House and Garden 
hits dating as far hack as the thirteenth century. 
A number of fine paintings adorn the walls, among 
others an original Stuart and a large portrait of 
Thomas Middleton done by Benjamin West. 
At the right of the hall are situated the large draw¬ 
ing-rooms, connected by means of broad folding doors 
just over which there is a beautiful fanlight. The 
woodwork, including the dados which are found 
in both rooms, is white like that in the entrance hall. 
The walls above the wainscot are delicately tinted 
and afford a fine background for the many beautiful 
paintings with which they are adorned. Rare furni¬ 
ture, plate and china 
are everywhere in 
evidence and are 
doubly precious to 
the owners for the 
reason that there is 
scarcely a piece that 
has not its own par¬ 
ticular story or his¬ 
toric associations. 
In the “long” or 
east drawing-room, 
which is situated in 
the front of the 
house, commanding 
a view of the har- 
h o r and distant 
town, is an espe¬ 
cially valuable piece 
of furniture. This 
is a small French 
piano of the earli¬ 
est type succeeding 
the old-time harp¬ 
sichord and spinnet. 
The panels of the 
case are ornamented 
with scrolls and 
designs of different musical instruments wrought 
in ormolu, and its small size and graceful lines 
make the piano most attractive simply as a 
hit of old furniture. But it also has the repu¬ 
tation of having been in its prime an exception¬ 
ally fine musical instrument, and it is said that after 
Mr. Henry DeWolf imported it for his daughter, 
the late Mrs. Middleton, then only a little girl of six 
years, great musicians came long distances to enjoy 
the privilege of playing on it. 
Directly above the piano hangs a famous altar 
piece or panel of the Holy Family, now thought to be 
the work of the Italian master, Francesco Maz- 
zuoli, who was also known as Parmiziano, because 
Parma was his native city. This beautiful painting 
of the Madonna was once well known as one of the 
world’s art treasures, but for a century has been lost 
to public view. 
A FINE EXAMPLE OF A CHIPPENDALE BEDSTEAD 
These are not the only treasures that the east 
drawing-room contains, however, for the walls are 
lined with beautiful canvases, many of them by 
famous artists; rare pieces of Sheraton and Chip¬ 
pendale furniture of exquisite workmanship are here 
in profusion; and of delicate old china and glass 
there is an abundance. Particularly interesting to 
lovers of historic things are some quaint china 
howls, once the property of John Hancock, and a 
superb pair of Sheffield plate candlesticks of grace¬ 
ful design which came from the home of John 
Adams. The chair in which this President died, is 
also in “ Hey Bonnie 
1 lall,” for Mrs. Mid- 
d 1 e t o iTs grand¬ 
father, J. Marston 
of Quincy, was a 
great friend of 
A1 r. Adams a n d 
spent much of the 
time with him dur¬ 
ing the last years of 
his life. 
Opening off from 
the east parlor, is 
the west drawing¬ 
room o r 1 i v i n g- roo m. 
This contains much 
that is of interest 
not only to the anti- 
J 
quarian, but to the 
ordinary observer 
as well. Rare old 
pieces of Lowes¬ 
toft are on the little 
tea table and there 
are old and valu¬ 
able books such as 
are seldom found 
save in a home like 
this. On the walls hang paintings and fine en¬ 
gravings and one’s attention is especially attracted 
to a full length portrait of the late mistress of the 
house, Mrs. Nathaniel R. Middleton, done when she 
was hut a little girl six years of age. Directly under 
this painting is a broad, marble-faced, open fireplace 
fully equipped with a splendid set of hearth furnish¬ 
ings and ready for a cheery wood fire whenever a 
chill evening demands it. 
Among the most interesting pieces of furniture in 
the room are two small tables. One, a fine example 
of Italian workmanship, was originally in the posses¬ 
sion of John Hancock, to whom several other relics 
now in the house also belonged. The other table 
boasts of a remarkably handsome top of polished 
marble, once a part of the Rock of Gibraltar. As a 
confirmation of this statement the story is told of a 
Frenchman who saw the table while visiting at “Hey 
6 
