The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-04-07
The Whsfe Interior 20 90 Under the
Aecsicneers Hammer Because
Missress Ioss Her
Health.
FILLED WITH TREASURES


NEW YORK, April One Of New
York's most unique homes Is about to
pass. Because the most precious OF
gifts Is denied her, Mrs. Philip Lydig
liz going to dispose OF her Fifty-second
street house and its wonderful furn-
ishings. to seek that which alone
makes happiness possible health.
Probably in all the town shere is not
another home go individual. 1t is not
large, but from entrance to roof there
is not enc false note OF color. form or
period. Not one vase or lamp too
many. yet no place for one more piece
Iof furniture or picture without mar
ring the effect
Mrs. Lydlg's Spanish ancestry for
centuries has bred In her a love Of
Latin art and architecture. traditions
and manners. As Miss Rita de Alba
de Acosta, youngest daughter OF a
banker. she spent much time abroad,
labsorbing art lore from her fathers
native land.
Personally. Mrs. Lydig is ones ideal
'
willowy, and graceful to the finger
| tips From her dark hair and Spanish
| eyes to the arch OF her ingtep she is
the embodiment of high breeding.
Ouida would revel in describing her.
Bertha NJ Clay would devote chapters
to her loneliness.
The Lydig home Is feudai castle
made habitable. All it lacks is moat
End drawbridge and to have the
English buffers done over into Span
fish halbardiers. Yet with all it's
Imedieya! air, by some miracle, the
place is home-like. A vague personal
touch Is felt In each room. from the
marble dining hall to the stately
library with its great oak doors, bound
with iron and riyeted with hammered
nail-heads. Maybe 1t is because the
4 Spanish ghosts that seem to hauni
the furnishings are happy in an atmos
iphere of twentieth century steam hea
and electricity Possibly It come!
from the great American beauties II
. their earthen pot on the table. o.
just from the near presence Of Mrs
! Lydig herself, who loves each chat
, and picture, tapestry, rug and book IL
; her wonderful house.
II auctioneers had tears, they surel,
would shed them at thought Of knock
D ling down these priceless antiques an,
art objects that certainly belon,
9 more to Andalusian ghosts than T.
e highest bidders There are two Tir
!. taretto panels in the library, for IL
! stance, that depict the Raising of tn
i Cross. over the marble fireplace
d which Is from ruined palace, is
Il painted grandee in plumed hat. b
n Mora. Opposite, on the oak-panele
1 wall, are two more portraits by tn
= same master. little Del Gree
q painting on wood is hung near
g window. A giant candelabrum, 81
feet tall, of age-old carved Woo
stands at either end OF the tabl,
2. Their heinous electric bulbs are hit
i den under thick shades OF yello-
brocade and old lace SO that on
o would never dream that their sol
a light came from anything but wick
y floating in fifteenth century oil.
4 The library table is huge, wa
d beaten slab of wood, that brings VII
r ions Of roistering company {
knights. Some OF the chairs are 6
a ancient that worms have chewed Ii
= tie tunnels in them Others are III
holstered In rare old red brocade thu
}, keep the room warm with color. TIL
4 ceiling, of square paneled oak, wa
> brought from some musty castle {
IS -.