Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-07-31

~ "ShAor " IouD a hLhEAnSblG-
Mrs. Morton, who takes great interest in
his candidacy, hoped to have the Ellerslie
villa ready for occupancy before the visit
of the committee SO as to receive them
there, bat was disappointed.
1t was at the Huntingdon that Mr.. Nor
ton and his amiable and beautiful wife
were found by a reporter who visited the
statesman to learn something of his home
life. The reporter was nshered by a por.
ter into @ richly furnished library, the
walls of which were ornamented by rare
and costly paintings and bric-a-brac. Soon
after Mr.. Morton returned from a drive
to Elerslie and invited the reporter to a
seat on the broad yeranda
During the chat that followed MS cnarm-
ing wife appeared Her beauty has been
described too frequently to require repe-
tition here. She is rather tall, though
her rounded figure readily DISCUSSES the
fact. Her carriage is stately and her
manner genial. Though perhaps 40 years
old, and the mother of FIVE daughters,
Mrs. Morton appears to be younger. Her
features are blonde, her hair is just tinged
with gray, and is worn in the prevailing
fashion. Her eyes are a grayish blue,
and look straight through one.
When pleased they dance merrily and
her face takes IN a fairly fascinating ex-
preston. No one who meets her will
wonder why her dinners. and receptions at
Washington, Paris, Newport or New
York have become SO popular with the
circle in which she moves. She is SPLEEN
didly educated and shows it In her con-
versation. An exquisite house costume
of gray and black striped silk sets off her
fine figure to advantage. MRS, Morton
listened to the conversation with much
apparent interest.
Mr.. Morton Is exceedingly domestic in
his disposition. He is devoted to his wife
and family. Though q member of the
Union League end other clubs, he rarely
drops in except iii ompany with bis
wife, when he attends a dinner or re-
ception. He can always be found at his
home in the evening. When in the city
he resides at So Fifth avenue.
OF late Mr.. Morton has not been quite
so active in business as In former years.
When in town he reaches his Office in the
Mutual Life building about 10 a. M, and
leaves by 3p. m. Just now he remains
in the country. 1t has been his custom
to spend q portion of each summer at his
cottage, "Fair Lawn" Newport.
The salt atmosphere aggravated a neu-
ralgic ailment contracted by his wife. He
therefore concluded TO purchase property
along the Hudson and build a villa there.
A thousand acres three miles south Of
Rhinebeek, belongingto the William Kel-
ley estate, were purchased by him. Here
he built his summer home and named it
Eilerslie.
To call it a cottage is a misnomer. 1t
is q mansion, if ever such a building was
constructed. 1t stands upon q great
knoll which rises several hundred feet
above the level of the river, and can be
seen from points miles away up and down
the Hudson. The style Is of the modern
Renaissance order. The material is brown
stone up to the second floor, thence up.
ward 1t is constructed of tinted woods.
Entering theadmirably kept grounds, en-
closed as they are by a great stone wall,
one is reminded of an English
Maeadamized driveways lead through a
forest of gigantic chestnuts, naples and
oaks. Past a huge conservatory, resplen-
dent with buds and blossoms, owe a Gu
riously wrought bridge that crosses a
gem of a lake, the road leads up to q
great sheltered entrance at the rear of
the mansion. One enters an immense
hall that runs away through to the front.
It's floor, like the floors of all the rooms in
the first story, Is Of highly polished oak.
On the left is the dining room, capable
of seating, If necessary, at least forty
guests. It Is trimmed throughout with
black walnut highly polished. The
library, sitting ROOM, reception room ane