The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-07
LETTERS HOME OF PEOPLE
 AND THRONGS AT THE FAIR
COMPILED BY ANNIE KENpRIcK WALKER.

To Miss Gwendolyn Alstyne,
 My dearest Gwendolyn:-I have seen Benner's portrait of Graziella. A French woman told me that it was catalogued, but that she had hunted the French exhibit over with futile attempts at find- ing it. That Is the trouble here even when you know what you want to sec. Your catalogue Is really of little as- eistance beyond confusing you by the arrangement of it's groups. The eollabor- ators of the French section of fine arts were MT. Albert Bisnard, commander of the Legion of Honor, and MT. Emile Dene The work of the former is seen fin the freze of the French section and tLat of the latter in the sculptGral decor ntion of the doors. l wandered about for an hour or more, spending some time ndmiring the CarolusDuran groups, but was unable to find one portrait that sought
 This story of Grazella has always been to me, the saddest, at the same time the most beautiful romance have ever read. You remember that in the translation note he says that the story of Graziella is a leaf torn from the personal mem ories of the famous French historian Iamartine, and that many years after this Italian romance of his youth-as late as lS43-hes went into retreat on the ls- land of Ischa to write his History or the Girandists." There he was near the isle of Procida, where was begun the TO- nance and where for Grazella was lie meant Lamartine.
 The French woman who told me that c;raziela's portrait was here said that she had the greatest admiration anu fe- spect for Lamartine because he con fessed in after years the whole story of his love for the Italian girl. Very few men with the position of Lamartine would have taken the world into their confidence and immortalized an obscure girl as he has done in that exquisite --stort How many men of your acqualh- tance, my dear Gwendolyn, would uh- earth the romanees of their youth. mean the romance that never ltacheu the ears of society.
 believe that if all men were as frank as I.amartine their memoirs would be equally as interesting, that is If women with the nature and temperament of Graziella had entered their lives.
 had supposed that every one in France knew of this romance In Lamartines hte because every one outside of France has read it. You may imagine then my sur prise when the youh6 hANtiNn I charge of the exhibit shrugged his should FITS and said in French that he did not know Graziella.
 'I,amartines Graziella," l repeated in some surprise.
 "Lamartine, ah, Lamartine. Yes l know l4amartine"
 'Benner has painted her. You know Benner?
 "Ah. Benner. Yes I know Benner. He Is one of the greatest artists of France.
 He unlocked drawer in his cabinet and took out list after list of French ar lists until he found the name of Benner. Below this was the name that Lamartine wrote no crystal was pure enough to hold. We went to find her portrait. the young French attache and myself, to see how one of the greatest artists of France had pictured the Neopolitan girl whom not even time could efface the first impression she made upon Lamartine.
 Benners portrait Is ideal. She is sitting on the cliff of the island, where the little house had fallen to ruins only twelve wears later when Lamartine returned to find traces of her. She looks at you with the eyes that ,Lamartlne loved eyes with out a touch of eoquetry and she Is so child-Ifke and innocent looking that it Is remarkable that within her heart lay concealed such feelings of emotion that ns Lamartlne discovered there was pas sion enough in her own soul to cover up the insufficiency of a thousand other hearts.
 The most wonderful place these sum mer nights is in the Tyrolise Alps,