The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-10
THE LILY,s coy NEST.
Mrs. angtry's Elegant Residence in New Yorl
City-Every Room Picture of LONELINESS.

City-Every Room Picture of LONELINESS.
New York World.
Mrs. Langtry is already comfortably and ele-
gantly at home in her pretty vine-embowered
house, No. 36l West Twenty-third street.
Every room and hall and closet is picture of
lovelness, elegance, and, above all, exquisite
taste. Previous to her arrival with ner seventy
three packing cases, the furnishing Of the house
had been superintendent by Mrs. Ayers, the de-
serted wife Of the one-time millionaire of Chi
cago. How that house looks now will be mea-
gerly described by visitor who was kindly shown
its beauties. In the soft light of the rose
colored globes, which already burned in the
early afternoon, the Chinese hall-boy who opened
the door was transformed into a most picturesque
heather, for he was dressed in the richest of
lowered silks and his fet-soled sandals made
sofa sound as he moved about. He was still
Mongol citizen, as his plated queue of shining
black hair told. Quong was an alien accessory
in the picture of the hall, for it was Indian in
effect On the walls hung beaded and decorated
saddle bags which Mrs. Langtry had gathered in
the far West. Arrows with vermilion tips the
painted bow and rare flint were grouped on one
panel On the polished floor of inlaid woods were
thrown great bear skins, and the antlers Of Geer
adorn the portal of tine actresses morning room.
Not the least conspicuous object is the visitors
writing table, with its array of cards,
note paper, pens of curious make and
novel iukstands. But it is the morning
room which the visitor first enters, and
he must indeed be inpassive if at first sight the
little white fox, which lies curled on fauteuil,
does not startle him; it is so life-ke and its lit
tie eyes so piercing. Here the actress
ceives her friends in the hours of daylight reads
the newspapers and looks over her correspond
ence. A broad, low desk, which, despite all it's
pretty knick-knacks, has most business like
air, is heaped with letters, and close at hand is
slender table piled with manuscript
These are plays which she is looking over,
sent to her from all over England and the
United States. Stands in corners of the room
are Uttered with books, theatrical, artistic, bio
graphical and historic. The sunshine, coming
first through the trees which surround the house,
falls at all hours of the day in this room for it's
low French windows are open upon three sides.
There are great albums filed with photographs,
not from the shops, evidently, because they bear
in nearly every instance the signature Of the
subject 1t would make a collectors mouth
water, for here are the pictures and autograp hs
of the King and Queen of Denmark and the
Princess Thyra. now Duchess of Cumberland,
souvenirs Of yachting season at Cowes, when
the beauty was the guest of His Royal Highness.
the Prince of Wales, on board the royal yacht
Osborne. There are also two photos of the
Princess of Wales framed in a book of maroon
velvet, and at the bottom of the cards are the
signatures "AeXandria." All the theatrical
celebrities are here and the King of the Bel
gians, the Crown Prince of Austria, Alexander
of Russia, Louis OF nbere the Duke of Con-
naught and Royal Highnesses lnnumerabe look
out from the velum bound pages. There are
several works of Mr.. Gladstone, with written
sentences of presentation by the author but
strangely enough they are all of religious
tendency
Four watchmen, armed to the teeth, patrol the
grounds, and watch the No. 38l West Twenty
third street at night, and there is always man
on duty during the hours of daylight to keep an
eye open for sneak thieves Mrs Langtry's col
lection of antique silver would make the fortune
of an enterprisng burglar In the trays in the
diniD p-r0n the silver ia laid and ia brilliant
with polish There curious blueo card knives
Of the last century with handles Of rare green
ivory. There are feather edge spoons that bear
the marks of the times of the Georges; pyramids
of crystal CLEAN from the cupboard in every cor
ner of the room. On everything are the
La, with feur de lis in the center.
The sevre5 came from Louis Philippe's
collection. and bear the illuminated
teapot, with the inscription, From Your Loving
Company" is a reminder of the last visit to
America. besides pair of carved candlesticks,
which Mrs. LaDgtrys support gave her az a
Christmas present. On the sideboard silver
cigar and cigarette stand is open. and the liquor
stand is of solid silver with cut-glass bottles.
Both the drawing room and MUSHROOM are
heaped with artistic treasures. The actress was
perhaps literally correct when she said on arriv-
ing, that she had not left behind her in England
so much as an old bonnet, for her great-grand-
mothers ball dress of the fowery pattern of the
seventeenth century, has been untucked and I'M
hemmed and now does artistic duty in draping
the grand piano.
Does any one wish to know how a famous
beauty sleeps? The door of the great chamber
was open, there was no one in sight and the
mysteries lay bare Some beds have PERSONAL
ties Mrs. Langtry's has. Under a canopy of
palest green brocade is Chippendale bedstead
of carved rosewood. A coverlet of pink plush,
lined with satin, reached TO the edge of the
snowy, lace fringed pillows, and in the center
the familiar two LIS emproidered in gold, in
closed silver feur de lis. At the carved
foot board was thrown an extra coverlet of rar
est white fox fur. lined with smoked velvet and
embroidered in the four corners with the mono
gram. The dressing table. betweeR two tall win
dows, was covered with the toilet necessares of
woman of fashion. Everything presented
silver surface The huge powder boxes were
embossed in intricate tracerY, the brushes with
silver backs, on which naiads combed their long
tresses, lay ranged in size and order from one to
six, and big cologne bottles 1anked the dressing
mirror. The air was od0rous but there was but
one perfume; it was wood violet Across the
dreSslng-table mirror, which formed a screen in
shape, hung broad pink ribbon, and in black
letters running its length these lines "Be to
my virtues not uukind and TO my faults little
blind" Filmy handkerchiefs of lace and cam
brio were placed in sachets Of heliotrope trimmed
with hounces OF antique lace, and there were sach
cts for gloves and an antique pincushon all ofthe
same material. A combing cape trimmed with
lace and pale blue MORE ribbons, hung ready
for use over the back of chair set before the
dressing table Under the great fullensth
mirror there was a row of dainty slippers There
WAS one pair of maroon and gold embroidery.
and black pair of kid with enormous silver
buckles, and pair oeecardinal red whose color
extended to the soles and heels. When the act
ress steps out of bed on arising, Der feet touch
the soft white fur of the polar bear, which forms
rug on either side Photographs of relatives
and friends fill the walls of the sleepngroom,
and the familiar features of all the theatrical
fovorites look down at the sleeper Mrs Langtry
once gave chilly shoulder to man who TESTED
Of the Deity in her presence, but no one has ever
given her credit for deep religious feeling.
door near the head of the bed stood slightly
ajar. 1t was the dressing-room. Nearest the
window is table hung in purest white. with
branching white Dresden candelabra, III which
are tall waxen tapers Between the candle
sticks there is great, richly bound volume.
biS fah he oil nd fha 20