There is a day bed, similar to mine, but
where my bed has been upholstered with brocade, Miss Marbury's has a
loose slip cover of black chintz. The spaces between the windows in my
room are filled with bookshelves, and in Miss Marbury's room the same
spaces are filled with mirrors. The large wall-space that is background
to my old secretary is in her room given up to long open bookshelves of
mahogany. My over-mantel is mirrored, and hers is filled with an old
painting. The recessed spaces on each side of the chimney breast hold
small semi-circular tables of marquetry, with a pair of long Adam
mirrors hanging above them. Another Adam mirror hangs above the
bookshelves on the opposite wall. These mirrors are really the most
important things in the room, because the moldings and lighting-fixtures
and picture frames have been made to harmonize with them.
The lighting-fixtures are of wood carved in the Adam manner and painted
dark blue and gold. The writing-table has been placed squarely in front
of the center window, in which are hung Miss Marbury's bird cages. There
are a number of old French prints on the wall. The whole room is quieter
in tone than my room, which may be because her chosen color is old-blue,
and mine rose-red.
In a small house where only one woman's tastes have to be considered, a
small downstairs sitting-room may take the place of the more personal
boudoir, but where there are a number of people in the household a room
connecting with the bedroom of the house mistress is more fortunate.
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