The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-22
DOROTHY Q'S
SMALL TALK
About Events and People in The Great
Empire City.
Luxurious Environment at a Mid-Lent Lee
ture-An Artistic Home-What Some
Californians Are Doing.
Special to THE SUNDAY CALI

Although it is lent, inch ledy" dons her
finest gown, with its long train of simmer
ing silk, sheeny brocade or soft lace, its low
corsage and short sleeves Of she has pretty
arms), and places in her hair a little coronet
of gold, tortoise-shell or a jeweled bandeau
or velvet band, draws on her long gloves,
wraps her long cloak about her and enters
her carriage at the early hour of s 10 in the
evening, and drives, not to ball nor
grand dinner, but to a lenten lecture. The
dainty folio card that gives the subjects of
the lectures and the houses where the class
is TO assemble bears the little pr0mpter in
the corner, Lecture begins promptly at g."
Meh ledy" sweeps into the drawng-room
with the air OF a Grand Duchesse, and takes
her seat On the parior camp-chair like nice
little schoolgirl who loves to come to school
to learn great many lovely things. "Meh
ledy's" husband often accompanies her IN
immaculate fuli-dresS and studiou5 express
sion.
How charming and luxurious the environ
ments-ennugh 10 tempt the lecturer to ro-
nance instead Of to teach plain facts and
give interesting expositiUns of his own theo-
ries and other peoples The rugs have been
taken up for the occasion, and the polished
floor suggests fine possibilities for the giddy
dance-but there is no tripping of feet nor
tndnging of bows-the "goodie companie"
sit very still and give their serious attention
10 the lecturer.
AFTER THE LECTURE.
The lecture over, as the boullon is slipped,
the punch relished, sandwich munched or
an ice put out of sight-the lecture is dis
cussed-Or supposed to bel But in such an
sttistic home as Mr.. Louis C. Tiffany's-the
artist and designer-the after-lecture chat
partook more of admiring comments upon
the beautiful things in this beautiful home
than OF the sweet qualities of Cordella or the
miseries Of King Lear-the lecture in this
particular instance was Shakespearean.
With few strokes of the pen how can
one hope to give satisfactory glimpse of
the most artistic homes in New York? The
Tiffany Apartment HOuse-designed and
built by Mr. Tiffany-lOoks like castle.
But there is no use trying 10 give verbal
etching of the turrets and angles and all
that, but a glimpse of The drawing-room and
library perhaps will be enjoyable. The
drawing-r3om is gloriously bigl IL is up
lifting to get into spacious, airy room in
this Overcrowded city damned full Of so
many tall, narrow houses and boXy flats.
The paper, rough as sand-paper. Is the tint
OF yellow-brOwn egg fresh laid in the nest
of Cochin China her. The fiieze, of deli
cate white tracery, looks like airy embrOid-
cry. Inc ceiling is painted llgnter tone
than the paper How charmingly simple is
its decoration! The grooves that are made
in the wood make little naves of the
corners and soften the lines of the outer
edges Like a futing Of pecrust is the or
namentation about two feet from the edges
of the ceiling.
THE CENTER DECORATIONS.
An immense wheel of grooves without
tire but with numberless spokes forms the
center decoration from which hangs a
beautiful lamp of Munich iron suspended by
a chain made Of japanese sw0rd-guards.
The effect is of a handsome hat of airy black
lace, frightened with roses Of pink and
Nile green :int-so exquisitely turned is the
iron and pretty the jeweled glass fastened
in its strong, yet lace-like meshes. At the
corners about two feet from the edge, hang
Ras-fxtares like great iron buds with gas