The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-03-04
KIPL1NG's VERMONT HOME.
And Something About the Balestier
Family.

NAHu DOiiietllUS ABDUL Tie IoalS5tiSi
Family.
Rudyard Kipling married Miss Caro-
BeechWood, in Brattleboro, VT, built on
the English lines Of generous dimensions
and elaborateness Of finish, is one of the
most conspicuous and charming features
of the Connecticut river valley.
Carolyn Balestier is one Of a family of
four children. Wocott Balestier, the
promising young American writer, who
was intimate with Kipling and joint au-
thor with him of the novel "Naulahka,"
was an elder brother, Josephine Bales
tier, a younger sister, and Beatty, a
younger brother, are the other members
of this branch of the family. They are
the children of Wolcott Balestier, ST.,
and Annie Smith, daughter of Judge e.
Pashine Smith Of Rochester, N. Y, who
was the United States consul to Japan
for many years.
Joseph Neree Balestier, Carolyn's
grandfather, who died in September
1888, was born in Martinique, West In
dies, on April 1, 1914. He was brought
to this country when an infant, and his
boyhood was passed in New York in the
family of an elder brother, whose wife
was daughter of Paul Revere. He
was graduated from the Columbia Law
school, and went to Chicago in 1895,
where he remained until 1S41, practicing
law and writing for the Chicago Ameri-
can, which was the daily wing paper of
that time. In 1S41 he returned to New
York, where he practiced law until 1868,
when he retired from active work in his
profession. He spent a year and half
in European travel, and then bought the
valuable property three miles north of
here where he spent the rest of his life.
Mr., Balestier had a passion for art, in
which he cultivated a discriminating
taste. He collected many paintings,
which adorn the walls of Beechwood.
The choicest of all is a genuine Murillo,
discovered by him in an old European
shop, which had been painted over by
another artist after Murillo. Mr.. Bale
sitter discovered it's real worth and had
it restored. 1t is kept in a glass case
and guarded carefully. Mr. Balestier
attended All Souls church when in New
York city, and he was a close friend Of
the Rev. Henry w. Bellows. He had an
extensive acquaintance among the
prominent intellectual men Of his day
and the extensive and never-varying
hospitality of Beechwood made them
his guests frequently.
He married in 1887, Carolyn Starr
Wolcott, of the Connecticut family of
Wolcotts, who met her future husband
while visiting relatives in Chicago.
Mrs. Balestier is very noble woman,
we'll known in New York in former
lays. During the war she left her ele-
CANT home and high social position in
New York and Joined the sanitary COM
mission as a regular nurse. Becoming
exhausted, she returned north to recov-
ar. She had heard of the beauties Of
Brattleboro and she came here for rest
and strength. She formed so great an
attachment for the place that the fami
Y located here. Mr. and Mrs. J. N.
3alestier had four sons-J ohm, lawyer
n New York; Wolcott, Robert and Jo-
;eph, who arried Miss Ireland of the
Springfield family Of Irelands, and is
living in New York. Wolcott, the sec
md son, lived and brought up his family
n Boston. He died when the children
we're quite young. Since then the chill
Iren, with their mother, have lived with
he maternal grandparents at Rochester
Y. Y, or at the family home here.
Carolyn Balestier Is of medium height
LENDER and has dark-blue eyes and
,rown hair. She is of vivacious dis
position and fond Of society 1t is said
how M I, oo with Iy;plipu tho
expressed wish of her brother Wolcott.
Kipling's Vermont home Naulahka,
uit near the Balestier homestead, Is
aid to have cost fifty thousand dollars.
he house is a long, low building. 90x26, |
With projecting roof that has just the |
uggestion of a thatch A wide veranda
xtends along the entire end Of the |
ouse. A long hall divides the house in
he iddle. there being eleven rooms on |
ither side of the hail.
The house looks not unlike an Indian |
1t is built on hillside owed |
boxing the Connecticut river, and the |
My entrance is in the rear. At every |
pproach to the house is to be found the |
ign, "No trespassing on these grounds"
,iplings room is in the southwest COR |
err, from the windows of which view |
f the river may be had for miles up or
own.
In the daytime Kipling, following the
lyle of some Englishmen, was accus-
omed to go about in the shabbiest of |
othes. He was always home an hour
efore dinner, however, and in that |
our he made a complete change Of tot
It. When he appeared in the dining
bonn he was arrayed in Immaculate
men and full evening dress. 1t was his
marrying custom when engaging a SER
ant to pledge him to absolute secrecy
,garding the daily life Of his master or
ny Of the customs of his house. Hart