Imagine Tom Smith in Lewis Bungalow: Some Believe Trainer Will Have to be Blindfolded to Get Him into Belmont Place, Daily Racing Form, 1944-04-08

article


view raw text

Imagine Tom Smith In Lewis Bungalow Some Believe Trainer Will Have to Be Blindfolded to Get Him Into Belmont Place NEW YORK, N. Y, April 7— A couple of horsemen and a couple of turf writers were ducking the chill Long Island breezes in track superintendent Cornelius V. Boyles office at Belmont Park the other morning when one of the party happened to mention Tom Smiths appointment as trainer for the Mrs. E. Graham Lewis Elizabeth Arden stable. "They either had to blindfold Tom or push him in backwards when he first was shown into that bungalow," one of them remarked, referring to the Lewis residence in the Belmont stable area, where some of the many trainers that auburn -tressed owner has employed in recent years have been domiciled. A visit to the Lewis establishment cleared up any ambiguities the remark might have held. Tom Smith makes no apologies for the fact that he is a "gyp" at heart, preferring to sleep on an antique cot, which is a hold-over from his rodeo days, and park in some empty stall. The Lewis bungalow is better than an empty stall, but Tom Smith probably doesnt think so. Boyle led the visitors in the back way, so the first room to greet our eyes was the dining room. This dining room was no preparation for what was to come, being simply decorated, mainly in blue and white. the only hint of luxury being the profusion of fine glassware and cocktail trays, the latter in the shape of horseshoes. Cozy Cocktail Nook The party was then led into the cocktail nook — a nook to be described in a book, preferably by Ilka Chase. The walls are | of walnut veneer, with diagonal panels of j chromium, with wall seats of red leather, a number of handsome tables and the usual but unusually tasteful, drinking ap- j i purtenances. Then came the foyer, which resembled I some dreamed-of birdless aviary. The avi- 1 1 | ary effect came from the white-painted j I fretwork of iron and wire which framed [the window. The iron hat rack was also ; painted white and looked like something lifted from a Bonwit Teller adv. window. There are also two bedrooms and two baths, in none of which is Tom Smith likely to be reminded of his days on the leaky roof. The bedrooms are done in pastel shades of blue and pinkish yellow, and contain twin beds. EUher would do credit to Cecil B. DeMille working on a modest budget, though the entire decorat- , j j ing job was done by Cornelius V. Boyle. I I One of Boyles striking achievements is a , bathtub of strange design. Its just an I ordinary old-fashioned cast iron tub, ! porcelain finished on the inside. But the j I outside is something else again. Even on I j reasonably close examination it appears to ! J j be carved from fine marble. Actually, the | i ; cast iron merely has been artfully covered with waterproof, marble finish wallpaper, matching the walls. 1 In addition, there is a living room, also ; done in pastel shades, and furnished with chairs and couches that are an invitation ! i to weary bones of the very highest type. ! j There is even a book on the trophy-laden bookshelves, and its a thriller, probably intended to overcome the lassitude certain 1 to be induced by the decorum. The Lewis bungalow was badly damaged ; by fire last year, which is why Boyle came to turn interior decorator. It is doubtful i j if Mrs. Lewis could have done a better job I herself, or one in which every room was [ more nearly resembling the background for 5!an Arden advertisement.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1940s/drf1944040801/drf1944040801_9_6
Local Identifier: drf1944040801_9_6
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800