The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-08
KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN.
AN AMERICAN WOMAN WHO is AD-
MIRED IN GREAT BRITAIN.

The Author of ''The Birds Christmas
Carol" Spends Every Summer
Abroad, aud Her Last Tour Was
IA Series of Triumphs in England,
Ireland and Scotland-From Being
the Guest of n Duchess and Feted
by the Heads of All the Oxford
Colleges, She Retired to a Little
Poultry Farm for Rest and Taught
Her Landlord How 10 Raise
Chickens.
New York April 6.-There is an old,
old story. told among the redskins of the
North, Of a mighty hero of other days.
against whom all strength. all subtlety,
all force of arms wss powerless but who
was finally conquered and brought into
complete subjection by the magic spells
of Wasis, the baby. Deep in the heart
of the ancient myth there lies a truth as
old as time as new as yesterday-the
compelling power of childhood among all
peoples, in all ages, in oil countries. Not
only to the eternal child himself, but
to his interpreters, do we bow our heads,
and in this century, above all others, his
prophets are held in honor.
AS the children in THE Birds Christ
mas Carol first endeared Kate Douglas
Wggin to the American public, SO earn
est little Timothy and bewitchng Lady
Gay have unlocked for her all sorts of por-
tals-cottage doors, middle class entrances
and castle gateways across the water.
The "Christmas Carol" now ION the
quarter of a million stretch" as the last
advertisements put It, has always been
prime favorite OF all Mrs. Virgins
books in this country; in Great Britain
it stands second to "Tmothy's Quest"
/ .l.f
| hero's adventures that the authoress Is
! best known in London Edinburgh and
| Dublin society
| For the last ten years Mrs Wiggin has
! gone abroad every summer and has spent
most of her time in the British Isles, of
whose scenes and people she is especially
! fond. She began with England London
seasons and vlsits to country houses, and
| the Impressions thus gained were given
! out again in "Penelopes English Expert
ences." Next Scotland beckoned her
| across the border, and from life in Edn-
| burg, sprngtlmes in the Highlands sum-
! mers in the Lowlands. grew "Penelope's
Progress" a book as much appreciated,
read as eagerly and laughed over as heart
! lily in the land o. heather as 1t has been
| in America
In all this time Ireland only received
n flying visit now and then, but tho pub
| lie begins TO clamor for an Irish "Pene-
summer Mrs. Wiggin made an extended
| stay in Erin's Isle as a prelude 20 more
detailed and intimate studies of the life
and the people. Upon hearing of the pro-
posed visit, an English author expressed
his approval of the scheme on patriotic
grounds. wlttny saying that If the pro-
jected book remained unwritten, Ireland
would for once have a real grievance, and
/ questions would be asked in the House
which Mr. Balfour would find it difficult
to answer.
! No people are more hospitable than the
British and none more warm and friendly
to those they really like, and introduced
as she has been by the charming chill
dren of her books and by her picturesque
notes Of travel. Mrs Wiggin has long
been persona grata on the other side Of
the herring pond.
The season just past began with a visit
at Bramall Hall, n wonderful old black
and white house I'm Cheshire, the newest
portion of which dates from Ehzabeth's
time. The Virgin Queen herself passed
the night there on one of her royal pro-
crosses and sent her workmen afterward
to model in plaster marvellous ceiling in
the drawing-room as a memento of the
visit. with its jeweled windows. its
green terraces where peacocks hauut
their tails, its hedges of yew and holly
and its trout stream; with its armor, its
tapestries, it's silver and carved oak, 1t is
1 perfect example OF tne luehi EnRllSn
country house, and it has become almost
second home to the American story
teller.
At the village of Bramall. near by, Mrs.
Wiggin gave a reading from her own books
last summer for the benefit of her hosts
favorite charity and on the eventful night
the narrow streets and rustic lanes were
gay with flashing lamps and noisy with
gathering hoofs. for all the gentry OF the
countryside came out to hear of the Rug
gless preparation for the Christmas din
ner and the wanderings of pretty Kitty
Schuyler among the gray cathedrals of
old England. On the following evening
the program was repeated at Bramall Hall
/ for the house servants, the grooms,
coachmen and gardeners. the lodgekeep-
er. farmers and carpenters of the estate
and their families. and at the close OF
the reading. at the request Of the house
! keeper, Mrs. Virgins and her sister sang
a series of plantation melodies. which
were greatly enjoyed by this rather unu-
sual audience. The gifted entertainer was
hidden to the stone hoored kitchen after
ward, where the guests were partaking
of bread and cheese ana beer, and where
! her health was solemnly drunk and she re-
ceived a formal speech OF thanks made by
| the coachman and seconded in parllamen-
| tary fashion by the head gardner.
! From England Mrs. Wiggin went direct
! TO Edinburgh, where she says she now
I feels almost more at home than In New
/ York. A profusion Of flowers and sheaves
of invitations were awaiting her. and the
next five weeks were spent In attending
| luncheons. dinners. teas, receptions, and
In accepting all sorts Of attentions from
the various sets of gifted people that
make Up society in that old gray town
OF the North.
Hospitality I'm Edinburgh Is like that
OF n Texas ranch. says Mrs. Wirgin, but
as every ono does not find Il So it is 10 be
presumed that she has "thawed the
Scotch ice which Is very cold" according
to Charles Reade. land has reached the