The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-23

is quaint little black brass legged Ia
BILE Of the time of Queen Elizabeth
which was presented b. Joe, Jefferson
to Count Bozenta. Above this table
hangs a miniature picture on porcelain
of Marie Antoinette-
The books number perhaps two thou
sand-bOoks in French. Russian, Polish,
Italian and English. A magnificent ed1-
tion Of Balzac, the gift Of Alphonse
Daudet. occupies place Of honor Tor
Nine AQd1eSka considers this writer
among the greatest noveiists of the cen
fury. Shakespeare in many editions and
many languages is here, with critical
and analytical essays and commentaries
galore Sien5iewicz's works in Polish
are upon the shelves, each volume an
authors copy Photographs, water
colors, carvings and many ornaments
The dining room. a long, low, sunny
apartment. has a great brick fireplace
and recessed stained glass window. TIE
walls are hung with many art trophies
among which is a collection OF arms. old
swords, ancient cutlasses, crude battle
axes and murderous javelins- Many OF
these are the gifts of famous people and
are historic in value.
The music room is a charming spot. A
grand piano occupies one end. and there
are also a beautiful harp and a collec-
lion Of musical instruments representing
many countries. The whole interior q
the home IS filed with art treasures
from all parts of the globe.
The requirement of Arden" belongs
70 Il 9Th ptGI III the Ike CT AlOuJcStAa Qat-
ing as far back as the centennial year
1876, for it was in this year that she,
with her husband, Count Bozenta CHA
powski came to America with a society
Of Polish artists and attempted to found
a colony in southern California
There IS possibly no other story of
ccmmunistic life quite like this. for this
company Of idealists. unlike the Brook
farm or any other community. had TO
problem to solve, no class privileges to
settle, no philosophy to prem ulgate- They
came, about 80 in number, a company of
happy, ambitious young people fleeing
from Poland from the political suspicion
thar had become almost a reign of ter
ror- They sought free government and
q climate Of senni-tropic beauty.
The artists LED by ModjeslSa and her
husband, included Henryk Sienkiewicz.
Michael kroschiki. the painter, and Carl
Nladskot, the poet. Besides these men
there were other artists. editors. poets,
orators full of life. Of enthusiasm. long
ing TO establish a home foz denationaliz-
ed genius where political censorship
was unknown.
This company had in Cracow, Poland,
belonged to club, which met at one ar
others houses, where they discussed
mcusic, are poetry and too often the
downfall Of their beloved country which
was in the possession Of the Russian ar
istOcracy.
Mo6jeska's husband was purely Pei
lsh. HIS great uncle, General Chlap0M
ski. was aide de-camp to Napoleon and
in its march to Moscow. The count was.
therefore, thought to be a dangerous
person &c the government, and his ca
reer was frequently interrupted with po-
itical Imprisonment, resulting finally in
exile No wonder that he and his artist
wife dreamed CT a free life across the
water in an Arcadia Of their own MAX
ing.
The founding of the colony. the coming
to America in 1916, the settlement in
southern California and its misfortune
and failure are wel known; also the
drifting back Of the Polish artists to
their rative countIy-aH save Nodjeska
and her husband.
To Modjeska the failure Of the com
lnu7istic scheme brought no loss of
courage. She retained her love fer the
sunny south, and very soon after her ca
reer was established she returned to the
scene Of her experiment in community
life ard bought this tract Of land in TIL.
canyon of Santiago, addirg to it as time
passed on, ard finally building there a
summer retreat