The morning times., 1895-12-08

were called eccentric the homes OF
wealth would be world OF freaks.
Mrs. Gardner. according 10 a friend,
said she wanted fountain so that she
could enjoy a winter resort at home.
Others who have tried them have found
them winter resorts" indeed.
THE YERKEs FOUNTAIN.
The private fountains in New York city
run well up into the hundreds. The
Yerkes-that rich Chicago family that
gives all the world by turns a glimpse OF
itself and is now locating upon Fifth
avenue, New York viii have, it is said,
the largest and handsOmest private fountain
ever built in a private residence. A
lovely little figure, rising from the water,
holds aloft a spouting bouquet from which
spring the water jets brillia ut aud clear,
- the very top OF tue ceiling.
The way of procuring a fountain at
home is simpler than the neOphite in
luxury would imagine. A tub sunken
in the floor with q faucet in the middle
is all fountain Is, but its variations
run the gamut of fancy. The most pop
ular style of fountain for a hallway is
the round basin with fancy figure in
the center. The sides of the basin are
flush with the floor, and are surrounded
with Towering plants. Within the great,
round sunken basin are palms and water
plants, the palms around the edge. and
the water lilies and callas well toward
the spray, where they are constantly
sprinkled.
The architect who plans the fountain
has only to have the sculptor complete
his fancy figure and place 1t In the
sunken pool. The plumber takes the
pipe up through the hands or body OF
the figure, and the water connection Is
ready for the fountain to begin spouting.
The oUly Important step is in the regula-
ton of the stream. This Is done by means
of some kind Of faucet, Just as a hose
has a stream aud a sprinkler. A small
sprinkler is placed upon the pipe, at the
hands of The little marble figure, and the
water when turned on makes the fountain.
This is the mechanical part of such a house
luxury. As the water use is constant q
little water tax has to be paid to tue city.
But It is too small to be balanced 5gaiust
the consideration of sucb a luxury.
1t would seem strange. with means so
simple as this for placing so pretty an
ornament in hallway or rcception-room,
it should not have bee done before this, but
the insuperable barrier was the fear that
by some trick Of the faucet the water would
spout beyond its basin and flood the house.
VANDERBILT FOUNTAIN.
There is a handsome fountain in the town
house of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and another
at the Breakers, Newport. The Newport
fountain is underneath the grand stair
case. 1t is round and very large. The cen
trail figure stands five feet ia J. and the
water spouts twenty-five feet above her
hands, for it is pretty water nymph.
There is a Cbild's playroom and nursery in
Washington that has Pompeian foun-
tain within its walls. The piayroom is
at one corner OF the house, and leading
from it is long passageway running
around an open court in the center of the
house. At the end of the passageway is
the playroom. and the feature of the play
room is the Pompeian fountain.
This style OF fountain is the easiest of all
TO plan. 1t is only bath of white marble
sunken In the floor until very nearly flush
with the floor itself. There is only the tini-
est of rims around it. The fountain is per
fectly square, and has water So clear that
you can easily See bottom. 1t is from one
to three feet deep. In this particular play
room 1t is just foot deep. The name foun-
tain is not .misnomer. There is no Jet
spouting In the center, but at one side there
1s a fresh water supply, and at the other
there is pipe carrying 1t off.
AS the children use this water for all
purposes-paddiing in 1t with their hands,
sailing boats upon 1t, floating toyfish in
IT and finally drinking out of 1.-THE water
supply is filtered one. This makes the
water clear as crystal, and the pleasure
of looking into Its depths and sinking
chubby little hands into 1t is one that
never pals upon the small denizens of the
Dursery. The danger Of accident is al
most infintesmal, and not to be compared
with the dangers Of windows and stair
cases.
The grandchildren of Mr.. Mackey, the
little Co}onnas, have nearly everything
that heart can invent for the pleasure
of childhood. Their Paris home has
arI-I ISnor a in, in fh.a nNi1 nf
staircase hall, and here they are al
lowed to play all day long.
1t is said that poetesses are unhappy
nowadays. unless supplied with this bit
of pretty luxury. Mrs. Spencer Trask, it
is said, never writes verse unless seated
by the side of 'SAr fountain in her own
home. In an exquisite old painting Of her
self she is seated upon balustrade, look
ing off in the distant meadow, where purls
a brook, natural fountain.
WHERE POETRY IS MADE.
One of the rising young litterateurs of
the day has just supplied her library
with mysterious annex. 1t is great
square room with marble floors and a
fountain in the center. This is modified
Pompeian. From the middle rise marble
lily pads, and from the top of the topmost
lily there shoots tail series of sprays.
The man who planned the fountain UNDER
stands the spray, and can make il as many
stories high as he pleases.
There are fountains in all of the more
recent dwellings of New York, even out
side the charmed circle of those who
possess millions. As a matter of fact,
fountain once built costs annually no moro
than first-class window garden and Is
deal more comfort.
Mrs. Henry Clews had the credit of start
ing the sun bath craze In New York five
years ago. This lady now gets the name
Of inauguratlng the fountain bath. Her