The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-05-26
TILDEN'S HOUSE.
How the Sage of Gramercy Park Lives and
Spends His Time.
TOmaha Herald

unique position in American politics, and
his handsome mansion in Gramercy Park
has been the Mecca of political pilgrimages
without number. 1t is one of the most at
tractive dwellings in New York; it was not
constructed for some successful but ignorant
gambler of Wall street or the Produce Ex-
change, but for one of the most remarkable
figures in modern politics and under his
cultivated supervision. 1t is two houses
made into one and unites some
at the graces of the French renaissance. Be-
tween the two bay windows are the carved
heads of Shakespeare, Milton, Franklin,
Goethe and Dante, Mr.. Tilden's favorite au-
thors. At the main entrance polished red
granite columns, in the style of the renais-
sance support corbels on which are carved in
bold relief the beautiful heads of the CODES
ses of the four seasons. Over the other en-
trance is the head of Michael Angelo. Over
the main entrance is a balcony from which
the crowd might be addressed, and this is in
closed by bronze railing. The house has
an elevator. The entire second story is &C.
cupied by Mr.. Tilden's bedroom, bathroom
and private parIor; his library Is in the Sec
ond story. One of the reasons why he
made the extensive improvements in his
home here which cost him about 5000, 900
was to secure additional room for his library
The ceiling and walls of the dining-room are
finished with finely carved satin wood and
blue tiles; satin wood is used in doors and
for decoration throughout the house The
front is brownstone orHamepted with red
Carlisle and gray Maine granite; the Scotch
as well as the American stone is adorned
with rich tracery, bringing out, as with
magical chisel, leaves, flowers beetles and
lizards with a profusion that makes the
facade a study in art. 1t is an abode that
would have been worthy of an ancient Vene-
tian Prince. 1t fronts on the private Gram
Grey Park, which now with its Embroidered
/ haAC of hxyon frfh and
lows, buttonwoods, elms. shrubs and
great urns of pansies and few magnolia
trees close by, is one of the few garden spots
in the east side desert of brick, brown stone
and marble. A nymph perpetually battles
in large fouRtain, and French bonnes eS-
cort the prattling children of the wealthy
| along the good old-fashioned gravel paths.
| Gramercy Park and the immediate nighbor-
| hood make one of those quiet spots away
from the surging sea of city hustle, one of
| those quiet, secluded and aristocratic squares
| on which Thackeray loved to dwell In his
| life like fiction. 1t is on such a scene this
| that the gentleman who believes that ten
years ago he was elected President of the
| United States, looks out when he is in town.
Much of his time is now passed, however,
| both in winter and summer, at Greystone,
his bis v fine manson ma non 1.-TWO two miles
those who call most frequently upon him
| are William E. Dodge, John BigelOw aud
| Assemblymsn Beardsley. Ex-Comptroller
Andrew III. Green stays with him while he is
at Greystone. His mansion and various pos
sessions there, by the way, are valued at
81 900. His fortune amounts to 81, O00, 900
| or $5,000,000. On his Greystone estate he
raises Jersey cattle. blooded horses, dogs and
| fowls. He comes from English stock and is
in some respects English in his tastes His
| extensive grounds receive the most careful
attention. His sister, Mrs. Pelton, presides
L, Ill I'D
nieces, who are much attached to the old
statesman. He likes to be surro and by young
people, especially young ladies. He has the
elaborate gallantry of gentleman of the
old school. Among his neighbors are Mr.
and Mrs. Harriott (Clara Morris), and some
times he drives out with the gifted actress,
who has been, like himself, an invalid. He
was formerly an exceptionally good horse
man, but now, weighed down by years and
| infrmities, he takes his airing in a carriage.
and in the summer makes short trips on the
| Hudson in his yacht. Some years ago he
had light stroke of paralysis, but his prin-
| cipal trouble is nervous affection known to
| physicians arthritis. The paralytic
stroke, however, affected the lid of his left
| eye, which is contracted and drawn down,
| while his mouth and tongue are also slightly
| affected. Both hands are inclined to keep
up perpetual shaking; the left hand is
| most affected This trouble set in as palsy
about eight years ago; it is now chronic and
beyond a cure; iodine is frequently applied
| to the left hand, and in conversation he
often uses the right hand to stop the shaking
of the other. When he sleeps both hands
are perfectly quiet He usually retires at
| $50 and arises at 80. He is cheerful and
usually passes comparatively pleasant day.
His mind remains triumphant over the ills
| of bis poor, WORKOUT body; he is a marvel
Gus complication of the fact that the
human soul may win glorious victory over
all the ills of the flesh The decrepit man OF
seventy two reads or has others read to him,
| engages in witty and intellectual converse
ton, and keeps up large correspondence
with various prominent members of the
Democratic party. He has a private secre
| tarv and an amanuensls, both OF
whom he keeps busy. He has an
exceptionally fine library; he is espe
! of interviewed copies of old works like
those, for example, of Izaak Walton. His
| memery is marvellous; without referring to
his power of retaining historical facts and
| figures it is curious to notice the tenacity OF
| his memory for more words embodying nice
shades of distinctian; his discrimination in
| the use of synonyms is as delicate as that of
| the most uncompromising purist. He Sc
| lects word which expresses his exact mean
ing, and he never varies from it even
though he may dictate the same matter to
| one of his Secretaries or to the reporters a
dozen times. Besides being a master of
English, he is good classical scholar. His
voice has not been heard in public since
| 1880, when he spoke at the Academy of
Music, indorsing the nomination of
| General Hancock for President. Mr.. Tilden
now speaks altogether in whisper, and it is
necessary to get quite close to him to hear
| what he has to say. His sense of humor is
| exquisite; his wit often has tinge OF satire
| sometimes quiet and delicate as play of
| light on a damaskeened blade, sometimes
slightly sardonic and suggestive of Machia-
| velli in a gay and harmless mood. The inn
| pressiveness of his conversation is height
ened by the fact that it is from necessity
| spoken in a whisper. And so the old states
| man, with the penetration of a Metternich,
the cunning, if not the courage, of Richie
lieu, is slowly passing along sequestered
! vale of life to take his place among the nota%
BILE figures in American history.
Oscar WuLoUGHBY RIGes.