Telegram-herald., 1889-05-12
MRS. ASTOR AT HOME.
The Small but Sumptuous Apartment in
Which She Receives Her Friends.

Mrs. William Is. AstOr' 5 reception room ID
q snug, sma!l, sumptuous apartment that
looks out on Fifth avenue through a
single window, cased In ebony wood and
smOthered IN hanglngs OF turquoise blue
silk and indigo-unted lace. The walls, says
Clara Belle, in the Philadelphia Press, are
hung In turquoise silk, with decorative
dado and = canvas painted ceiling, and the
ebony finish Of the woodwork is as beauti.
fully polished as a piece OF ONYX. In the
center of the parquetry floor is an odd de
sign OF small Persian rugs. inlaid as il
were in field OF garnet terry. Precious
rugs drape the small divans, and superb
specimens Of needle paintings are shown
III the chair coverings. The most attractive
article OF furniture IL u small upright piano
Of light mahogany, beautifully embellished
with panels OF carved silver, symbolic OF
music and song.
Figures OF cupids and busts OF children I'll.
the corners of the room with beauty, and as
the visitor enters she passes under the
glossy green branches OF u small palm tree
that STANDS on pedestal OF polished green
marble. AL the ornaments are OF Dresden
china, and the fantastic beauty and grace
OF the figures, the variety OF design and
brilliancy OF color produce an effect both
novel and agreeable. On the walls hang
brackets, baskets aud pockets Of fowery
porcelain, and about the metal cabinet,
along the edges OF small stands and fairly
crOwding the piano shelf are shepherds and
shepherdesses, troubadours, peasant girls
and court figures, no two alike, and each
outrivaling the other in gayety and color
Another feature of this room is the splendid
array Of artificial flowers, a variety Of dec
oration, by the way, that Mrs. Astor is
very fond Of
Vioets, lilies, liacs, feverfews, hya-
cinths, buttercups and u little wilderness OF
field flowers are knotted together in clus-
tering bouquets and freight the wheelbar-
rows, vases and jardinieres of Dresden
china, while in the slender forms of crystal
and Jeweled ware are roses, asters, japoni-
cas- and magnolias of such remarkable
composition as 10 challenge detection in a
flower show without the assistance of touch
or smell. The linen blossoms were brought
from France last summer, and the sum paid
for them would have procured a very nice
supply Of cut flowers for an entire season.
All the hangings ABOUT the room are made
OF rich, blue silk canvas, handsomely
worked in silver threads. The family crest,
done on field Of scarlet and white in silk,
silver and gold, and mounted in banner
form, IS the glory Of an east corner.
Mrs. ". W. Astor's callers are directed
% a little Pom pean room, finished IN black
wood and richly hung with crimson, the silk
twill covering not only tho walls and win
dow, but panehng the doors and draping
furniture, table and mantcl-shelf. The
color Is that warm blOod-reG that makes a
plain face pretty and pretty face glorious.
BY means OF large and beautifully en-
br0idered screen the room can be provided
with a snuggery, and it is here that tao
lovely young mistress sees an intimate
friend who has only moment 10 stop and
word TO say. The fireplace has a delight
ful profusion OF brasses. and among the
furniture is little tete-a-teto table spread
with dainty china service, where the re-
freshing cup Of vanilla cocoa or sweet
chocolate is brewed with iewc,cd fingers
and discussed with fragments Of Four Hun
drcd reDutati0n-