The Portland daily press., 1889-11-30
MRS. cLEvELAND's HOME.
The Furnishings OF One OF the FRET
tIest Homes In America.
New York Times. ]

New York Times.1
Upon entering Mr.. Cleveland's residence
on Madison avenue, after passing through
the ourer doors of heavy plate glass and the
inner ones of carved oak, one mounts O low,
broad flight of steps extending to the wall on
either side, and. turning to the left, Is in a
spacious hall. almost square In shape, vain
scoted to the ceiling in oak, Of which wood
the picturesque stairway, with its several
landings, is built On the right, Immediately
at the top of the steps leading from the
vestibule to the main hall. in the recess
formed by the bend of the stairs, Is magni
ficent carved Venetian seat, 8 or 10 feet In
height, of oak, black with age and inlaid
with quantity historical devices and delicate
| tracery OF victors' wreaths and garlands in
| lighter wood. Upon tall backs Of the Venetian
seat are carved the armorial bearings OF "A
noted Italian family.
/ Nearly opposite the foot of the stairway
| leading to the second story, near the dining
| room door. Is smaller carved osked settle.
| At the left OF the entrance leading by door
way from the main hallway is the reception
room, to enter which one must pass the coolest
nook In the house, deep recess In the VAIN
scotted wall which Mrs. Cleveland has con-
l verted into luxurious retreat. The place
| was originally closet for the reception Of
umbrellas and cl0aks, but with the removal
| of the doors ana the addition Of deep, soft
| cushion on the low shelf it has assumed the
L
| lounge and while away an hour or so. Tho
| sides and back Of the recess are hung with
brilliant Eastern stutfs, while swung from
| the ceiling above by clinking chains Is rare
old Moslem lamp.
The reception room is In the style of the
| First Empire. The greater portion of the
i furniture here, as in the drawing room above,
in Louis XVI style, was chosen by Mrs.
| Cleveland during her recent visit to her
mother in Buffalo from a dealer In curious
and rare old pieces Of furniture in that city.
/ As for the statement that the dealer in
/ question made a special trip abroad to scour
the Continent for the rich furnishing Of these
| rooms, the articles had been selected some
time before Mrs. Cleveland's visit to Buffalo
and simply formed part OF the valuable
collection from which, in company with her
mother. she then personally selected them.
The woodwork of the room is Of ebony, the
| walls mastic colored, with broad frieze
picked out in gold The straight, classic
| appearance Of the mantel is relieved by
candeabra and ornaments Of French gilt.
while In the open fireplace are andirons OF
the same rich-lo oking material. The furnl-
| ture Is of ebony, upholstered in crimson
velvet, which is also used as hangings. The
under draperies are Of Irish point lace, from
which, on either side Of the triple windows,
the velvet curtains are caught back by golden
| winged cupids. On black marble table in
one corner is tall astral lamp Of fiawIess
crystal. The straight shaft unfolding the
crystal globe has a Corinthian capital in
French gilt. Directly opposite the mantel,
on the north wall, is o mirror In deep gold
| frame. with gilt candle scOnces on either side.
On the west side of the room is picture in
black and white, which Mrs. Cleveland
prizes highly as the recent gift Of Joe Jeffer-
son, who also painted charming forest
scene that has place In the room. the
flooring of the apartment Is stained dark and
the centre covered with a large rug Of mastic
color, to which the classic border Is of rich
tints of crimson and cobalt.
Between the reception and sdining rooms
are closets, buffers pantry, and the eleva-
tor shaft. The sideboard, which glitters
ing piece of furniture. iulaid with satinwood,
| on slender claw-footed legs Of the style pre-
valent before the Revolution. This. with the
massive dining table, were secured by Mrs.
| Cleveland from one Of the historic home
steads of Virginia. An interesting article Is
a curious old Holland sled of duh greenish
color, painted on the sides and back with
appropriate snow scenes. Cleverly carved
| in the solid framework OF the back Is ducal
crest, surmounting richly-emblaZoned coat
OF arms. The floor and high single seat Of
the sled are utilized as stands for delicate
| ferns and tall Overarching palms, through
which the sunlight of the southern window
penetrates, tlecking the table and floor.
The drawing room, on the second floor, Is
in the white and gold, with hangings OF
tapestry in subdued Pompadour colors on n
delicate mauve ground. The furniture Is
gilded and upholstered in gold color brOcade,
while the rug, which covers almost the entire
floor, is French combination Of pink on q
groundwork of gold with tapestry effect.
The window draperies are Of white silk polt-
ing cloth dashed with gold, similar long
curtains of which fall to the floor under soft
rich folds Of gold colored silk. 0neither side
Of the large triple window are smaller arched
windows Of stained glass, down the sides
and around the top OF which are arranged a
series of fine white satinwood shelves on Riit
supports. with an arched background OF
beveled plate glass. These little shelves are
filed with odd bits Of brio a-brac.
At the opposite end of the hall Is the exs
Presidents library. When competed 1t will
be one of the most luxuriously comfortable
parts OF the house. There are well-storrd
bookcases, softly-cushioned leather chairs.
and costly bear and tiger skin rugs strewu
about the polished floor.
The sleeping rooms are on the third and
! fourth floors. The haugings OF the apart
ment occupied by Mr.. and Mrs; Cleye,and
are in blue and white lowered chlntz. Whlcn
Is used in the eushionlng OF wlnd0w sesI
looking out upon Madison-ayenue. Inc osu,
stead is of brass, parts OF which are enameie1
in white, Near the bed Is an old-fashioned
mahogany spindlelegged dressing table, a
Gift while in the White House from Marshal
Wilson. A,uh
elaborateIy-carved four-poster, surmounted
With n tester, from which depends deep
/, valance of white dimity Powered In red which
= hung originally In the Cleveland homestead
on the bed occupied by the ex-Presldent
$ grandmother. A similar valance hangs
about the Lower part Il q tbs se fIsnure N
guest Chamber and on the upper door, wa
s Brought from Oak View. Hangings similar
to the valance are now being made, aud, as
, soon as finished, will be put In place, givlns
Il the room quaint air. which Will not o.
marred by any ineongruities OF surround