“Airlie” 
with the white gleam of an Italian bird-basin 
relieving the heavy green of the arbor-vitae hedges 
which lead to it. On one’s right, but hidden by 
the hedge, is the herbaceous garden with its box- 
edged walks and old-fashioned luxuriance of bloom, 
beyond it an evergreen garden, very restful to the 
eye in this land of sunshine. On one’s left, seen 
over a low wall completely covered by the inter¬ 
lacing branches of a wichuraiana rose, is the sunken 
rose garden. Beyond this is a small fruit garden 
with apricots and plums growing against the wall. 
In the center of the herbaceous garden stands the 
sun-dial, an old iron dial face set on a stone pedestal 
of simple but graceful design, bearing the motto 
Lux et umbra vicissim sed semper fortitude. On a 
summer afternoon when the setting sun throws 
long shadows across the grass and the red paths, the 
gardens of “ Airlie” are at their best, 
“ Unheard the murmurs of the distant world, 
While Time speeds noiseless on his measured way.” 
M. G. 
EARLY AMERICAN-MADE FURNITURE 
1 X/TANY of the most beautiful pieces of furniture 
1 A in use in America prior to the Colonial days 
were made in this country. 
Grinling Gibbons did much toward forming aright 
the taste of the public, and near the close of the 
seventeenth century there came an influx of wood 
carvers to this country, and also many cabinet ma¬ 
kers such as Chippendale, who were carvers as well. 
Esther Singleton in her delightful book, “ Social 
New \ork Under the Georges,” tells of one, John 
Brinner, who advertised himself as Cabinet and Chair 
Maker from London He opened his shop at “The 
Sign of the Chairopposite Flatten Barrack Hill on the 
Broad-way.” His announcement reading as follows: 
“ Every article in the Cabinet, Chair-making, 
Carving and Gilding Business, is enacted on the 
most Reasonable Terms, with the Utmost Neatness 
and Punctuality. He carves all sorts of Architectural, 
Gothic and Chinese Chimney Pieces, and all Kinds 
of Mouldings and Frontispieces, etc., etc. Desk and 
Book Cases, Library Book Cases, Writing- and Read¬ 
ing-Tables, Study Tables, China Shelves and Cases, 
Commode and Plain Chest of Drawers, Gothic and 
Chinese Chairs, all sorts of plain or ornamental 
Chairs, Sofa Beds, Sofa Settees, Couch and Easy 
Chairs, Frames, all Kinds of Field Bedsteads. 
“N. B. He has brought over from London six 
Artificers, well skilled in the above branches.” 
