Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-11
SOME ODD VOLUMES.
1 Woman Who Makes Hsr Own Books
LITER Her Own Ideas
pAssIoSAYELY FOND OF POETRY.
An Accumulation Of Lctterings from Grave
to 0ay-Iiiuminnted Initials ana
Titlcs-Her Methods
1corre.nonaence Of the pIspatch.)

llLt gives HtT HOL OH.y tfO
the unchallenged leisure Of the lilies Oh
the field, who has taken unto herself anu
finds much pleasure in, one OF the most
laborious, yet charming pursuits.
She is an omniyerous reader, ana mas
become I'm some sense a collector UT
rather a maker. of rare books. Not 'ha'
she is literary; she never wrote line
for publication in her life, but she mas
considerable collection now OK ooa
volumes, some bound. interleaved. Illus
trated by means OF photographs ana
prints, by her own hands, and others tnat
are entirely her work from cover to
cover.
one OF these productions IS collection
of sea songs. beginning with Sheileys:
II see the deep's untrampled floor
With green and purple sea-wecd strown'
and closing with Rosetti's.
Consider the seas listless chime"
These, Studentia, as we will call her,
has clipped apart, interviewed with photo
graphs and prints OF famous marines,
sketched in dainty little head and tall
pieces, best OF all. adorned here and there
with fineiy-mounted sea-weed, the spoil
of last summers seaside days. and re-
bound in shimmerrg. blue-green lizard
skin, with title and lettering Of silver.
The most charming or Studentia's
books, however, are those which she
makes entirely for herself.
She is, you must know, passionately
fond of poetry, and reads everything
going in rhyme, from the somewhat soSgy
sonnets which the magazine-editor feels
moved to offer to o patient public, to the
bright poetic jetsam and fiotsam OF the
Sunday newspapers. Occasionally che finds
a little gem in some obscure place, bit
that Is plainly by an Impractical hand.
but which has merits Of pure lovellness;
and then she cuts 1t out
Some time ago she found that she had
quite an accumulation of these verselings,
running from grave to gay, and on all
sorts OF subjects. She hardly knew what
to do with them. A scrap-boolS was not
to be thought of. since many OF the
verses were on poor paper and In worse
type and she felt sure her discoveries
We're worthy of and would grace better
setting.
She has nice tact for lettering docs
1t with No red sable brush in India
Ink or carmne), SO she got from an art
store as many sheets OF fine. thick paper,
assorted in the very faintest tints OF
cream, amber, pink, azure, violet. &c, as
she had little poems on these she let
tered the verses. adjoining as her fancy
and the teXt-suggested.
One poem of a devotional character Is
done on cream, and has each ver5e begun
with an illuminated initial. which, with
an illuminated border. makes IL look like
page out OF an old mlssal Another
has tangle of wild morning glories riot
N md trrh flaa fax 10
is on faint blue. Some vers de soclets
have exqusltely etched figures in pen
and ink meandering through the letter
press and illustrating II, while very many
have the tiny bits Of water-color land
scapes in which she excels added to
them.
On the cover of creamy chamois-skin
she has letterei the title In red.
"a HANDFUL OF FIGs-PLUCKED
FROM THISTLES."
Above and below this runs a band of
ghly-cOnventonaliZed figs and thlstles
wrought In heayiy-stuned bullion en-
broidery, and the little volume, dainty
and complete In all its details. Is more
precious In her eyes than a black-letter
Shakespeare.
one of the most charming OF Stu
dentIa's books, because it reflects her
own charming self, IS not at all literary
In character. She calls 1t her vanity
Book" The idea for It was suggested
20 her by the little water-color or pencil
sketches she is In the habit of fur
nshing her dressmaker for special cos
tunes. Some Of them looked really too
pretty TO throw away.
Then, like many girls, she loves TO
be photographed in successful new
costume; photographs and sketches ac-
cumulated on her hands. and so the
idea grew.
She has now bound them. each pic
ture upon n carefully-handled mat Of
the goods actually composing the cos
tune 1t represents. Snlppets OF trim
mings, ad0rnments, etc. are skllfully
used. and the date and place where the
frock was first worn are given along with
other bits of Interesting Contemporary
history"
The pictures were to be limited to
two gowns per season Zone street and
one evening gown, which should make
tho number eight for each year; but
so many tennis dresses. hats, riding
habits. pleaded for admission that the
number for each twelyemonth far ex-
ceads that figure. and the somewhat
bulky volume represents only five years
Head and tail pieces. initial borders.
ami enrichments are sketches of such
picturesque things as fayorlte fans.
girdles. slippers or jewels, and bouquets
that specially charmed. grouped with
the eye Of IA decorative artist.
The binding is in closely-wrought
n dlework on cloth of gold The
front cover shows a peacock with
spread tail, standing upon the word
"Vanitas," the back cover n single
broken peacock feather. with solemnly
lustrous eye, above the word "Vanita-
tUm."
Tho title-page records In old English
text:
"a Recorde Of Vanltes.
being
4 liste of soma OF tho gauas, trlnkettes.
and vaine adornments. wherewlth Mis-
tress Studentia - did apparrelie her
fEail and perishynge bodies in the
yeares 1881 10 1899 inclusive
with
some account OF the juncketings and
merry-makings toe whyche in them she
wente."
/ fancy the treasure such n volume
would be to writer on the history OF
costume somewhere In the year $3.50. and
what a price it would fetch at book auc-
ton-or whatever shall then be the
equivalent for a book auction.
This IS to feminine eyes perhaps the
most fascinating work Of the entire col
lection, and the maker avows that It has
served, with her. a purpose never In
tended.
There IS orc thing that book has done
for me-" she says. "It has improved