A hand loomed carpet from India (the guide said) and it was donated to the Governors mansion and there is another one in the same room and both were used carpets when purchased and cost $6,000 each. Some tax writeoff for the donor. Notice the brick floor under it.
The formal sitting room where the First Lady entertains her guests.
The piano in the sitting room. Bill looked longingly at this piano but dared nor ask if he could play it for a few minutes.
This brass box is the wood box for the working fire place near by. There are two working fireplaces in the mansion. The one to the right of this wood box and it is connected to the one upstairs which is in the governor's private quarters sitting room. this box was opened up by the curator and it really has newspaper and tinder in it to start a fire should it so be needed.
A working clock that tells the phases of the moon. It was sold from the original owner, found in a garage sale and purchased and restored to the governors mansion.
Governor Blaine's desk (left) at which he worked when he owned the Kennebec Journal.
Fireplace in the Blaine Study. Just above it is a picture of Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet drafting the outline for the emancipation of the slaves. The fireplace underneath is not a working fireplace The wallpaper in this room is the same pattern as the wallpaper in Abraham Lincolns room in the White House. They have sample of the paper from Abe's place framed and on the wall.
I do not think I would like to live in this house. It is very formal and takes a staff of cleaners to keep it up. They refer to the Governor's wife as First Lady and they hold them in high esteem and it seems a far cry from the way in which he is treated in the newspaper stories. Even if I had this army or cleaners and housekeepers at my beck and call, I would feel very uncomfortable to say the least.
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