The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-16

| "CIo NY A1ko- Ahhy 90.
mere are several mementos of the
exquisite taste of Mrs. Grant about the
White House. On the old mahogany
sidehoard in the south side OF the state
dining room is a beautiful bronze. In
the red parlor are gilt pitcher and BOWL,
brought from Birmingham, England. by
Mrs Grant, and the candlesticks of
French gilt were also her purchase. They
always stand ON the mantle. In the blue
parlor Is n handsome gilt clock, which
MRS. Grant brought from Paris. On each
side OF the clock are vases, which she
purchased aG the same time.
In the stats dining room are two very
old pieces of porcelain. One is tall vase
of line Fayence, ON which is painting
OF village with mountains in the back
ground. Below is the inscription, "Sue
des environs de Passy prise de la maison
de FRANKLIN" 1t is supposed that it is
vessel that was presented to Franklin
when he was ambassador to France in
lff6. -Four years ago this vase had a
companion. but it has Disappeared. The
other piece is a huge punch bowl upheld
by three Graces, done in blue and white
biscuit This bit of rare old china Mrs.
Harrison unearthed In the garrett of the
White House. 1t was broken in three
pieces, and so dirt begrimed that it look
ed hopeless task to restore it She sent
1t away to be meuded and it now stands
upon ont Of the sideboards Nobody can
tell when it came into the White House.
1t has no hallmark by which it's age can
be ascertained. but it is certainly very
old and valuable rs work of art.
There are two very old vases, earlier
than the Franklin vase, if anything, on
the mantle in the green parlor, but they
have no marks to show where they might
have come from. Between them stands
pretty gilt and onyx clock that Mrs
Grant placed there. The andirons and
brass fender in that parlor were also her
purcha se. There are two magnificent
Japanese vases in the green parlor. that
were purchased by President Arthur, who
was great lover of pretty things. He
bought the rosewood cabinet in that
room and the lemon and gold vase, its
counterpart in pink and gold, large COW
cred urn in ivory white and gold, and n
huge jar in brown and gold with blue
lining that stands upon it. On the marble
mirror rest on the south side OF the green
parlor are two more old vases belonging
to the same period as the Franklin vase,
apparently. but unmarked, and a pretty
bronze Diane de Cables" which was
purchased by Mrs Grant. There is also
an old Chippendalc cabinet in this par
Tor, which is said to have passed the ser.
ond century, Nobody knows where it
came fro::., but it. is supposed to have
been presented to the government by some
foreigner The pink jar with blue tulips,
in the green parlor, was Il purchase OF
President Arthur, also white cactus
| jar of great beauty.
SIN the blue parlor, on the old marble
mantle, stands the clock in French gilt
that was presented by Napoleon to La
| fayette, and by him presented to the Uni
| ted States government. 1t is thanked by
| two very old candlessticks in French gilt
| that seems to be of the same period as
the clock, but their history is not known.
They antedate President Lincoln. The
| frames OF the furniture in blue parlor are
old, the oldest in the house in all proba-
bility. They are Of mahogany, but have
been gilded from time immemorial, and
recovered times without number, The
screen in the blue parlor ia a pretty bit
Of art. the American coat of arms exquis-
itely embroidered on satin. It was n pres
ent from the Austrian government dur
| ing the administration of General Grant,
and was part of the Austrian exhibit at
the centennial. BY the fireplace in the
blue parlor stand two tall branching can
die stands in French gilt. For years no
body knew just when or how they got
into the White House. One day during
President Arthurs administration, was
| ouONiHS hh Oii NhlbC udlIcb illhu through
the room and was telling him abou.
everything but when came to the candle
stand the old gentleman noticed that they
seemed to he without history and said
| quietly, Those were present from Gen.
Patterson, of Philadelphia, to Gen. Jack
son when he was President. remember
the incident very we'll
SIN the green parlor is a quaint old
Japanese cabinet of great value, being
one of their finest works of art. 1t was
presented to this COVER nment by Japan
when the American ships first entered
| their ports in 1858. In the wide corridor
chased by President Arthur, and the
handsome mosaic glass screen was also
put in by him.
"One would think that the White
House would be rich in historic dishes.
but such is not the case. Tie splendid
set of dishes made to order for Mrs
Hayes, and bearing in painting of the
highest order examples of the flora and
fauna of the United States and costing
several thousand. dollars, in pretty well
smashed up, and only few pieces are
left. The pretty set that was purchased
when Nellie Grant was married is also a
thing of the past half dozen pieces being
displayed on the big sideboard in the pri-
vate dining room Only dish or two of
| those purchased by the Lincolns is in eX-
istence, except in private collections
Mrs. Harrison had n new set purchased
1t was from the Limoges mandatory
and had the pretty buff and blue border
and stars and wreath of Indian corn in
gold like the Lincoln set. Only Il few
pieces remain
Mr.. Terry, of Arkansas, appears to
have Speaker Reed on the hip. A week