The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-21

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creased grandeur This assured her of many months
of continued life. Then the fear of death caught
her with greater. sting, and she ordered another
annex With the passing of year upon year, until
thirty were counted, the house, under this mad
process grew to grotesque proportions and shapes
and broke into strange coverings of splendor
For an entrance room to her mansion Mrs. Win
chester built prism hall, 40 feet long and feet
wide its walls set soidly with thousands OF prisms
so that no wood was visible. One passing through
was dazzed with changing brilliance OF RAINBOW
colors She furnished "a music room at huge ex-
nense. the walls covered with mural paintings
great cases crammed with prime examples OF every
known variety of musical instrument For her
bedchamber she decked white satin room, where
no hue met the eye save pearly sheen like moon
light. walls, floor, ceiling and furniture covered
with white satin The main living room was pan
eed with solid mahogany and fitted with old Shera-
ton furniture, blue Antwerp hangings and naming
Oriental rugs There was tea room that was the
most exquisite of tea rooms, and immense gardens
4 MID these eerie splendors Mrs. Winchester
n lived in solitude. No visitor ever passed
through the flaming glories OF the prism
hail. No sound of music was heard among INC
clustered instruments in the music room. lea was
never served in the tea room. No wandering foot
paced among the MOWERS Oh Iic SdioSia' N-~'
presence of few servants disturbed these gorgeous
haunts of loneliness, and not even servant passcu
into the glowing purity of the white satin room
Here the woman held her dreams and meditations
during numberless hours of day and night. she
never entered another home, attended church,
was never seen in any public building. AT inter-
walls she drove to San Jose in victoria In tne oo
times in limousine in later days servant ac-
companied her to attend to her errands wnhe sne
remained secluded in her vehicle at the curb. An
other had the office of keeping prylng lntruders
away from her.
Yet she was not careless of the beautles thas
she erected to thrust death away, but displayed
stately feeling for her grandeurs. In the main
living ROOM with its mahogany panels, were TWO
iron safes in which were contained a treasure Oh
gold and silver plate. This she used as she sat
alone at the table each day. The servants were
required to lock it away after every meal. once
she offered the Boston Opera Company $2o'ooo 10
give performance in the music room Tor ner ex
elusive hearing . Company engagements and tram
schedules prevented this. man servant had as
his sole duty the cutting of flowers in the garden
for vases in the endless Her carriages were
drawn by blooded steeds whose harness had mount
ings of gold.
She had touchy ears and hated nose this woman
who lived in house on which the hammers never
ceased to sound by day. One night neighbors haiI
a mile away engaged in revelry so loud that echoes
of it reached the recluse in her solitude. She or
dered the purchase of their farm at any price
certain wise man. real estate dealer, appeared, as
wise men do appear. Having learned of Mrs. VIM
chesters dislike Of noise, he bought piece of land
the house of mystery and told one of the SEE
wants of the mansion that he purposed setting up
a roadhouse, loud and festive roadhouse. The
recluse bought the land from him at huge price.
Nor romance lacking in this extraordinary
life. In San Jose lived youth who, sage or fool
sh showered the strange lady with letters profess
ing love. She never answered these ,nissives, but
she read them endlessly with amusement and per-
haps deeper joy.