Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-01

The second floor belongs to the historian
or he belongs TO it. With the exception of
one chamber it is devoted to books. Mr..
Bancroit's worhroom is 4 large front room
fronting south. Its walls have not been
pspered for half a century. Indeed, no.
body has seen the walls since Mr.. Bancroft
took possession.
BOOKS ON EVERY SIDE.
They are surfaced with the costllest
decorations ever devised since man first
dabbled in aesthetics. On ali sides are
books. The ceiling alone escapes the deluge
OF literature. The massive table where the
nonogenarian writes or dictates is piled high
with the latest tones from England and
Germany. In the corners of the room rise
nigh towers of volumes, and in the middle
spaces of the room are numerous islands of
history, biography and science Opening to
the east is another equally large room and
that, too, is q mass of bookS.sF Here and
there stand flower pots with new roses or
chrysanthemums making experimental
growth under the critical eve of their master
who, besides being historian, is one of the
best indoor and outdoor gardeners in
America.
Little Bancroft" " as his classmates at
Harvard called him 75 wears ago, spends the
greater part of his precious time in his work
room or library. He rises early for an old
man-at s and before the schooIchildren are
well on their way to their daily tasks, he
has breakfasted and is making the tour of
his upstairs flower garden, and few min
utes later is at his desk reading or debating,
He is still toying with Shakespeare and
working into shape the story of President
Polk's administration. OF course at this
extreme age his progress is slow, but like
the real literary hero that he is it is sure, and
,r;l ha 4lo 81 oIo &t,,a
doing as the shadows of the century fall
about him.
ANY NUMBER OF VISITORS.
Mr.. Bancrolt's visitors are numerous and
he always holds himself ready to receive up
to the limit of his strength. His converse
ton is simple and unassuming. You find
him dressed neatly in black, a small spare
man with a face covered with wrinkles
piled on each other in concentric masses
that remind you of the rings that mark the
growth OF trees. His hair is like the snow
and his long beard seems burden for man
so small and aged.
He is always ready to talk. Do you like
Washington? Do you like the President?
Do you think he is just man trying to do
right?
Mr.. Bancroft is still Democrat. and he
is sure to say something good OF President
Cleveland and coin compliment for Mrs
Cleveland that would be worthy of a knight
errant. He will very likely ask YOU if you
are fond OF flowers and lead you around the
room to look at his choice specimens. The
magnificent yellow chrysanthemum in his
south window is his special pride
The kindliness Of Mr.. Bancroft's nature
displays itself in his willing surrender to
the autograph iend. 1 called on him not
long ago with the first volume of nv Ban
srfaff in hsa, h.,- Al
nous history, for l do not want to impeach
that witty description attributed to Oliver
Wendell Holmes, who said Mr.. Bancroft
was TIE famous man who had written work
tnat would never be read through.
WILLING TO oBLIGE
The book on my arm was perhaps the open
sesame to the old scholars heart. / said
desired hls name on Its iyleaf, for intended
some time IN the future to give it to nv son
as the .oundatiOn of his library when he
should drop out the paternal nest and take
himself off to college.
"Ah, that is true fathers thoughtful
ness!' said the historian, his dim blue eve
kindllng with appreciation of nv compll-
ment
''Such chance seldom comes to an au-
thor, ana ne rose from his table and began
to search along the walls of books. Hold
ing his face close to the serrjed lines Of
backs and titles he pulled out volume after
volume but seemed never to md what he
was looking for.
81 want line 1 remember from Goethe
he said at length. 81 ought to remember
the German, but dom"
He made half the circuit OF the room and
finally drew little gold edged book nery-
ously from the shelf
Here it is!' be cried. "It is simple
I'D brief / might have remembered it
seems to me. But memory is tickle always
lie opened tine little duodecimo. fingered
its leaves snxiously, and when ne found the
passage he sought, turned the open book
face down and took up quill pen. Then