Evening star., 1949-11-15

of the rooms on the main floor.
Interesting paintings and sketches
decorate some of the walls and
a variety of odd clocks and an
elaborate gold-leaf ana enamel
barometer that hangs over q table
in the entrance hall arouse
curiosity.
Two of the bedrooms on the
second floor reflect most of the
effort at furnishing the house in
keeping with its architectural
period. A canopied four poster,
an old highboy, big, square desk,
a lowboy, one easy chair and sew
eral tables furnish the room in
which lran's ruler will sleep. A
handsome Bohemian glass lamp
rests on one table, and an ex-
quisite compete of the same glass
is on another table. There also
Is q chaise Tongue and a mirrored
corner cabinet. A painting Of Mrs.
Forrestal rests on the mantel over
the fireplace, which is laid for
lighting. The room commands a
wonderful view Of the river and
the Virginia hills.
The late former Secretary's
room is much as he left it, and
is strictly masculine. It's four
poster has a narrow-bordered
canopy and there is one easy
chair. divan, an enormous
wardrobe, a built-in bookcase be-
side the bed, a small desk and
a dresser.
A large buffet dominates the
dining room, which is long and
narrow and centered with an ex-
long table. Unframed
paintings are set on both walls
and over the fireplace there are
hunting souvenirs of thes late,
Secretary.
There are two fireplaces framed
by lovely Adam mantels in the
drawing room. which is lighted
only by candles in the large CELL
ing chandelier and crystal wall
candelabra. and the main library,
which contains upwards Of $4,000
books, is in the basement. A cat
walk with a grilled-iron railing
in a grapevine pattern like that
which surrounds the side porch,
leads to a lookout tower, from
which Mr.. Templeman, the build
er of the house, is said to have
watched his import-laden ships
come up to the port of George
town.
The terraced garden, which
would accommodate 800 guests
at an al fresco party. and the
marvellous view over the river to
the Virginia and Maryland hills
strike one as being the only ad-
vantage Of Prospect House over
Blair House for space, attractive
ness and the charm Of a typical
eighteenth century home in this
part of the United States. Per-
haps what it needs is to be lived
in as IL will be for the next few
years to give it the warmth and
the at-homeness that pervades
Blair House, for it has a wealth of
association with sold Washington
and Georgetown families.
Mrs. Victoria Geaney, who "be-
longs" to Blair House and was
taken over by the Government
when that mansion was pur-
chased. temporarily has been
transferred to Prospect House.
Here she has a corps Of servants
numbering four, which will be
augmented during the visits of
foreign officials. AS at Blair
House, Mrs. Geaney's care is very
evident at the Georgetown of11-
cial residence.
Built In 1888 by William
Templeman, the house and gar
den is related through marriages
and transfers to the Steele, Nor
ris, Barney, Chase, Addison, Vim
cent, McCauley. Appleby and
Corcoran families.
Franklin Steele whose daugh-
ter, Mary Chase Steele. married
Comdr George Upham Morris,
hero of the Cumberland Merri-
mac battle, purchased the house
from w. H. Whitton, who in 1861
bought it from Templeman.\
Afte. Mr.. Steele's death it
passed to his heirs and then by
purchase and other rights came
into possession Of his daughter.
Comdr. Morris, who died at Jor-
dan Alum Springs, Va, in 1874,
was buried from Prospect House,
and the property remained in his
widows possession until 1917
when. like many of the old homes
in Georgetown, it was the VIC
tim of abuse and neglect. It vas
not until the 1930s that 1t was
restored to some of its original
character.