The sun., 1898-07-17
LIFE IN AN OLD nANsIoM.
It Is Not UnaIloyed Delight, Especially IL It
Ii Near Watering Place.

Ii Near Watering Place.
LEBANON SPRINGS. n. Y. July 16-Ifanybody
is thinking Of buying an old mansion. the own
ers Of one at Lebanon Centre offer their sympa-
thies in advance II the old mansion is to be
near watering place, they will add pity to
sympathy. They know how it is themselves.
This mansion is a splendid old place which
has stood the wear and tear of hundred years.
It is perhaps unlike any other old dwelling
house in this country. 1t is in reality three
story house. although the third story is under
a gambrel roof. 1t Is said that at the time the
house was built there was q special tax on any
building with more than two stories. and that
the tax was evaded in this case by making q
gambrel roof.
Maybe this is true and maybe it isn't At any
rate the present owners wish that their re-
spected great-grandfathers had got rid of the
tax. il that was his idea. by leaving Oh the
Gambrel roof altogether, On the whole. they
are not sure but they would be quite willing to
own an old mansion near a watering place. pro-
vided it didn't have gambrel roof.
The third story. up under the iniQuitous gam
bre. ought to be haunted. II it isn't. 1t is an
immense room Of full height. and lighted by
windows at each end. Two enormous square
ehimneys go up through the the room at some dis
rated with Masonic emblems OF all kinds
skulls. squares. tablets. and so on. The deco
rations are Just as they were originally put on
except that in one or two places they have been
stained by the leaking OF the roof.
Suss Thf ths
room OF his fine third story. He was not a
Mason himself. and he did not need the money
that he might perhaps have gained by letting
1t 70 men who were Masons.
Two women. summer visitors at the hotel
day and drew near the old house with exclama a
tons OF delight. Probably the greed OF the
rate the owners. busy in the front yard. recoR-
nized this siEhtseelpg expression and very
nnmlstakabIy turned ,TI S their b1cks & But the
pened to dwell in curious ancestral halls. 80
they boldly approached the inhospitable backs
I'VE heard OF your fine old house." they, re.
mark ed in their best manner. " and We walked
over from the Springs 70 see II We could look
THE outside of it ?" inquired one OF the own
ers. with quick glance from under her sun
The Visitors hesitated. only moment. Then
they said: oh. yes. OF courseI The outside
clear r. around Sd it and M look al You want TO-" a
Thank you said the visitors. humb bly,.
Don't mention t. l didn't know but you'd
Eant 1Pt 70 70 be taken all through the house Most
Certainly not"
I'm glad you're so sensible. Most folks
seem TO think we haven't got anything TO do
but show them around"
" Do many people come p
The two owners threw up their hands.
You'd think 1t was a museum"
That Is very nearly what II is, however. as the
visitors discovered later. The present owners.
even after sixty years OF living in house which
the sightseeing tourist has considered his
riRhtful prey, are still TO be won over. But.
while they showed the old furniture, the china.
the big hreplaces, the great hewn beams fas-
tened together with wooden pegs. and as solid
To this day "a they were hundred years ago.
they uttered a few words In season.
summer hotel people" said one. seem 70
think that anybody that lives in very old
house has nothing better To do than show IL
of. Congress ought 10 set aside fund for the
unfortunate owners OF ancient buildings Peo-
pie consider this house u sort OF public relic
They like u come here and climb up our stairs
and peek into our rooms and chip on pieces Of
our clustering and say; Just think OF the peo-
pie that have been in these roomsp That's all
very well in public places where it is somebody
business 70 attend 10 sightseers. bat this Is
our home"
From these remarks IL will be seen that the
possession Of an ancestral mansion Is a ehas-
tened pleasure.