The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-01-29
BY FRANCES sHAFFER.

Years ago when beautiful, turreted
Lyndhurst fell into the hands Of Miss
Helen Gould, there were kennels for
packs OF dogs on the big estate, and
| there was a large bowling alley OF from
the tennis courts But she had no use
| for the kennels and none for the bowling
alley; at least, there were things she
cared more about than fer them
So on the ground where the kennels
| once stood there is building devoted
| to her cooking and domestic science
classes. And the big bowling alley was
turned into q home for her sewing
school.
And that is the way It has gone from
that time to the day when, 1.-THE most
beloved woman in America" as she has
been called. dropped the name that had
come to stand for many beautiful things
for the new name, which doubtless will
grow Just as pleasantly familiar in the
years to come. For nobody doubts that
Mrs. Finley ]. Shepard will remain the
same warm-hearted philanthropist. the
same gracious woman that she always
has been.
Open to Children.
Every Saturday morning during the
spring and summer months Lynd-
bursts gates are opered-indeed. are
they ever closed?-to the children who
come trooping in from Tarrytown, White
Plains, and all the nearby towns for
instruction in sewing. There are between
800 and 400 OF them, little girls and boys
for the boys come, too-and older girls,
all broken up into classes, with COM
petent teachers in charge Of the work.
And at the close of the sewing school
season comes the great annual picnic
for the Lyndhurst boys and girls. who
for years have enjoyed the bounteous
hospitality OF the big-hearted woman who
plans for their work and then thinks of
their play.
1t Is a pretty big affair, this Lynd-
hurst picnic, for the members Of the
school are invited, their families, even
their friends. And Lyndhurst Is beauti-
fully made for picnics, because it is not
all laid out in stately, formal gardens,
but the grounds are rich and spreading
in wonderful trees, green lawns, and
lovely roses that invite the boys and
girls to play. And they do play. games
of all sorts and descriptions on the lawns
and tennis courts. The big boys have
their athletics, the big girls the games
they like, and for the older folk there
are quieter amusements, while the little
ones can roll and tumble about just as
they please.
Then come the prizes, work prizes, and
play prizes, and last of all refreshments
and homeland the Riddles and all have
had a mighty pleasan day.
Recruited from Nearby Towns.
The cooking and domestic science
classes are likewise recruited from the
nearby towns. starting with very little
folk and working up to young women, all
carefully trained by teachers from New
York. The gracious mistress of Lynd-
hurst has fitted up the school with com
pIete cooking implements OF all kinds,
and each pupil has her own set OF work
ing tools.
And for years she has entertained
"fresh-air' children during the summer
months. has opened her Woody Crest
home TO crippled children and has made
all the neighborhood folk feel a personal
interest in the big country estate that Is
at once beautiful and simple.
Lyndhurst park and the Lyndhurst
Conservatives have not been kept for
the enjoyment of the favored few. In
the greenhouses there are beautiful col
lections OF tropical plants and flowers,
choice specimens gathered from all cor
ners of the world, and for many years
have been familiar pleasures to the folk
in the vicinity of Lyndhurst-
They have known and enjoyed them
aIl-and they have known and enjoyed
the hospitality of the woman who owned
the big estate and who dispensed her hos
pitality with quite unusual hand.
Strange Mixture of Gifts.
And these are Just a few Of the reasons
for the strange mixture of gifts that
went in wondrous profusion through the
gates of Lyndhurst-
For there were costly, very costly, ex-
pressions Of love and good wishes, and,
side by side with them, were the simpler
gifts from folk Helen Gould had be-
friended. the village folk, the girls and
boys from her schools, her employees and
lot of others who did not want her
wedding day to go by without a reminder
that they remembered and loved her.
And, Of course, there were the welcome
gifts from the officers, the soldiers and
sailors Of the army and navy, and-but
they seemed to come from everywhere.
A gift from the blind IN an association
in which she was interested was just
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