Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-24

kSHEIiVA'E'N comfort with which
it is possible to sur
round ones household gods.
The Letter mansion, 10Th by its location
and size, is the most striking Of any pri-
vale residence in this city, although Upin-
ions Will forever disagree to whether it
heads the list in the way Of interior mag
nificence and artistic beauty. II is very
likely. however, that a great many people
Will be amply satisfied with ii. The lofty
hall, the wide marble staircase and balcony,
the mosaic floors, of which the visitor gees
the first glimpse, are imposing. After you
pass over the threshold tn9re is an easy
flight of marble steps TO mount to reach the
hail, or another flight 10 SO downstairs 10
the lower floor, where :he COAX room ana
all eastern room are iCcated. The mob.
nall, which seems quite as long Uut not
as wide as the east room at the White
House, extends the entire ieng,h of the
house, excepting the library, which faces
Dupont circle. The library il spacious, the
carved woodwork is light oak, the fireplace,
a conspicuous feature,is made OF pink-vein-
ed marble, as IS also the arched ceiling
above IL.
There are windows on either side Of il,
but they do not directly f;t:e the park. a;
the other END of the hail IS the OAK STAR
case iedulnS TO the story above.
And at The top of lhe inst handing a
stained-Slass wlndow s)iteaS the lIorth
iisnt Inc drawing room ami The music
room ADJOINING, which is Yet unfinished,
are on the west 'front.' the dining room is
on the east side Ind between me nurary
anu me marOie hall on the east front Is
MISS Letters poudoir. There Is probably
no room more beautifully 1ecoraCed lii Tins
city tnan this. Its general tone is silver
blue. ana the fireplace IS a gem. /; Eds
been described before in ietail III The Sll.r.
Ice sue oN erioohIag the staircase u
carved network and there Is Il nttle bal
cony opening from II on ThirI Is IL Lar
rIe' or SHINING palms. A ,iUbeIin tapes
Try IS hung on the nalls;!e and makes Ii
Impossible 10 look in the room as 4 person
mounts the stairs.
The spells of Travel.
Col. Colton's house on ConuectiC ut avenue
has generous frontage OF ffty feet OF
more. and from the outer steps TO the top
story bespeaks ease ana comfort as wei!
DIS elegance and refinement There is an
eastern room full OF the oldest ard most
in eeresting things on one side of tile hall
and an English breakfast room on The
otner. The staircase OF Quartcred oak di-
EiGes the house. In trOlt are the draw
Ing room and the library, where the wood
work has an ivory INT. a clever arrange
nient OF mirrors makes The rooms, Ni.ICh
are inuGn ILrge.' tnaH The ordinary, seem
As spacious again. Col. and AgS. Cuilou
nave spent years in foreign traveI AMI an
the DeauuIui Things they Iducle. now auorn
their nome. The bronze ANA iron aniiro1,s
in the HrepiaceS are not only Old, but are
very oeauuIul specimens OF the arr OF their
period. Ihey came from an Old French
chateau.
Ihe old masters on the walls the brc-a-
brac and the curios would set a connoissel,r
Wild with delight. The dining room Is lar.,e
ana Old rose shades preiominatiny IN the
co.oring Of the walls, harmolIze with Tie
highly polished woodwork. The fireplace Is
tiled in soft coiors and on eacn side Of it
are cupboards built in the walls filled with
hne china and glass. not only pretty. hut
very OLD. The room Is border"d atop IF The
high wainScoting with a row of beautiful
Sevres plates Each of the rooms on the
main floor is lighted from the center of tie
ceiling, while there are also gas ana cleo
trio side lights. The house has a passenger
lift and a gymnasium on the top Iioor-tvo
very unusual helps to ease and health in Il
private house.
Not All Upstairs.
A large house with practically only one
flight of stairs for the family TO mount, all
the living and sleeping rooms arranged on
two floors is quite uncommon. The " hit
temore residence corner of New Han1p-
shire avenue and Q street, one of the most
spacious of the more recently constructed
residences, is a splendid example of Just
such unusual comfort as this combined with
every elegance On the main foor the
drawing room, music room AMI the dining
room open up so well that they practically
make one large apartment for festive oCca-
sions. The library is at the left of the en-
trance and has low window seats ami eN cry
other inducement to enjoy the treasures
which fill the book shelves. The hall has
generous-sized stairway with square land
ingS, and behind it is the billiard room. me
seventh room on the main floor $ the kitrh-
en-. On the second floor the clothes close is
attached to the different rooms are models
in their systematic arrangement. Mrs.
Whittemore designed them herself, after
having given the subject a great deal Of at
tention. The dress closets are especially in
genious. Each dress has a press Tor Itself,
and by touching an electric button a gar
ment hung in the uppermost row comes
down within easy reach. The system per-
fectly illustrates how 1t is possible l. put
away clothes properly and yet he abb: to
get them again in the most cXpcdniOus
manner The house is filled with beautiful
things picked up by Mr.. and Mrs. White
more during years of travel, and their pic
lures on the walls are examples of the hest
4, artists and all of pleasing subjects
Elegant. hut Useful.
II the arrangement Of the tyler house on
I street, where Col. and Mrs Seth Baron
French of New York have been cxtend'ng
such generous hospitality al inter. has
any particular feature about 1t. it is that
while everything in it is rich ard costly
on either side of the entrance are the libra
nv and reception room. 1t is oach OF these,
and. oddly enough down a flight Of stairs,
that the dining room is located. The boil
and stairs are carpeted in vivid crimson,
the woodwork is light buff, and a row Of
family portraits on the wall complete the
colonial effect. From the drawing room
there Is a glimpse of the small conserNa-
tory. The daintiest spot in the house is the
boudoir at the right Of the drawing loom.
The walls are hung with embroidered satin
draperies The arrangement Of these hang
ings is quite irregular. They are draped
either around or form BACKGROUND tor the
small water colors or bits of china. There
is a luxurious divan and pillows. ana In
front Of 1t a large white rug, Which Eeips
to cover most of the floor. Old silver, pref
ty things in china, pieces o. bronze. elc.,
are on the desk, mantels and the low Ia
bles giving the finishing touches. rms
room, like the drawing room adjoining, has
low windows opening on the logSiI Which
gives the front of the house something OF
an Italian effect.
Spacious Halls.
The Moorish hall in the Henderson
house is absolutely unique in Its way so
far as this city is concerned. The entire
house Is a delight and grows more beau
tiful every time it is seen. The dining
room lights up we'll. Mrs. Henderson's
dinners are marvels of dainty arrange
ment as to table decorations as we'll as
credit to her cook. Hers is the only table