The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-18
ny MORTIMER J. FOX.

TOR W years We had spent our
r. Saturdays and Sundays looking
j for our ideal of a country
home. We wanted to buy a
place which at the expense of a small
fortune had already been developed
BY some semi-phi.anthropist who
would be delighted to let us have IL at
our terms. or. failing that. to secure
an old farmhouse which could readily
be altered to fit in with our ideas. We
|. had definitely decided against purchas-
ing rough land and building our W
home: II would be too expensive.
troublesome and slow.
The quest for the completed place
I Always ended either at a hnished
product that my wife laconically de-
scrlbed as hideous or, II the place
somewhat resembled our own rather
decided ideas. with he discovery that
the selfish, un%obliging owner was not
willing TO present IL to us. As TO the
romantic sounding farmhouse. built so
iong ago that most of the timbers were
rotten. the plumbing medieval. the
ceilings too low and the house itself
usually located in the wrong pace. we
fortunately realized in time that II was
expensive and generally proved a dis
appointment.
Finally, after diligent search we
found a tract of land On n of the
hills Of Westchester county containing
century old elm. oak and pine trees
and commanding a magnificent view.
We came to tho conclusion that after
all the only way TO get what we wanted
was to build and develop the place our
asf,.,y' k.,,,t,tng n fipfSl,aI nlann 10
Ike adopting a child. you may grow
10 be very fond of II, but you can
never feel the same love as toward
your own.
Ny wife now laid before the archi-
,ect a few requirements upo which
she insisted. All of the rooms must
not only face the view. but also the
prevailing ummer breezes. Closets or
al sizes. preferably large. were to be
everywhere; every room was to have a
big fireplace, with the possible excep-
ton OF the buffers pantry. Sleeping
porches were to be so felicitously de-
signed that they would not mar but
rather add to the general charm n
lines Of the building. The servants
department. was to be generous. prac-
tea. but u~nobtrusive.
All this was TO ne contained within
two stories, so that h house would
have that low. long. Dutch colonial
effect, i, was to be built so mat IL
would be cool in summer n warm in
winter. And just one thing more, she
didn't want the house 10 have that
brand new, spic and span appearance;
she much preferred 1t to look as
.hough il had stood there for years.
The architect had his problem: II
was for him to provide a proper and
satisfactory solution.
A double row of old heavily leafed
naples, fortunately spaced just FAR
enough apart. at once settled the 10
cation Of the entrance driveway which
bOrdered by great masses OF deep req
r~hododendrons. leads to a portico ano
doorway at the rear. This leaves a
unified front, laid out with terraces
and beyond a good sweep of lawn
A minimum OF roadway was desir-
able. and the material Of which 1t Is
composed, though high in first cost
proved cheapest in the end, as the
upkeep requires no attention what
ever most roads on private places
demand the services Of a man FOL
lie.
r. ~ 49, nro,nd . nat.
"ra, housa u,os found
rrou - - uuar,a,in, nano.
rana ,,,,, ats,.n, Hills and
valleys extending as far as the EYE
can reach. AS this splendid view was
to the southwest II was possible u
place an the important rooms toWarC
Tu mv,aa,lms nnr"hes were designed
one y, of,bar ona of tho house wei
screened and With sh,rglod roofs hay.
irg l,,, .,'aa..n oo,os On cory,