The Irish standard., 1908-08-22

p:iNNS VI tile v IL 6IIiId CdPltdl. hG
rian possesses some original points,
though it is in, the main the conven-
tional Italian renaissance, with dome
and porticos. The architect. Joseph
H. Mcguire of New York. spent years
perfecting his design. and studied
with diligence all the famous cathe
drals of Europe and the East.
The building materials are all Amer
ican, the foundation being the Virginia
granite and the superstructure Indiana
limestone. But the artistic interior is
almost entirely Italian. Mrs. Ryan
spent months in Europe in the work
shops at Pisa, for exquisite carved
marble, in the Florentine studios for
bronzes and enamel and in Rome for
mosaic. The details of the decorations
are all her personal selection, aided, of
course, by Mr.. Mcguire and the Italian
artist who had charge of the frescoing
and mural decorations. She has many
exquisite watercolor paintings in her
Washington home, of details of the ca
thedral, and her pride in it amounts
to enthusiasm.
Daughter of Husbands Employer.
Mrs. Ryan is the daughter of her
husbands first employer, John D. Bar
ry of Baltimore. Though her father
began life humbly in the retail dry
goods business, she claims good old
blood from the Emerald Isle, for the
Barrys, her kinsmen, stand among the
heroes, not only in Ireland, but in
America. OF this line came the father
of the American navy, the doughty
Commodore Barry, whose statue is
about to be erected in Washington.
Mrs. Ryan has possessed from her
girlhood serious religious DISPOSE
tion, and in her early life she con-
templated entering a convent. She has
been the mother of seven children,
only four Of whom are living. The
death of her only daughter, called Ida
Barry, for herself, was a blow from
which she has not yet recovered. Since
her daughters death, nearly ten years
ago, she has lived more within herself
and has devoted herself more closely
to spiritual matters. In her Washing
ton home she maintains a beautiful
little chapel, of which one Of the Je-
suit fathers from Georgetown Univer-
sity is chaplain. This chapel is con-
secrated in a special manner to the
dead girl, and all the altar vessels are
made from ,jewelry which she: owned,
and the vestments from the silken gar
nents which she used to wear. At
Christmas a stable of Bethlehem is fit
ted up in princely style, for the girl
was particularly devoted to the cele-
bration of Christmas. The garments
of the Virgin are wonderfully rich in
bands of gold, studded with gems, and
the gifts of the three wise men, pre-
sented on a golden salver, must in
every way compare with the genuine
gifts of the. first Gentiles in the CEN
turtles ago. Only few friends are
permitted to see the chapel, though
any children who come are taken there
cheerfully. A visit there is the event
| in the week for all those who form part
of the Ryan household, the lamplighter
on the block, the newsboys, the tele-
graph boys and the children Of all who
have even the slightest duty in the
home. All get a substantial gift on the
feast of the Holy Innocents, which
comes on the 2sth Of December.
Indifferent to Fashions.
Mrs. Ryan is as Indifferent to the
changing modes Of the fashion as she
is to the honors of Vanity Fair. Her
raiment is invariably rich and appro-
pirate, but she cares little whether IL
must pass muster on Rue de la Paix
or whether she might be displaying
styles which the ultra set had long age
discarded. She wears little jewelry
Nearly all her gems have been giver
t. churches which she has founded
Mr.. Ryan is fond of presenting his
wife with handsome and rare gems
but she wears the gifts only short
time before they are given to make
up some chalice or to adorn a sane.
tuary. A friend who was visiting her
once in Suffern, had a satchel contain.
ing her exquisite pearls and diamonds
stolen from the railroad. When she
was bemoaning her loss to Mrs. Ryan
that lady remarked with smile that
1t would be a clever thief, indeed. who
would steal her Jewels. They are 50
scattered that 1t would take very in.
dustrious thief to locate the most val.
liable ones. They form rims of chal.
ices. and some six scores of her rings
have been given to four churches tc