Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-24
COUNTRY HOUSE LIFE.
). A Rapid Deveiopnlsnt.

|
From the New York Tribupe.
| One OF the greatest evidences Of the progress
Of civilization in the United States Of late year
Is the development Of the country house life ant
| Its gradual absorption OF the Lares and Penstei
and general home interests and affections Of tn.
household. The town dwelling used to be the
real center of the American home life the sum
mer cottage being merely an accessory, and but
little thought of in comparison with its solid
and wealthy rival. Anything" was considered
good enough for the country" in the way OF
furniture or daily living. That this condition
OF things tended to extravagant show and dis
play, and was therefore parvenue and mere
tricious, Is obvious. Culture, combined with
leisure and wealth, belong naturally to the
country, and We are just beginning to find out
what IN England has been an accepted fact for
centuries. and fashion has now decreed that q
large country house with less expensive house
In town Is in better form" than huge
orown-stone front on 9Th avenue and
season OF economy in the summer. Many peo-
pie who cannot have both choose the country
as the real center of home life, trusting to
lodgings and rented houses for two or three
months In town during the winter and ''pied
terre at the seashore in the summer and live
In their beautiful country houses three-fourths
OF the year. Very different, too, is the standard
OF living in these modern country houses from
the old time fashion. which was marked by an
entire lack OF any formality, the late dinner
being changed to an informal tea, the men Of
the family lounging in day attire. and all the
accepted amenities of the life of today being
deemed superfuous and inconsistent with sum-
mer ease and comfort.
Let us take peep into one Of the houses Of
tne new regime, by way of long contrast-a
iong' low, gray, many gabled house. with white
lacin9s. colonial pillars and ample porte.
cochere. On either side Of the broad flight Of
white marble steps are large blue and white
Delft vases, filled with glowing wealth Of color
In the way OF brilliant summer flowers. In the
cool shade of the veranda stately ferns and
palms are arranged in picturesque groups, with
rattan lounging chairs of every description,
pretty tables and gayly colored rugs, ham
mocks and all the peculiar combination of En-
gllsh comfort and eastern picturesqueness,
Whlch 10 SO characteristic OF the American
piazza. As You ring the bell footman in
quiet livery opens the door and If you are an
expected guest your hostess is waiting to re-
ceive you, welcoming you with her pretty.
eager American hospitality, and after few
words of greeting consigning you to a servant,
II you are man, and sending you off to your
room with your traps-or, il you are a woman,
taking care Of you herself. Then you pass up the
broad, white staircase, thickly carpeted with red
velvet Il love red stair carpet it is such a well
coming color, said woman Of fashion the
other day: and in truth she was right; there is
no other color combined with white that looks
SO CHEEKY or so hospitable. The wide. breezy
hall is covered with the same thick red pile,
which renders any passing matutinal footsteps
lnsudible to the sleepers within tine bed rooms,
and at the head Of the stairs wide, low fire.
place and white mantel suggests CHEEKY au-
tumnal fires later on-now 1t is filed with BIOS
soming boughs OF syrnga. There is little fur
niture in the hall, only few chairs and broad
white table, on which ranged rows of
hvf,rt ,l,n.l Il.
with fresh wax candles ready for lighting, and
brass match boxes conveniently filled. The bed
rooms are marked By the same combination Of
luxury and simplicity which is becoming very
Characteristic Of an American country house.
1T Is curious said n travelled Englishman
who was stopping with one of these typical
households. ''how you Americans combine
English Eastern and French ideas into an orig
inal whole'-a description which, by the way,
suggests pot-pourri of an establishment.
which is far from the truth. The large bed
room, which is to be for time your own, is
carpeted with the finest Of oriental mating, on
which lie large eastern rugs. Two single brass
beadsteads stand side by side, covered with
snowy drapery and deiicatelv colored duvet is
folded at the foot of each bed. Tall silver
candlcsticks adorn the dressing table. and the
room is furnished with all that comfort can de-
vise in the way of lounge, writing table,
temptingly filled book case, &c. You have
hardly had time, however. to take in" all your
comforts. for after taking a few moments to
shake off the dust Of travel. you are expected to
come down for cup OF tea, or, if you like.
some thing stronger, on the versnda There
you will find the rest of the house party who
struggle in from their walks. drives or rides,
until it is quite late and then it is time to dress
for the formal dinner at $50. few years ago
all the fashionable world dined at land now a
well-known hostess declares that she rarely gets
her people seated and fairly at their dinner be-
fOr