The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-26
ROOMY AND INVITING.
Property of Ex-senator Hem
derson of Missouri.
Cottage Near For Secretary
and Mrs. Porter.

Washington. May 26.-President McKin-
ley has chosen the place for his summer
residence. 1t is known as Cherry
Farm seven miles southwest of Wash
ington. just back of Fort Myer, and is
reached by several beautiful drives from
the city proper, one leading through Fort
A1yer and another through Arlington.
Cherry Farm is the property of ex-
Senator John B. Henderson of Missouri,
who purchased the beautiful place four
years ago from Thomas H. Sypherd, who
for nearly twenty-five years was one of
the chiefs in the sixth auditors office of
the treasury department In this beauti-
full and secluded place President and
Mrs. Mckinley, with Secretary and Mrs.
Potter. will pass the heated summer
months.
ISOLATED FROM THE PUBLIC.
The house is far back from the public
road. Situated along a veritable forest
of fruit and shade trees, the small sum-
nner cottage is as completely isolated as
though it were a thousand miles from
the national capital. One must have a
most intimate acquaintance with the geo.
graphy of the adjacent country in order
TO find the house at all. 1t is reached by
a narrow lane which turns in from the
main road about half a mile below the
an execrable one. It is full of rocks and
ruts, and the devious way in which it
twists and turns through the short pine
brush is apt to cause a city-bred person
to lose his bearings entirely.
Approaching the house one is impressed
by the great number of fruit trees which
line the lane. Apple, pear, peach and
cherry trees are everywhere, and the eye
is unable to discover the bounds of the
away toward the north.
The first sight of the house is disap-
pointing for it seems small. But its fun
size is not apparent from the front view,
for when making the turn in the drive
way it is seen that the building extends
quite good distance to the rear.
It would be difficult to classify the
style of its architecture, for the reason
that it is a combination of the old-fash~
Toned farmhouse and the modern SUM
mer cottage, Senator Henderson having
had it remodeled when he purchased the
property four years ago from Mr.. Syp-
herd
It is two stories in height, after the
style of many southern houses, and there
are porches and verandas on all Sides
The broad veranda on the south side is
a particularly inviting one, and it is
reached through doors leading from both
L1AE dIaWlHS room ana the Q1nlnR room.
The house is furnished handsomely
throughout although the Henderson. fam
lily has spent very little time there. The
drawing room and library are practically
one room, being separated by portieFes of
blue silk. The prevailing tone of the
walls and ceilings of both these rooms is
blue, and the furniture is of the kind
usually seen in summer cottages-rattan
and cane being the principal materials of
which it is made. Communicating with
the library is the coy little dining room,
with two china closets filled with hand
some tableware. This room has a south.
ern exposure, and a generous bay window
adds to its attractiveness. Back of the
dining room is the summer kitchen,
which is quite model in it's way. In it
are the appliances necessary to culinary
operations. A well of excellent water,
which has a wide reputation in the coun-
try round about is also situated in this
kitchen.
The upper floor is reached by a hand
some winding stairway finished in oak.
Two large bedrooms, which face the east,
are the principal rooms of this floor.
They are both about the same size, and
are finished in terra Gotta, and the walls
are covered with paper of a delicate blue
tint. third bedroom of somewhat
smaller size, back of the two principal
ones. completes the sleeping apartments,
though there are stin two others of small
size over the kitchen. In every room are
open tile freplaces.
When Senator Henderson bought the
house, in addition to other improvements,
he had a coy little four-room cottage
built. This cottage, it is said. will be oc-
cupied by Secretary and Mrs. Porter.
The stable is commodious one, ana
will amply accommodate all the horses
likely to be needed by the presidential
family.
ings are being freshly painted and the
place generally renovated. This has been
going on for more than a week. and the
people in the vicinity are wondering just
when their distinguished neighbor will
take possession of his summer home.