Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-19
SOME MILLTONAIREs' KITCHENS.
Splendid ShriReS Where Costly Wand
Arc .prennred.

Arc Prepared.
The cook who enjoys beautifully mani
cured finger nails and keeps up her interest
in tho arts and belle-letters is no longer a.
comic opera character, but a really truly in
dividual. who is the natural product of the
modern kitchen. 1t is a truly beautiful and
interesting department-the improved
kitchen in the new American house-and in
some of them the most exquisite, artistic
taste. not to speak of dollars unlimited,
have been lavished in its perfection and
decoration. Now it is the belief of many en-
lightened householders that there is no do
nestle employee who can profit to a greater
extent by agreeable surroundings than a
cook. She will toss up far more savory, di-
gestible and tempting dishes in a cheerful,
harmonious atmosphere than in the midst
Of dull and depressing environment, and
acting on the proof of experiment the archi-
tects and householders are building for the
cook shrines where Venus or Minerva might
DO exceedingly happy.
With very few exceptions these kitchens
are set up on the roofs, so that light can be
had on at least three sides of the room. For
four feet up the walls are usually tiled in
colors and designs peculiarly adapted to
culinary talent. For example, in one kitchen
the tiles about the room were copies from
frescoes in a PomDeiian house, showing
quantity the ancient modes of cookery. In
another kitchen the tiles represented a feast
of the Greek gods, with offerings of grain,
fruits. savories and flesh, provided by Ceres,
Pau. Bacchus, etc.
Above the tiles the walls are given a hard
finish, and so treated that a moist cloth can
be each week passed over them, to remove
every atom of dust. No pictures are hung
against the walls, but clever decorations, in
grape-bearing vines or a composition in In
dian corn, or mixed grains, is stenciled on
as a frieZe and then oyerlaid with a varnish
that keeps 1t from falling or from injury
by the cleaning cloth. The ceiling Is treated
in a variety of ways; finished hard and plain
in color, or, as in the house of one New
York millionaire and politician, is gorgeously
frescoed an exact copy of his wedding break
fast. with the guests rising and raising
their glasses in the final congratulatory
toast.
The floors are always wisely and simply
covered with a brown or green preparation,
half rubber, half wool, that is firm, yet easy
under the cooks feet. and all the iliuminat-
ing is done by electricity in side lights from
richly wrought pendant brackets. Such
wooden furniture as is used. and there is the
cooks own great chair, a monks bench fol
luc pooloidLlS, hIu uIesbtJS Oh NhTlDuS SlZeS
are carved oak and often the richest, gen
uine antiques. Some kitchens are regular
curio shops. every cup, kettle and platter
having been chosen with infinite care ant
all Of these articles SO skillfulIy renovated
or altered as to bring them quite up to date
without taking away the least of the charm
OF age. Over gas, electricity. or charcoal
the cooking can be done II necessary-dutct
ovens. electric heaters and gas stoves occu,
plying their respective places against the
walls and each one so exquisiteiy tiled ana
decorated, with hand wrought metal tina
they could hold places OF honor In a drawlnl
room.
There Is a marvellous stove that was takeI
from an Elizabethan kitchen near OXFORD
and set up in a Boston house, where Amer
= lean genius has rendered II useful for al
, manner of cooking. This huge cooking
: machine, one of the first ever used in Eng
, land, runs up to the ceiling with steps a
the side, to admit OF the cooks climbing Vi
, to peep into the various departments, wher
4 dozens of fowls can roast at once.
This stove when completed cost its oWne
= nearly 5000, since by electricity the Who'll
9 or only a department OF IL can be used at
5 time, and by touching a button. as the coo
Z opens the door, the whole interior OF tn
' ovens are illuminated. enabling her to Sc
n the exact condition of the rising bread o
. baking meats without turning them. /
r kitchens such as these the eommonest uten
a sill. even the humble garbage tub. become
O an excellent and ornamental piece of bric-a
a brac, when the days labors are over an