The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-17

There are three very unique bath
rooms In the United States. and one OF
them is In Denver. Usually.in this day
and age. any room that enjoys special
distinction is notable. primarily, FOR its
cost; so that these three bathrooms are
unique In two wnys--for their deoora-.
tions; and for the fact that these deco
ratious arc expensive. f.fsH iF
The bathroom y in Denver Is in the
cozy home OF Mr.. and Mrs. CharlcsA.
Stokes. OF 147O Columbtne street, and
the walls and ceiling are papered with
stamps. The cost OF this novel wall cov-
erine did not exceed sl2. but the work
Of placing the stamps took just one
year.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stokes did all the work
themselves. Mr.. Stokes did the pasting
while Mrs. Stokes would select the
stamps. soak Off any paper that might
be attached and help mark Off squares,
for the stamps are applied in a most
elaborate design. On the walls are
squares OF sixteen foreign stamps, bar
red Off with the two-cent brown-tinted
Columbian stamps. The stamps on the
inside of the square are from all coun-
tries, each square being OF one color,
either red or pink. blue. green or yellow
frieze at the top OF the wall is COM
posed of alternate rows OF one and two
cent Columbian stamps, arranged in a
conventional design.
The ceiling Is perhaps the most effec-
tive of ALL First comes Greek border,
with corner pieces, while the centre
piece. arranged in designs OF squares,
finally ends in a smaller square OF rev.
enue stamps of different denomina-
tions. The whole In an exact representa-
tion Of beautiful mosaic work, both in
coloring and design. efA
After all the stamps had been placed
coat Of shel'ac was applied, which has
preserved the coloring and smoothness
of the work.
or course, Mr.. and Mrs. Stokes did
not spend all their time at work on the
stamps during the year they were
adorning their home. but rainy even
ings and disengaged Sundays usually
saw one or both OF them toiling away
at an occupation that was a pleasure
even though friends and neighbors
always said the end would never be
reached. 1t really was a large under
taking--perhaps a realization OF how
large may be gained when the number
OF stamps used Is stated. There arc
over $4,000 of them on the walls and
ceiling of that little room. and Mr..
Stokes says that to paste 240 he had
found good three hours work. They
erence to paste and have stood the
wear and tear OF two years service
wonderfully well.
1T was Mr.. Stokes's idea," explained
Mrs. Stokes, when asked how they ever
happened to think OF such an original
way Of furnishing their bathroom.
you see." she went on, "Mr. Stokes
has always been interested in stamps.
and has a private collection OF between
1000 and 4. 900 varieties, and this work
helped him wonderfully in learning to
know the different kinds. We only
know of two other rooms like Ii in
Chicago and one in Philadelphia. 1
don't know how those other rooms are
arranged, but I am real proud OF this
one"
Mr.. Stokes says maybe he will do an
other room some time. Il rather think
shall have me den with the walls
like that some day. Some days IL used
to make me nervous. forever pasting up
those little fellows. but when ii was all
done, you know, quite missed the
work."
The stamps. are Of course. all cancelled
but they form in themselves a valuable
collection, as there are so many differ
ent kinds. Since II has become so much
the fad to specially adorn the bath
rooms Of homes. ii is not unusual to
hear Of them all fitted out In solid sill
yer, and there is a bathroom in New
York City, it is said, where gold is plen-
tifully used. but with all these appli-
ances of wealth, in rooms where ap-
pear rare mosaics and marbles and
even onyx. the little bathroom all pa
own particular niche, and that niche an
enviable one.-Denver Post
ANNEXING PORTO RICO.