Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-28

the state apartments; the cost is but a
paltry thousand a week, and several gen
tlemcn have tried to take them upon yearly
lease. That will set all the folk who know
of It to staring and talking whenever he
ventures forth, so that all in u breath tho
state apartments occupant finds himself n
celebrity. He can increase the celebrity
by having his meals served in private
and II he wishes to approach a sCmi-scu-
satiCnal climax there must be u man In
the corridor keeping II weather eye upon
all who approach the door, Privacy of
this severe and unbepding description
brings n reward of publicity truly grateful
to aspiring climbers.
\ royal atmosphere and a truly royal
disregard of cost mark and dignity state
apartments. There are, perhaps, ten rooms
in thcm-music room, parlor, breakfast and
dining rooms, reception cabinet, pirate
secrotary's den, chamber, dressing room.
and a bath fit for Il Roman emperor. All
the woodwork is solid mahogany. the floors
are dcadened, the walls hung with hrocade
at so the yard, or priceless. genuine, an
tique tapestry; or paneled in rich woods
and ovorlaid with marvels of the pottcr's
skill. The big bed stands upon a dais, out
of Difference, possibly, to a royal shade, for
1t belonged originally to 2 famous king.
The rugs came straight from Persia, and
more than half the furniture is costly an
tique stun. The other moiety is all hand
made and beautifully wrought. Each room
has a separate color note, but all melt in
scnsibly into an indescribably harmonious
whole. Here is something beyond the glare
and gliding, the flambuoyant frescocs, onyx
and brasses, and mosaic, so plentiful else
where in the great structure. Taste and
genius, severely refined, wrought here for
the perfecting of all things. 1t is not
strange that some few occupants find them-
selves out of harmony with their surround
ings, bored, and in a degree envious of the
folk who have lighter and gayer, IL less
distinguished, quarters. These mingle with
the throng in palm room and smoking room,
mount with the awed sightseers to the
dizzy heights of sun parlors up In the hf-
toenth story, and take afternoon tea in
the palm room and the corridors where the
dress parade warns the hearts cookies o,
feminine onlookers, while men play softly
on stringed Instruments as the tea drinking
and gossip go forward.
The apartment hotel is very unlike all
this. 1t Is no more than an ordinary hand
some apartment, with exemption from
housekeeping cares. Materially, it is less
gorgeous than the big hotel, yet more ornate
than the average apartment house. In IL
one can be truly a private person If one
chooses. One can also dine in public with
almost the same show Of damask, glitter of
silver and glow Of flowers inevitable on the
dinner tables OF the bigger places. There
are great ball rooms, fOyeTs and roof garden
dining halls. The buildings are light and
airy throughout, we'll built, but each bears
in some subtle fashion the earmaTk of its
construction era. Change is the apartment
hotels law of being. What was the heighth
of fashion five years back Is distinctly out
of architectural fashion i'm this present year
of grace.
One can rent here apartments complete to
the finest detail, or wholly empty, or only
partly furnished, so as to leave room for
ones special Lares and Penates. The ten
ant has little to do beyond paying the rent.
Light, heat, service, meals, all are looked
out for by the management. 1t Is an easy
life, and so easy that it often ends by be-
coming strenuous. Variety is impossible in
the menu, or rather that sort Of variety
which satisfies palates strongly individual,
So in the main 1t is a life suited only to
very lazy. or very busy, people. There must
be a great plenty of such folk, for apart
ment hotels continue to multiply and -four
ish.