The morning times., 1895-08-11
More About the Cosy Corners
TO Be Found There.
STEWART CASTLE HALLWAY
Historic Possessions of the Brazilian
Minister-Mrs. Halliday's Charm
Ing Home Decorated by Herself.
Old Corcoran Mansion Beautifully
Transformed by Mrs Calvin Brice.

The subject of the coy hooks and corners
of the fashionable homes of Washington
is a seemingly inexhaustible one, as well
as one replete with interest not only to the
people of Washington, but to othosegeneraly
throughout the States, because OF the prom
inence OF the Washingtonians included in
this aud the preceding article on this sub
ject.
All lands have contributed in this particu-
lar to the prominent fashio nable houses of
Washington. Every quarter of the globe
has been secured to add its quota, and this
not only from the beaten highways, but
the out-of-the-way places and little trav-
eled countries have been ransacked in the
desire TO secure unique and really valuable
furniture, hangings, and bric-a-brac. The
cathedrals and moDasteries Of the old world
have parted with their treasures in the way
of paintings and rare old altar-pieces in ex-
change for the mighty American dollar,
which in turn has been instrumental in
bringing these things 10 Washington for
the adornment Of the many elegant hom es
that year by year are steadily on the in
crease,
MORE CAREFUL SELECTION.
The power of all this on the public taste
is having most perceptible effect. There
is far less trash now sold in the shops un-
der the name of decoration than formerly.
The people are showing greater discriml-
nation; the public taste, educated through
the refinement and faultless taste of many
of the prominent householders whose homes
are open on certain reception days during
the season, is demanding better things
in the line of decoration than it did a few
years since.
While in every case the householders, the
people OF wealth who have been enabled
to crafty their passion in this matter
OF surrounding themselves with every re-
finement and luxury, have done so from
a more or less selfish point OF view, they
have nevertheless been philanthropists
in a way, and all unconsciously have been
contributing their quota to the molding
of the public taste.
This is especially true Of the official
element In society, including the Sena-
tors and Representatives houses, in which
the public generally is at liberty to call
upon regular weekly reception days.
Senator Stewards residence on Du-
pont circle, generally called Stewart Cas-
tle since it was remodeled and taken pos
session OF last season, ranks high among
the most attractive OF the Washington
homes. 1t abounds in cosy hooks and cor
ners, and withal it is so elegantly fur
nished throughout, but bomehse look
that is it's chiefest charm. The hangings
were brought from abroad, many OF them
having been secured in the far East durius
the trip around the world made by Mrs.
Stewart, with her daughters, several years
since.
MR.. STEWARDS CHARMING HALLWAY
The great circular hallway, instead or
resembling the bowling wilderness it did
when the Chinese legation occupied the
house, is now one of the most attractive
nished with carved teakwood brought
from India for this purpose. The appear
| ance generally is distinctively foreign,
unlike that to be found elsewhere in
Washington, and yet it is as distinctively
attractive. There are bright-hued silken
cushions, low couches, here and there;
divans in the corners, almost priceless
hangings from the Orient before the pOr-
there's to the many doorways leading from
this circular hallway, from which the
broad stairway winds upward, forming
balconies at every landing clear to the
DOME from which the light falls through
stained glass.
Mrs. Stewart owns one of the most
unique services of openwork gold, inlaid
with silver, to be found in America. 1t
has but a single duplicate in the world,
and that is owned by the governor gen
eral of India.
The Brazilian Minister and Nine. Men,
donca have the distinction Of having had
hung upon their walls some of the rarest
and most valuable paintings ever bought
for any private collection in this country.
The greater number of these We're sold off
several years since by the minister in order
to give place to some newer ones, as well
as other styles of decoration.
MINISTER MEN DONCA' S HOME.
The minister is a man of vast wealth by
far the richest member of the diplomatic
corps, indeed one of the richest in Wa shing-
ton. He has had for years the fancy for
collecting the furniture OF certain famous
historic periods, and Immediately upon
taking possession of his present residence
on the corner of Connecticut avenue aud \
street, fitted up one of the roOnls, not only
in the style OF the first empire, but with
the yeritable furniture that had graced soale
of the most famous of the French salons
at that period.
In one of the drawing rooms every article
is a Rlemento of Napoleon, even to the
furniture On one of the tables is Dresden
china inkstand once owned by Marie Louise,
from which she is supposed to have written
love letters to Napoleon. If history has
been correct upon this point those love let
ters must have been few and far between
by no means so frequent or ardent as the
| ones received by him from various other
sources at that same time.
There is also hand Sonely inlaid piano
upon which the fingers OF Marie Louise once
rested to call forth their melody. This
| piano was used last winter at the series
of symphony concerts given by the minister
and Nine. Mendonea.
Undoubtedly within the next few years
the present furnishings of these rooms
| Will all be changed, as Senor de Mendonca
has Others equally as valuable, even from a
| historic standpoint, stored away in ware
house waiting an opportunity to be brought
out and used
MRS HALLIDAY'S ARTISTIC HOUSE
Mrs Ed ward Halliday's house on n stree
| is beautified with numerous evidences O.
her skill as an artist. The most prominen
OF these are the friezes to the dra wing
room, the library and the dining room. II
the first of these apartments the friezt
is of cupids reveing among roses, witt
white-winged doves flying hither and yon
In the library, leading out from the dra wing
room, the frieZe represents birds of vari
| Gus kinds among tropical gro wths of palms
and foliage In the dining room the frieZI