The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-17

The House Beautiful. ass It appears
In Its finest reality Is not dependent for
its beauty upon the art Of any special
school OF architecture. or the cunning
and skill of any we'll known MASTER
builder. al
The mere mention OF the House Beau
5tiful'' In connection with the title Of a
we'll known magazine, brings up a pic
5ture in the mind, to which memory re-
verts happily, because more fully than
any othersever known or seen, that pic
t,irc seems to be the embodiment Of the
real harmony in principle and proper ton
which Is spoken OF under the name of
beauty. IL s. IL 4 3 81
The picture brings back Spillared and
porticoed house center from which, wings
on each side stretched hospitality out
Tho. gray brick OF the building has
grown mellow with the tints of age, the
floor Of the portico Is paved vi tn oc ta-.s
gonal stone. There Is an utter absence
OF pretentIousness, but an all peryading;
idea of spacio usness and generosity
which extends a welcome and seems at
once to unfold the visitor who might ems
ter In an atmosphere 81 cordially and
sincerity, an atmosph which Gains
and obtains Immediate response. lt55
This house is not beautiful in the sense
Of luxurious furnishings, eastern hang
ings, or T. rkish rugs. The solid m a.
$hogany, shining and claw Dotted which
graces It's drawing room, the portraits
on&its walls and Its few time- honoredg
md ell-preserved ornaments do not obs
structS space, or Il 4 produce the hetero-9
geneous litter which. latter-day st standards
have 5est ablished. AK
ia But there is room In that drawing room
for the master and mis- tress Of the house,
whom the flow of SWha tever Is best and 4
brightest In thought, speech and action
has its source and its inspirati ion. "a While
conversation as a fine art Il a orbingly$
enga ges ones attention; while courtesy
unlocks one 8 tongue and kind ess %is the
touchstone to ones hear t, mot thing seems
to- be lacking ything ditional would
appear to be super fluous and out Of place.
The dining room In this sp ec1al 8ss' II ouseS
Beautiful might be deemed bare by s q
twentieth century mistress. To one who
looks upon II In restrospect 1t seems to-
require no alterat lon. The long board
Is surrounded once a gall Il It'll the row
OF happy faces. From q boveS the blgtS
silver tray beams the softly beautifu I'LL
face OF " the hostess looking across wi ii \
"a smile at the host, who, fresh from hiS
morning constitutional, sends from his 4
end Of the table freshly gathered Gbou-8
quetS to his lady with n gal liant bow = tina
brings a soft blush to her cheek, and Y
makes her quite a girl az gain.
Perhaps, however, = the room q boya a IL
others IN the House Beautiful 5. around
which life and love centers, Is 1 the one
called ""the chamber, |" the one sacred to-
the mis- tress, but open at her vii to every
member Of the household, the room where
tender condolences are given and held ms
Sviolable, and matters relating to 5s the
sweet intlinacles3 Of the household circle
cham ber', & has now no part or place: I'M
the modern home; but it is good TO look
back upon 1t. to. see once more the wide
fireplace, filled with its jar Of feathery