The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-21

Kneipp institute for the treatment of
diseases according to the methods of
Father Kneipp, in whose train the rich
and noble have so long walked bare
foot. Upon the veranda, where satin
slippered feet have trod during many
brilliant ball, little bare feet no less
delicate make, these winter days, ten
der imprints in the new-fallen snow.
"Ach, it gives them good; they have
rheumatisms," says the institute at
tendant. But there'u be new feet
there; yes, tomorrow"
A refrain of all old houses, no doubt;
new feet there tomorrow"
Merriam House a Contrast.
In contrast to the medieval houses
Of st. Paul is shown a specimen Of the
ancient edifices, the houses that were
old when any Mansard roof was new.
This Is the John l.. Merriam house, at
No. 4S1, on the east side of Willius
street, between Ninth and Grove streets,
facing Lafayette park. 1t is a square
house, and in that respect suggests the
colonial dwellings,. But 1t uphOlds no
pOrtico, no columns. 1t has a tower.
like the later houses, but it is-a belfry
tower in the center Of the roof. The
walls are not of wood, like the Classic
houses in Eighth and Fort streets. nor
yet Of yellow brick, like the several
prides of Tenth street.
The Merriam house was built in the
latter SOS. 1t was bought by John l..
Merriam soon after he came to St Paul,
in 1860. He occupied it for thirty years.
Then he removed to a splendid stone
dwelling on Merriam hill, a residence
accounted at the time the finest in st.
Paul. AT the old house he had long ex-
tended generous hospitality.
AS is well remembered, "Col." Mer-
Ram was for many years one of the
chief capitalists of Minnesota. With A.
II. Wilder, J. c. Burbank, H. c. Bur-
bank and Russell Blakely, he controlled
the transportation business of the early
days Afterwards he was prominent as
a railroad man, a banker, a contractor.
He died in 1895, leaving a large fortune.
One of his sons, former Gov. w. r.
Merriam, is now a resident Of New
York; several other members Of the
family remain in st. Paul
The old Merriam house is coated
with gray-brown stucco, or "mastic,"
as it once was known, a plaster out
lined in paint to resemble splendid ma
sonry. That was mere pretense, Of
course but, as lies may often outlast
truth, this shabby plaster wore better
than good brick.
A Great Metamorphosis.
Only at a few points is the stucco
coming off. The brown woodwork Of
the porch, however, is falling apart;
the broken glass Of the front door is
half mended with a pane too small;
upon the porch roof, above the en-
trance, a grimy wooden box advertises
Rabbits Best Soap" Higher still,
within the broken windows of the CEN
trail tower, soiled clothing swings amid
the sunlight.
The old settler, passing between the
broken gate posts Of the vanished
fence, tries to believe that servant
may open the battered doors and say,
Yves, sir, carriages at 1870. This way,
sir; Col. and Mrs. Merriam are receiv-
ing in the library"
Instead, the shivered glass rattles
when the door is opened by fat Italian
laborer in overalls who is carrying a
dinner bucket. He shakes his head,
sets down his bucket on strip Of
cracked oilcloth and replies:
mo spik-ka da Eng-leesh. Wan-ta
da board? All cal-la da boss; he spik-
ka like hell"