July, 1905 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



The other gable is treated with even greater boldness and 

 a quite startling disregard of the demands of symmetry. The 

 whole of this front is broken on one side by a great semi- 

 octagonal projection whose roof without windows is cut by 

 the main gable and whose other roof on the side is cut 

 again by a still lower gable which surmounts its wing. It is 

 needless to say that there is absolutely no unity between the 

 chimney of the one gable and the semi-octagon of the other, 

 and yet they have this in common, that each is applied to 

 the corresponding part of the main building, and hence each 

 contributes its own quota toward the effect of the whole. 

 That a similarly shaped porch partly cuts the base of the 

 chimney possibly helps in restoring the sense of symmetry 

 which, after all, is the prevailing feature in this front, not- 

 withstanding a great dissimilarity of its various parts. 



These portions form what may be termed the furthest 

 projection of the house, which, being of great size, is from 

 this side apparently of great depth and extent. This ap- 

 parentness is, of course, very real and true, for the house 

 is in every sense of great size. Thus the central part, whose 

 chief features have just been noted, is flanked on either side 

 by further buildings ; on the left by a great open porch with 

 a semi-octagonal end whose pointed roof rises into the gable 

 of the main building. On the other side the structure is 

 greatly developed with gables and porches, forming a fine 

 series of recesses and expanded parts. 



The great feature of the sea front, after all, is the terrace 

 that rises directly above the rocks from which the place de- 

 rives its name. This is a grassed spot built within a retaining 

 wall of stone on which is a balustrade of small superimposed 

 arches, with brick piers surmounted with base. Tables of 

 carved stone, benches and other garden furniture of Italian 

 origin gives a distinctive character to this terrace. 



A spacious hall serves as a delightful and inviting en- 

 trance to the house. It is paneled throughout in dark old 

 English oak. The chief ornament of the cornice is a hand- 

 somely carved band arranged in panel-like divisions. On 

 the left is a large stone fireplace and mantel, and to the right 

 is the staircase leading to the upper parts of the house. Very 

 elaborate indeed is the carving of the stair balustrade and 

 that of the balcony from which it rises. Great chairs are 

 placed here, so spacious are the dimensions, and the furniture 

 of the entire room is of a rich and ornate description. This 



consists chiefly of genuine old English oak, but includes, 

 among some other pieces, some chairs of Italian origin. 1 his 

 room, of course, serves both as the entrance to the house and 

 as the apartment from which the other rooms are reached. 

 It is, quite literally, the focus of the whole dwelling. 



The dining-room is paneled in mahogany, the panels being 

 alternately large and small above a paneled base. The 

 room is divided into three great parts by massive beams 

 supported by Roman Ionic columns and pilasters. In the 

 central division one side is filled with a marble mantel. The 

 furniture consists of fine examples of Chippendale, and the 

 paintings hung against the panels are chiefly old portraits. 

 A semicircular sun parlor opens from this room to which 

 the green and white draperies give a cool and delightful 

 charm. 



The billiard-room, like the dining-room, opens directly 

 from the hall, and is the first of a superb suite of apartments. 

 The walls are paneled in wood to a deep frieze, which is 

 carried wholly around the apartment, and which is painted 

 in sea scenes. On one side is the fireplace, with an ingle nook 

 immediately adjoining it. A great carved settle and mas- 

 sive chairs stand on the platform overlooking the billiard 

 table. 



Beyond the billiard-room is the music-room. It is reached 

 by descending a few steps and passing through a passage 

 lighted by leaded windows. It is paneled in white, relieved 

 with green silk hangings beautifully embroidered. The 

 elaborate mantel is faced with onyx and has a hearth of the 

 same rich material. A reception-room, which may be di- 

 rectly reached from the hall, opens from the music-room. 

 Once more the walls are paneled, the upper panels and the 

 upper part of the narrow strips on each side of the mantel 

 containing delicate floral ornaments. The furniture is of 

 satin wood with pink coverings. The den, which is intended 

 for Mr. Jordan's exclusive use, is furnished in green and 

 white, a combination of colors so general throughout the 

 house as to be quite predominant. The fireplace, on each 

 side of which is a bookcase, is of red glazed tiling. The 

 furniture is old English in design. 



The upper floor is, of course, given up to suites of bed- 

 room, provision being made alike for the family and for 

 many guests. Each suite has a definite character of its own, 

 and is finished and furnished in a distinctive manner. 



Japanese Wistaria Arbors 



APAN is truly the land of flowers. A rapid 

 succession of lovely bloom marks the march 

 of the season, each succeeding one another so 

 quickly that there is no time for " between 

 seasons," each so predominant in its color- 

 note, so penetrating in its beauty, so ravish- 

 ing in its loveliness, that one's admiration is baffled by the 

 entrancing beauty of Japanese landscapes and wonder at the 

 variety and completeness with which each flower succeeds 

 one another. 



The cherry blossom is succeeded by the wistaria toward 

 the end of April and the beginning of May, and the arbor 

 of every tea-house is forthwith hung with masses of purple 

 clusters, while the surrounding hills and fields are ablaze 

 with soft-flowered and luxuriant azaleas. 



At some of the larger places, says Mr. George G. Rittner, 

 in his interesting " Impressions of Japan," where tea-houses 

 are prominently placed along the roadside, can be seen those 

 wonderful arbors of wistaria, purple and white blossoms 

 hanging down in masses from the trellis-work above; some- 

 times whole verandas surround the houses, literally covered 

 with this magnificent flower. To sit underneath one of these 



arbors and admire the surrounding country is enchanting. 

 No sun can penetrate the trellis-work on account of the 

 masses of flowers, and later on account of the covering 

 caused by the thickly grown leaves. Under these bowers one 

 can sit all day watching the streets with their interesting 

 people passing, or the gardens magnificently laid out and 

 wonderfully well kept. It is almost impossible to find a 

 weed on the grass, or an ugly twig on a tree. The tea- 

 house keeper probably takes a morning constitutional with 

 his family around his garden, to see whether the night has 

 brought out anything to offend the most critical, and, if so, 

 that offending twig or weed is plucked up and thrown away 

 where it can never again make itself objectionable. 



A very charming view of wistaria arbors near Tokyo 

 forms the frontispiece of this number of American Homes 

 and Gardens. It is a beautiful and bewitching picture. 

 although the architectural forms are of the slightest. But 

 the wonderful beauty of the wistaria blossoms, and the quiet 

 flow of the water make a scene of singular beauty, to which 

 the quaint figures of the Japanese men and women, in their 

 brilliant clothing, give the human interest. 



