The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-16
OLD 6OUTHgRN MANSIONS.
Distinctive Architecture That Might We'll
lie Initiated In These Days.

Ec imitAtet In inese DAYS.
The old mansions in Richmond,
Charleston, Savannah, Montgomery, Mo-
bile and New Orleans have an air of dis
tinction about them which the mower ar
chitecture can never acquire. They were
built by men who desired to live In com
fort and 20 entertain their friends in an
open handed way. but who did not find It
necessary TO attract attention and To adj
vertise their wealth and social position
The cxteriors arc still massive and state
ly, with their unbrokcn, rectangular sides
their Dorlc columns and colonial porches,
and the interiors arc unrivaled for com
,ort and convenience Of home life and So
,ial entertainment. With these fine models
of classic simplicity In town and country
IL Is To lie regretted that the new houses
on fashionable driveways and streets are
not designed by architects contenC 20 fol-
low the old lines The colonial archtCc-
ture was not without It's effect upon the
character and tastes OF the people who liv-
cd in the houses. II taught them to be
simple in their social pleasures 10 be nat
ural and unaffected in manner and TO
avoid meretriclous display of wealth and
dignity. There has been reversion 20
colonial lines in northern houses. Perhaps
there will lee n similar movement I'm the
direction os purcr taste and more refined
feeling In southern towr-
There are many fine ,nings To be said
about these southern houses, but tho choic-
est tribute must be reserved for the lovely
old ladies who are TO be found i'm most Of
them. The young ladies and the middle
aged wives and mothers are charming
too, with their sensitive, high bred faces
and their soft mclodlous voices, but the
old ladies are exceptionally well preserved
I'm figure and feat IRE and delightful in
conversation. Montaigne said Of Cicero's
"De Senactute, 1T gives one good ap-
petite for growing old" and the same inn
preston is produced by the cheerful gen
inl, yet calm and serious talk Of the best
representatives OF the passing generation
of southern women. They do not a I 60
be young, yet have not lost thci~ nina.
tion of manner nor their into in life
They are entertaining womar' d bright
and quick rs their rrandf ers to per
ccive good point lh "a story .nd ms lne as
choice old lace in the thread and texture
OF their homoly simplicity and cheerful.
ness. There are good portraits of famous
ancestors In some of the old houses, but
there are no better studies OF the lights and
shades OF advancing age and of the com
pensations attending increasing inlrmity
in the evening Of life than are TO be found
In the charming old ladies of the Caro-
linas, Georgia and Tenncssee.--New York
Tribune
The Worlds Fair still Growing.
A sign on an open stretch Of country in
. southern section of the city reads
"Twenty acres. This eligible property
for sale mt n bargain" One of tho passen.
gers on the train said as he read the sign
from the window OF his car that he believ-
ed he could get up syndicate, buy the
tract and start n now suburb "Twenty
acres, he said, would make the place
Just about exclusive enough for some"
Twenty acres unimproved look big"
replied the man with the real estate bump
ON his head "But Manufactures build.
ing at jackson park covered 30 acres What
>ort Of suburb would that have madeY'
The man who heard was silent the usu.
sl minute and then said sorrowfully: "I
wonder II we will ever realize how bic
hat fair was' Seems W mo the farther
away from 10 we get the bigger 1t grows"
Chicago Tribune.