The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-23

man of simple tastes. You see that in
his selection of plain furniture for their
room. Why, this caneseated armchair
couldn't have cost more than two dollars
| There isn't a single luxurious thing in
this room except that lounge with great
soft pillow on it, with the word Harrison
crocheted on it in white. You see, too,
that the only picture in the room is one
of the president, with Benjamin Mckee in
| his arms. We have papered the walls Of
! this room too. How do you like it?"
When the artist took me down stairs and
| described the new decorations of the state
dining room and the lobby, or outer cor
ridor, found it impossible to follow him.
| l managed to make out that the style was
| colonial, and the general color of the
groundwork "cafe-au-lait," which | sup
! pose in wild western English means coffee
and milk Without knowing much about
it, could see that the color was like
blending of coffee and cream, and prefer
to call it coffee and cream, for coffee and
milk is an abominable combination.
could also see that the room was gorgeous
ly, daZzlingly beautiful, and | liked very
much the frieZe of garlands, each nearly
four feet wide, with vine or wreath run
ming from each to the gasoliers. The
medallious are nice, too, being composed
of wreaths of laurel, with the American
eagle in the center.
There is a colonial cornice, perfectly mag
nificent, medallions with United States
shields formed of native fruits, and horn
of plenty made OF native fruits and Indian
corn-a very timely idea in this year of big
crops-a dado four feet wide of shells, sea-
weed and coral, all done with transparent
colors blended on light ground and pro-
ducing lustrous effect even in the dim
light which enters the windows. AS |
thought how beautiful the room must be
when illuminated by electric lights, de-
termined to ask the president for an in
vitation TO dinner.
The lobby or vestibule the large room
which you first stand in on entering the
White House, has been transformed from
an ugly apartment into thing of JOY and
beauty. As yet the workmen have their
scaffoldings up here, but saw enough of
the wall treatment to convince me that
even the anteroom is going to be good
enough for common folk. Tho entire cell
ing is laid out in an oval, with a circle in
side. Within the circle are twenty-four
small panels, as rich as cream and peaches,
and at either end of the oval is liberty cap.
At one end of the room is large panel
formed of flags, trophies and other en-
blems surrounding a profile of Washing
ton. On the opposite wall is similar
panel with portrait of Lincoln. There
are so many other pretty effects in this
room that the eve of the country boy or
girl who steps within the portals is likely
TO be dazZled by them. 1t was happy
idea of Mrs Harrison to transform this
barren, unattractive room, one of the most
conspicuous in the building, into some
thing credicable.
So, little by little, our old, old White
House is made new and fresh again. 1t
is. in fact. palace, beautiful enough for
any king or queen, but, unfortunately, too
small for growing. bounding, swelling
America. Some day we'll go into the
palace business on a large scale, and when
we do We'll astonish the world.
ROBERT GRAVES