The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-11-01
Interior of a Damascus Palace
Of the Time Of the Caliphs.
CURIOUS THINGS OF VALUE
The Choicest Rug in the World Once
Lay Upon the Floor Of the
Alhambra, and It Is at
the Worlds Fair

SPECIAL fg0RRESPONDEScB III
MARK BENNiTf.l
The palaces Of tie Alhambfa have
for 50 many generations been The
theme Of poetry ANA prose that one
can but pause with confused emotions
before one Of the greatest treasures Of
the world, 4 silk rug 81 rarest sheen
That lay upon tie floor Of one Of these
kingly apartments when Moorish roy
atty dwelt in splendor there More
than one kings foot has pressed the
pile Of this precious reminder of Moor.
ish glory before Andalusia was swept
clean Of her swarthy Moors Apart
from its association with romance. his
tory and regal luxury, the rug Is a
thing that an emperor today might
justly coyet, for tile art that made il
is one of the lost secrets The harmo.
ny Of color is worthy Of an artists de
votion. Among the shades is the royal
purple Of Abdurrahman III, the Moor
ish ruler most famed for his luxurious
tastes, who encouraged industries that
embraced such exquisite works as
this found this rug IN the greatest
treasure house Of the exposition the
Benguiat collection Of ancient art
which stands uear tie Palace Of For
estrg, Fish and Game
II Ehpratm Benguiat comes OF an
illustrious Spanish family which traces
It's origin back as far as the eleventh
century, lie has been an art collector
all bis life, and this is the first tiine
that he has had 50 many Of his treas
ures together in one place. A million
dollars probably would not buy them
Associated with him is his SON. Nor
decai BenguIat, who il but little less
enthusiastic III his search for rare
works Of every art
no sit within the walls Of a Damas
Gus palace ana weave anew the 70
mances that were enacted within thos,
selfsame walls id ancient days were
reyelry of mind indeed
What strange, deep panelings il thos,
three great canopies, What echoes
have reverberated in those shadows il
the far past! What scenes have thesi
lofty eupped ceilings looked down upoI
IN the long ago! How like eanopiei
they are, too. with long draperies d
rich wood carvings and raised painted
designs hanging low at the corners
What curious old tiles. with Arab,
inscriptions from the Koran. brillian
as the day they came clean from tai
glazing oven a thousand years ago
One OF the tiles viii be pointed out II
you as containing d reference 70 til,
Christ Here is a translation Of the hi
scription:
BY the believers came tidines Of vic
tory sent them BY God D believers, b
the followers of God Remember tina
when the Son Of Mary asked his disciples
Who Will follow me to God? they am
swered we are the followers Of God.
AT the far end Is d carved wood lat
tice OF large mesh We come closer
Beyond the lattice is the family mauso
leum, place without door. 1T il
forbidden that the living shall 20 III
and surely the dead hath no need O
doors We may look through to &C
quaint ourselves with the customs q
ten centuries ago IN Syria, for thii
was a palace OF the caliphs. The liv
ing then did not part from their iovet
ones when death came between them
but kept them ever close, to be though
OF and cherished, lending a sweetness
to the sorrow of those bereft tn,
little room has pleasant furnishings
things that were loved. perhaps. b.
those now gone III the center is
catafaldue covered with choice rug
but only the eyes may enter. excep
by some secret passage, perhaps, t
keep the room fresh and beautiful
How came you by these rarest o
treasuresT1 | asked the elder Ben
guiat, as | sat looking into the nIosah
fountain which had reflected the smile
OF Syrian women GOO years before
1T is d curious story, for this palac
room is a great treasure even ia ia
mascus As you may know. | inherit
Ell from my father love of art objects
and my whole life has been spent ii
their collection | came in contac
from boyhood with people who appre
ciated rare and beautiful things ans
was commissioned many years ago t
plan certain rooms in the palace 4
Gibraltar for the Duke Of Connaught
| These rooms were success, and Til
1 A SKIN on BEAUTY is "A JOY FOREVER.