Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-01-23

In these days of Venetian palaces
and Spanish adobes, Queen Anne cot
tages and French chateaux, it is re-
freshing to look upon the efforts of
a former generation who built for util-
ity, comfort and durability Knowing
nothing of architecture, they suited
their buildings to their environment.
In the large town, the square colonial
type seemed best fitted to the limited
plot of land available. In our vigor-
Gus Northern cline, the outbuildings
were connected, while in the South
detached buildings were better suit
ed to the needs of the Southerner.
A garden was always in the plan.
Notice the high-walled garden of the
Ladd house, Secure from the gaze of
the chance passer-by, what place for
the romps of childhood, the dreams of
youth and the peaceful retrospect of
old age.
That great chimney; what visions
of mammoth roaring fires does it
conjure up,
Big houses were a necessity. Our
strenuous president would have had
no fear of race suicide, as twenty
children were reared in one of these
houses, and families of twelve or fif-
teen were the rule. Built for poster
ity, the voices of children's children
still re-echo through these ancestral
halls.
These old Portsmouth houses-the
Ladd house, built in 1850; Pierce
house, 1879; Gerrish house, 1900; Gov.
John Wentworth house, 1869, and Gov.
Langdon house, 1884 are interesting
examples of the town houses of that
period. And what of the occupants?
M, low T foI
duty of informing George Washington
of his election as first president Gov.
Langdon, being the first president of
the United States senate, was acting
president, there being neither presi-
dent nor vice president.
This speech of Gov. Langdon, made
while he was speaker of the New
Hampshire house of representatives,
gives us an insight into what patriot
ism meant at that time. 1t is also
interesting as showing the financial
status of governor in those days.
They were trying to raise troops and
money to aid in checking Burgoynes
progress. He said:
81 have $1,000 in hard money; will
pledge my plate for $4,000 more;
have seventy hogsheads of rum which
will be sold for the most they will
bring. They are at the service of the
State''
The Langdon house was the scene
of many royal banquets, Louis Phil
ippe, President Monroe and President
Washington being frequent guests
Nor was it alone in the town house
that our patriotic friends were enter
tanned. The picturesque rambling
Gov. Benning Wentworth house, built
in 1850, sheltered many a noble head
This house is made famous by Long
fellows poem, Lady Wentworth" in
Tales of Wayside Inn
Where his great house stood looking out
to sea.
A goodly place where it was good to be.
It was a pleas ant mansion, an abode
Near and yet hidden from the great high
Sequestered among trees. noble pile,
Baronial and colonial in its STYLE
This house contains forty-f7s
rooms, and it was in the banquet hall
that the venerable governor electri-
fed his guests by marrying his house
maid and turning the banquet into q
wedding feast.
The bride was the self-same mar
tina Hilton, who, but few years be-
fore, was reprimanded by one of the
good danes for going barefoot and
barenecked to the public watering
".Oh. Martha Hilton, Fie, how dare you
About the town half dressed. and looking
At which the gypsy laughed. and straight
No matter how look. yet shall ride
In my own chariot. ma am"
l. ~ Il