Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-20
MASSIVE, MARBEEIloNs|
- GUARDING The. /
PRESIDENTS STAIRMHX|I

floor leads to the reception hall. cool.
stately room where formal tranquility
is evident in the unusual height of the
ceiling. an air Of spaciOusness and general
atmosphere of refinement. This hall is
SO large and the door of such generous
size that coach-and-four might be
driven through. Just at the entrance
deeply cut into the floor there is the print
of a horses hoof that was made when the
British general, Tarleton. raided Month
cello and rode up the marble staircase
through the magnificent hall and out
through the salon on his fruitless search
for Jenerson.
Directly over the main door is set
colossal clock which, though more than a
century old. still keeps excellent time
This clock was made on the grounds IN
brought from Europe by Jefferson ex-
pressly for that purpose. 1t is of the
weight and pulley style. and this mechan-
ism was ingeniously arranged. Long iron
wires stretch from the base of the clock
to the walls. down which they run
through holes in the floor to allow their
full scope. The weights were cannon
balls. those left on the death of the
master being relics of the revolutionary
war. There are seven of these balls on
each side and on the wall were set seven
placards that marked the days of the
week. forming calendar as the weights
lowered each day. The clock has dou-
BILE face, one toward the room, the other
showing through the wall onto the We
randa. Also there is connection with a
belfry in the tower above the house that
struck the hours on a gong that can &c
heard clear down in the village.
+
Standing in the entrance one faces the
gallery which half encircles the hall-a
gallery so gracefully proportional that
Stanford White, the noted architect, de-
never be reproduced especially the rail-
ing. for every portion Of 1t was made by
hands whose art is nearly lost in the
modern machine era
In one corner Of this hall Is Jeffersons
old music stand. Made of walnut, it is
almost black from age, and there Is
pasted under the music shelf a bit of
paper upon which Jefferson signed his
name.
Next to this rack is column and
capital, the original casts of the model
designed by Jefferson from which the pill
lars of the Capitol were fashioned. Upon
this pedestal is bust OF Jefferson. by
the prime Of his life.
In this corner Is the coffee urn Jeffer-
son used during his administration at the
White House and in Paris when he was
under a glass case and rests upon the
original table upon which 1t was set.
Shaped like Greek amphora. with grace
full handles. 1t is set upon a squire
pedestal above a marble slab. On the
face of the vessel is the Jefferson crest.
over the great open fireplace. upon
which stand an antique clock of queer
design and two odd metal lamps that are
black from age hangs the famous Dick
portrait of Jefferson. wearing a fur coat
made from royal Russian sable. 1t is a
striking portrait depicting forcefully the
wonderful character of the statesman,
and was painted for the first Secretary
of the Navy.
To the right of the door into the grand
salon is one of the most precious paint
ings of the collection. portrait of Lady
Noel. by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Lady Noel
was the great grandaunt OF Jefferson
N. Levy. This is one of Reynolds best
works. The colors are rich. the tracery
of the point lace delicate and real and
the plume that adOrns Lady NoePs head
shows gossamerlike above the fine face.
Left OF the doorway Van Dyck Is
hung. The portrait is Of Senior Miosa. a
Spanish grandee who represented his
country at the court of Charles l.
A bust of Washington. by Powers: a
bust of Benjamin Franklin, by Powers
and q bust of Alexander Hamilton add to
the interest OF this art collection In the
hall.
Stepping between double glass doors,
that have an ingenious mechanism for
opening that would be a credit to modern
housebuilding craft. the visitor enters
the grand salon. an octagonal room with
six French windows that reach from
floor to ceiling. Here the impression is
felt at once of delicate but luxurious re-
hnement. Priceless treasures OF art
relics If Jefferson and heirlooms of the