The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-09

1t was at his quantity fashioned home
in the old town of Flushing, Long Island,
that | met Dan Beard, he of whom 1t
was said at the last Book-binders din
ner:
Dan Chaucer,
Dan Supid,
Dan Beard-which deserves a book-binder
more?"
1t was late in January.
Crisp little twigs of holly left over from
Christmas were still clinging to the walls
of the studio-that wonderful workshop
and famous museum of Dan Boards.
Many Of the dried leaves had fallen down
among the old shoes in the corner; rev.
dictionary boots from 1.-THE Six Feet Of
Romance" hgh-heeled French slippers.
wooden sabots, beaded moccasins, ia
panese, Turkish and Hawaiian shoes. A
Mexican lariat of rawhide trailed through
the holiday green's and lost itself In the
frontier crowd at the right; Indian to-
bacco pouches, game bags, powder horns,
brass spurs, apparejos, sombreros while
Just over the narrow entrance into the
big room and out In the hall way gleam-
hunting knives. guns. rifles and pistols
whole armory full
Sunlight streamed through a picture
window in the very heart of the sinister
weapons, a tiny window all fluffy with
a ruffled curtain. white as frost and
dancing with sunbeams-like some little
dream lady of King Arthurs time, with
gold hair and mystic gown flying out
Of he
warm studio.
Skins of bear and fox horns of elk
and deer, mirrors, cabinets, plaster casts,
sketches. canvasses, old chests, draperies,
costumes-all sides of the studio sugges-
lions of a thousand centuries, thousand
places, a thousand people.
Where In the world Mr.. Beard"
hesitated-"dld you get all tkis-this-"
''All this loot?' Dan Beard laughted,
that jolly old campaigner laugh he has,
and shook his head
''Blest Il l know!"
Hes had 1t ever since I've known, and
I've known him these thirty years"
broke in Capis of Honolulu. That gen.
tleman was sitting on blue antique
bench alongside Chester Fox, the clever
young artist from Seattle.
why he's got whole chests of 1t stored
away" continued the cap'n, II believe 1t
just BiOWS dlouHu llllS SluulO ike ullSIle-
toe"
Dan Boards home stands just off Am
ity street in the historic town of Flush
Ing, now Incorporated in Greater New
York. The house is modelled after the
old style of farm houses along the sound,
painted gray, with a shingled roof, dormer
windows, and a broad porch. The door
is thick set solid structure, divided in
the centre with two great glass eyes
staring above the brass knocker.
That's a door over two hundred years
DID," remarked Mr.. Beard. II bought 1t
up out In the country here from one of
the old farm houses. Many time have
they shot Indians through 1t and 1t has
served as pretty strong barricade"
The little drawing room is filled with
menmentoes of Mr.. Boards artist friends,
stunning sketches by Remington, How
ard Pyle, Deming, Clindnst and Gibson
which together with bronzes, sheets of
bark, Indian baskets, old fashioned
chairs, fur rugs, and many plants make
up an atmosphere of savage, artist, trav-
.ler and scholar.
The star chambers, however, are the
dining room and the studio. A small writ
Ing den and library in the rear of the
house Is an interesting little apartment.