The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-12-31

OAsEaOEuAuSry OOhA1Cl1e OF Noted
Staten Island Recluse will BE Dis
mantlcd-Miss Morgan Known az
an Authority on Cattle-Had valu-
able Paintings and statuary.
Staten Islands most extraordinary
domicile is soon to be dismantled. and
the art treasures, canvases, wonderful
woodwork, mosaics and statues that
represent the handicraft of an uncom.
monty talented woman are to be ship
ped to Ireland. whence she came, says
the New York Herald. Out on the top
d a hill browning Bard avenue, about
4 mile from Livingstone station. stands
the house, which for years has been
known to it's neighbors as the Morgan
Curio." It was built at an expense Of
$4,000 as a residence for Miss "Midy'
Morgan. who, until her death in 1892,
was one of New York's most noted
characters; but, c%uriously enough, she
never lived in it. because it was. not
sufficiently convenient to the scene of
her principal activities to please her.
Miss mildly" Morgan's sister Jane,
whose rare talent and whose devotion
to mildly" made the house what it is,
died three years ago. and her nephew,
Mr.. John Holder, then fell heir to the
property. Having no appropriate place
in which to keep the treasures with
which the "Curio" is filled, Mr.. Holder
has just sold all Of them to Major
Hickman Morgan. a wealthy relative,
who has a palatial home at Skibberee,
Ireland. r..
Major Morgan recently came to New
York and examined the remarkable
collection. representing almost the life
wor,k Of his gifted relative. He has just
returned to Ireland on the CELTIC. But
before he went he had arranged with
Mr.. Holder to have all the distinguish
Ing features of the "Curio's" interior
shipped to his home. and there he ex-
poets to devote special apartments to
their reception and to display them as
nearly as possible in their original re-
latiOn to one another.
In it's exterior aspect there is moth
ing strikingly peculiar about the Nor
gan house except that the front door
is away off to n side, apart from the
wooded lane that leads to the house.
1t is a two story and a half structure,
with a mansard roof. and is fireproof
and built in the most substantial man
ner. All the beams of the structure are
iron. All the windows on the ground
floor are heavily grated with iron bars.
A broad chimney runs up through the
center Of the house, and on each floor
are two great ireplaces, one on each
side OF the chimney. An open STAIR
way leads to the upper floors.
On the ground floor the one spacious
apartment is a salon, music room, sit
ting room and library combined. Pale
blue tiles and heavily carver oak give
it dignity and character. Here is seen
much Of the best handiwork Of Jane
Morgan = carved and lnlaid master
pieces Of woodwork. a large marble
bust o. her sister and scores Of por-
traits and other paintings in oil. Here
there are curious teakwood cabinets.
divans and tete-a-tetes.
The sisters were of excellent lineage,
and on the death Of their father each
inherited $4,000. Both had travelled
extensively and studied in Rome. They
were no strangers to London drawing
rooms, and Italy's king. Victor Eur
manuel, had befriended them and rec
ognized their talents with special
marks of favor. Miss James tastes led
her to devote herself to art. Her sis
ter 'Midy" came to America and be-
came n Of the best known journalists
In America and an authority on cattle
and live stock.
One Of her favorite haunts while en-
gagged in New York journalistic work
the cattle yards of Jersey City. F,
where she loved to visit and pick out
the fine points of the live stock. Her
fondness for all animals amounted to u |
passion.
1t was Jane. however, who was the
real creator Of the ''Curio." She came
from her atelier in Munich to do this
work of love for her sister. and she de-
voted four years of assiduous toll to the
task. The ceiling of the study is form
ed of large oblong panels of intricate
scroll saw work. Hundreds of similar
panels line the side walls and frame
massive mantel mirror. Under
each of the larger paintings runs a
.helflike projection. On its edge are
notices and quotations
wrought in inlaid wood. such as THE
spirit and the bride say come" Il lay
down and slept. awaked. for the
Lord sustained me-" aud the like.
In all these marvellous mural decora-
tons n is amazed at the originality,
skill and patience displayed. One of
fireplaces is quantity ornamental
with horseshoes, souvenirs from many
tracks of Europe, England and