152 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 1906 



ing of the same pure color is at the base of the cornice. The 

 white-marble mantel was brought from the same palace. It 

 is decorated with a frieze of standing figures dancing, ex- 

 quisitely carved in bas-relief. Above it is a mirror in a richly 

 carved and gilded frame, and on each side is a credence-table, 

 also carved and gilded, with a top of white marble. The 

 furniture, which, like most of the contents of the room, came 

 from Rome, is pea-green and gold. Opposite the mantel is 

 a gold and white credence-table, with an old mirror above it 

 and large brass side-light standards. There are no curtains 

 at the windows, the brilliant, warm sun streaming in from 

 the south, lighting up every part of the great room, which 

 one leaves with reluctance, so unusual are its contents, so 

 brilliant its walls, so splendid its floor. It is a room whose 

 beauty will long haunt memory, and it is well worth an ex- 

 tended journey to see it alone. 



The library opens directly from it, and is the final room 

 on the front, forty feet in length, both forming the chief 

 portion of the newer part of the house. It is a long, rect- 

 angular apartment paneled throughout in dark oak, very 

 French in style, but very warm and pleasant in color. The 

 ceiling is plain, but has a deep-coved cornice above the wood 

 paneling, richly detailed in low relief. The fireplace is of 

 pink and white marble from a Venetian palace; above it are 

 the Imperial arms of Charles V in carved wood. Some boar- 

 heads on the upper wall were shot in hunting with the King 

 of Italy. There is much splendid furniture in this room — 

 richly carved tables and comfortable chairs, together with 

 many interesting ornaments gathered in sojourns abroad. 

 The windows and doors are uncurtained. The windows on 

 the main front are flat-headed and reach to the floor. At 

 the further end are doors to the terrace overlooking the 

 formal garden; they have oval tops. 



Before the later extensions to the house were made Mr. 

 Meyer had a smaller library at the back. It still remains, 



and is a rather narrow room, the walls covered with blue 

 paper in two shades, on which are hung the engraved por- 

 traits with autographs of all the Governors of Massachu- 

 setts. The wood mantel has a fireplace lined with blue and 

 white tiles. 



The dining-room is in the old part of the house to the 

 left of the vestibule. The light-brown walls are covered 

 with a Japanese fabric. A red carpet gives the needed note 

 of color. The mantel is of whitewood and has an old mirror 

 over it. There are short white curtains at the windows, and 

 the furniture is covered with dark-green leather. 



The bedrooms on the second floor present a greater variety 

 of treatment than is usual in most country houses. Each 

 has its own distinctive wall treatment and furnishings, and 

 each has a definite note of personal interest. One is fur- 

 nished with old furniture brought from abroad — curious, 

 rare old pieces that seem quite at home in this New England 

 house. 



The exterior grounds, as have already been stated, are 

 exceedingly spacious in area. Their chief point of interest 

 is the large formal garden which has been developed at one 

 end of the house. Standing at the head of the steps which 

 descend into it from the terrace, it is seen to be inclosed, right 

 and left, by great borders of hardy shrubs. The further 

 side has a hedge of evergreens with an ornamental gateway 

 in the center; beyond are the tennis-courts. The garden is 

 laid out in a symmetrical manner, with a central circle, in the 

 midst of which stands an exquisite little fountain. Great 

 rectangular beds of flowers, some of solid blooming, some of 

 borders around grass, fill out the remaining space. Two 

 great Italian earthenware vases stand on stone pedestals. It 

 is a brilliant example of garden design, beautifully planted, 

 and, in the summer season, presenting a constant succession 

 of blooming flowers. Happily also it is well adapted to the 

 house and to the quiet New England region in which it is. 



The Library is Forty Feet Long and is Paneled Throughout in Oak 



