The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-26

so 49,
w pretty Ann Pcrinc hid her
silver shoe buckles from q
oovetous British soldier. tradition has
It tina; she tucked them away in a
secret recess of the oil perinc home
stead stan ling on the Kings lI.al-
way, now Richmond road. Tpngau
Hills, Staten island, and proceeded to
forget their whereabouts. At ;cas,,
history, while il records the incident,
does not relate the story of their
recovery. so the general supposition
Is that the buckles still remain hidden
In the old stone dwelling known as
the pcrine house.
Built ava back in 1865. orc of the
hrst important houses un Staten Is
land. the dwelling has recently been
acquired by the Antiquarian Society
OF Staten Island and the Staten Is
land Garden Club. Therefore there
II more or .ess speculation amunE the
members of the two societies as TO the
fate Of the Comely AIMS silver shoe
ornaments. \ further element OF
mystery is founi in the story that
there is a secret closet in the house
which has not been disturbed for the
past 100 years or more. an which
tradition further chronicles as being
the possible receptacle rur long lost,
family plate.
Leaving facts aside. the rambling
old. stone house of fifteen rooms
added to as its succession of owners
g., ~. .,..l l., --!. .-A
to be- the repository for any number
OF lost or buried treasures. II is the
subject of many tales. of which the
story of Ann perine is not the least
interesting.
Ono loYer II the Colonial l.keus TIVE
old stone house 20 Washiugton's
home "a second Mount Vernon he
calls IL, but while the old Perine house
has undeniable charm, the simplicity
or its primitive construction does not
permit il Ia have the beauty Of the
stately mansion referred to.
While its early history is obscure,
lost in the haze Of the days when
Queen Anne reigned, It is believed the
house was first a taVern erected by
Capt, Thomas Stilwell in 1865. From
him il passed into the hands Of Gov
n Dongan's family ana then into
the possession Of Joseph Holmes, an
innkeeper, whose daughter married
Edward Perine Of an old French HUI
guenOt family. among whose descend
ants 1t remained until very recently.
OF roughly quarried stone. now
GROWN mellow with the change which
more than two centuries have
wrought, the house is of the familiar
Colonial type. 1t is long and low.
with numerous windows both front
and back along the lower story. They
are supplied with the solid wood shut
tiers that form an interesting feature
OF early American architecture. Above
are quaint dormers which have been
let into the low sloping half-story for
light and air.
The house is set close to the street
amid the sweeping arms of ancient
willows. while enormous box trees,
close clustered and dark hued, their
Cnarled branches bespeaking their
age, stand close to the wall. Alto
gether it presents IA charming picture
Of early Colonial architecture.
The house. il Is said. represents two
periods. What is now the front was
built on a later date than the rear
portion. II you are curious To know
just why the addition was built AT
such an angle tradition will supply
an explanation. In the jog where the
two portions join. the story goes. there
was standing II great tree, which the
family would not allow to be de-
stroyed. Consequently the new part
of the house was built some ton or
twelve feet 10 the north in order 10
allow for the preservation Of tho
tree.
1t was in the older portion that the
mystery of the silver shoe buckles
is laid. During the Revelation the
house was occupied by Capt. Coghlau
of the British army and his soldiers
and Anne Perinc, then u widow with
eight children, was uncerem0niOuSls
rowded into one room with all Of her
family. She was a Comely matron with
the natural liking of her sex for dainty
accessories Of dress. ON her shucy
she wore large silver buckles, as was
the custom In those days.
The attracted the Hiten-
tion of one ~ the soldiers, and sus-
pectin9 that the man coveted the bau-