The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-15

can retire and pull herself together -
a pace where she can shut out the dis
fractions Of the household. where the
sound Of the doorbel does not reach her,
and where she is spared the pain of hear
ing the servant say that she Is not at
home. 1t Is such a retreat that the top
hoor gives her. There she can repair IN
neglige, and can lie on couch In the
blazing sunshine; she can toss book on
the floor and let it lie; she can enjoy
the fascinating confusion of things out
of pace with sweet unconcern. This
abandon is also delightful to those Of her
intimates who may come to tell her how
sweet is solitude out of the depths or
divans and cushions. There they may
gossip over tea without fear OF inter- un-
tion, or amuse themselves with whatever
may be the fashionable diversion OF the
moment In brief, 1t is a place where
one can be ones self alone or in conf
pany, but where no one can enter uni
asked, not even the husband or one
bosom or the babies about the knee.
Such are the possibilities of the "lolliug
room," as a man has named 1t. The Hrst
of these rooms was owned by Mrs. Mary
Jane Morgan, who was not woman OF
fashion; but her fortune and novel man
ner of spending it, always made her lie
and belongings of interest, and the news
of her "iolling room" went far and wide.
Her home was on north Madison Square,
and this room overlooked the park. 1t
was the width of the house. The three
windows We're united by long divan,
that was ample for couch. Here Mrs.
Morgan, who was an Invalid, could lie IN
the sunshine that flooded the room all
day, her nearest neighbors the birds In
the tree tops, and the every varying pam
orama of Fifth avenue and Broadway
before her eyes.
The room was wanscotei and celled
with butternut, polished like satin, ana
between the walnscoting and ceiling hung
pane;s of raw silk. The hard wood fiooc
was strewn with rugs the windows were
in stainless glass, the design being work
ed out in the leads. Large porcelain
vases he'd the exotic pants from Mrs.
Morgan's fine greenhouses in the rear.
The apartment served as a water-color
room, and here, instead of an intimate
friend and cup Of tea, this silent, lonely
woman would have brought some newiy
purchased work of art that she might
enjoy silently.
In the gray chateau that she has re-
linquished, Mrs. w. X. Vanderbilt had
a room at the top Of the house devoted
to familiar ease. Haddon Hall, whose
domestic architecture is so rich in sug-
gestion, furnished the inspiration for
this room. The wainscoting is success
sion of small pine squares painted Tuscan
red and brought to an egg shell gloss.
The wood above is carved into pillasters,
that apparently support the cross beams
that are p,astered between and painted
with duil gold. There is a great fireplace,
,trtt IRpa CO. ass,ar- nf G1n cfn oil e.
copied from Haddon Hall. Tie room
catches the glory of the sun of the cast,
and the sun of the south. Joining it is
a conservatory with a fascinating vista
of green. The character and disposition
of this room were disclosed in its fur
niture. 1t contained nothing but divars,
ottomans, cushions and low tables. Its
sturdiest purpose was committee-room
for some subscription ball.
Another lolling room is that OF Mrs.
Sydney Webster. on Stuyvesant Square.
Beneath spreads the pleasant prospect
of the Square, with its FLASHING foun-
tains, and above are the towers Of st.
George. The room is the width of the
house. The three windows are recessed,
but connected by divans and make an
alcove, The opposite side of the room is
an oval sweep. This is wainscotel with
French walnut and so ingeniously that
the wainscoting incloses an entire system,
Of closets and recesses. This is broken
into inches. One is a dainty buffet for
the hospNalitles of the room. Others
make supports for vases. works of art,
a few shelves for some cOmpanionab!e
books. Above the wainscotirg is shelf
on which are placed objects of art ana
rare plates against a background of old
Spanish leather. The floor is hard ana
strewn with rugs.
Touching this custom q wise mother
considers 1t a valuable educational infl'I-
ence to give her young daughter q sane
tum at the top of the house, whittier her
strong young legs can carry her. Into
this room no one enters without her per-
. mission. Here, if she chooses, she may
essay poetry and triie in art. In such
room her individuality develops, and II
there are any warning signs they will
eventually appear more openly, in time
for check or reproof, and they will occur
under the parental roof The peculiar
taste of this girl in photographs inclines
to royalty, and here she enjoys the COM
uany Of most of the crowned heads OF
Europe. Around the room is frieze of
Raphael's Hours" This frieze is brok-
en- on one side by Giotto's head of Dante,
and on the other by church's Mummy
Smelling a Rose The furniture of the
room has been specially designed. Here
are the girls books and everything that
is dear to her. In the window is seat
which is also a locker for other treas
ures. To insure her greater privacy
there is splendid piece of color in the
stained glass of her window, and filtered
through this is the more prosaic aspect
of the street. Here this young girl reigns
supreme. Sometimes she receives visits
from other members of the family. But
she is always notified in advance that
no undue invasion of her privacy will be
allowed.