling of the English
park. Mr.. Phelps takes the greatest pride in
this grove; and well he may, for it is like bit
of stately old England mixed up in an American
its sacred precincts. No small boy scales the
fence in search of 'but'nuts," or chases the chip
munk to his hole in the loamy earth. The gray
squirrel knows he is safe from the sportsman's
pursuit in that lordly Enclosure, and the birds
which haved nested there for season after season
in perfect security fill the air with their grateful
songs
A very English home without is that of our
new minister to England; and Within also, the
the house is rich and substantial. None of your
thin veneering here. Dark woods prevail, like
the sombre, stained interior of the English
country mansion. You walk upon rugs and
carpets so dark and rich, and deep that they seem
like meadow grass under your feet and you
might 60 from the top to the bottom of the
house without hearing the sound of your own
steps. Everything is quiet, genteel, subdued, so
that there always seems to be a twilight atmoS
phere in the house. The pictures on the walls
are no gaudy, respondent canvases of f1arng
effects, but soft etchings, engravings, and here
and there a small painting with a masters
initials in the corner.