The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-07

n.
mo Despatch about the old Gaar home
Recently a Kokomo visitor in car
which 'wended its way through circling
driveways and stopped In front Of the
Abram Gaar homestead near Rich
mond, over which the sunshine, au-
tumn tinted,-cast kind of halo. And
there was about the place sort of pa
thetic appeal, as though it would in
form us, 1t had stood for a better home
for many years
The terraced Interest on which the
fine old homestead OF aristocracy
stands seems an ideal. location, as if
the home-builder had it in his soul to
be charmed by the picture which
would present itself to the residents
there, as the changing seasons arrived.
And surely something of the thrill
which this one-time prominent manu-
facturer must have experienced when
he decided the new home should be
built there, came to the visitor while
looking out across the broad fields and
beheld valley scene, a rival of Cal
if6rnia valley scenes, because of the
work of the October artist so effect
lively done in the stretches Of wood
land dotted here and there.
interesting Skyline.
The skyline of Richmond some two
or three miles in the distance was of
interest. Also long train of cars and
several motor cars. were noted, the
latter fitting past the Eggemeyer
home, so artistically situated that any
one could easily guess, one of Rich
mond's best known artists lives there.
Other motor cars whizzed along on the
Gaar road which stalked right up to
the corporation line and told 1t to stop.
The tall doors and windows of the
fine old homestead tof artistocratic
bearing, seemed to be gathering in
much of the October sunshine, as it
filtered in through vines and shrub
berry and trees, which, if given voice,
could relate interesting stories of how
they happened to be there.
A certain species of oak from the
Black Forests of Germany, looked for.
eign indeed, and the wisteria vine from
the entwined lattice seemed to smile
lovingly at the sacred tree of Japan
with its myriads of dainty fan shaped
leaves looking as though growing pur.
posely to serve as hair ornaments for
the Geisha girls.
Charms of Flowers.
The big lilac and SNOWFALL bushes
seemed to whisper that they had sup
piled flowers as ornaments or as dec.
orations many times in the old home
while the old grape vine whispered
something about luscious clusters OF
fruit from the long arbor.
The tall tulip poplars with their
wealth of October gold, seemed to
state they had kept guard there on
the hill crest many years and the beau.
tiful white birch seemed to smilingly
respond" yea" to that statement. Then
sassafras tree of some 40 summers
called loudly and looked as though
aflame out near the old house which
had been moved to the background
when the more pretentious home took
its place.
There was peculiarly pathetic ap
peal about the old house, as though il
would like to tell the visitor stories
of the early day struggles, of the inter
esting family life, when it had been
home to the pioneer manufacturer and
his family. Though the house is far
from looking neglected for in it's new
white dress, with frills of green shut
ters, it sent ones thoughts across
country to the New England states.
Home fur Others
And today it serves as a comfort
able home for others who are kept
busy on the old home place. Though
Mrs. Hayden who has been the trusted
housekeeper for 20 years, lives in q
part of the big house, she and her fam
| lily keeping watch there for five years
when the fine old house was left prac
tically closed after the death of Mrs
Gaar in 1906, her husband havins
| passed away in 1894
The three sons, Glen, Oliver anC
Sam, residing in comfortable home!
in Richmond, and the daughter, Nelli.
Gaar Stratton, in her comfortabl.
home in Chicago, evidently felt Their,
was sacredness about the place anC
all it had stood for as a home, ant
could not easily decide what arrange
ments were best to be made concern
ing its further service as a home.
1t is serving well in that capacity to
day, however, and seemed to smile a.
though proudly aware of the fact tina
a granddaughter and her family cal
it home now.
1t was interesting to be ushered int
the spacious old home by two Of tn,
sons and their wives. And as tn,
sons, who some years ago walked pas
the half century milestone markin!
birthday anniversaries, stopped t
place their hats on the big hall-tre,
near splendid picture of their father
there was something in their attitude
which bespoke reverence as thougl
they almost felt the presence of thei
loved father.
Books Invite Inspection
/ Cases on either side of the fire
place call loudly to anyone who care
for books And one longed to hav
time to delve into the pages OF tn
volumes so loved in years gone by.
The son proudly brought out one @
his fathers school books, containin;
the work the father had done in 1874
in geometry. The figures were s
carefully done one could not help won
dering II that was not the very begin
ming which led this man to becom
pattern maker and finally led on an
on to the time when he became pres
dent of the Carr, Scott and compan
firm, a company which manufacture
threshing machinery in Richmond.
The story of Abram Gaar's interes
In machinery and finally in threshin
machinery reads like a story boob