The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-03

N or long ago it was my good for
 NJ tune to stand in the room whose four walls were the first ever to know how its owner was to interpret the role of Peter Pan."
 may not tell where I found the house. But from the spot where I stood could easily see at a distance the front of the new city library on Fifth ave- nue, New York. It seemed q quiet, subdued section of residences-a sort or diocese by itself, peopled by a coterie infatuated with no more strenuous ann oltion than that of having homes.
 It is a street midway between the arrogant chatter of the ceaseless and sell fish vehicles which beguile the rich on one avenue and the rumble and roar of the elevated trains and trolleys which hurry the poor along another.
 With d step or two beyond the outer door was taking off my coat in a room which, but for it's nearness to the street, 1 should have called the library 1t had flight of stairs leading to the upper part of the house, and was dimly lighted by what at first seemed an ordinary heavy study lamp. But it's age and curious design, attracting an- other glance, proved 1t really to be an ancient Damascan candlestick fitted up as an electric droplight.
 The space beneath the stairway had been hollowed out for book shelves. These were fitted with a motley array. Two or three books of reference lay open on the floor as if their owner had just been sitting there with them in pursuit of some mooted point free from all intruding eyes.
 But through the door in front of me l could see into a larger room which also held books, and which, I afterwards learned, was called the Book Room.
 But why this collection in the front hall? thought I.
 I looked it over again. The titles ''Vio- let le Dues Sur l. Art Egyptienne." Chesterton,s Life of Browning" Moul- tons Ancient Greek Drama" and so on, only told me of the owners cath olicity of taste, until in the very scope and multitude of the volumes I saw the career of an omnivorous reader. The book room had simply overhowed into the front hall
 The step that brought me into the book room itself was charming in it's results. I knew it at once for the own- CTS main work room. It was impress sively individualized-as replete With character as a fine etching. It spoke eloquently of four things-simpcity earnestness, industry and mental alert ness. l had no need to meet -'iaude Adams after entering it; to see this room was to know her.
 It was matinee day when l called and the mistress of the house had not yet returned from the theatre l had ann pie leisure to observe the room--as un- like all other rooms as she, who is it's forming spirit, is unlike all other per- sonalities. Books and books and books; the cheerful crackllnf of an open lire; the comfort of a great deep, softly cush- toned crimson divan. gave the solitude of the place a sense of companionship and of cheer.
 All the details of furnishing or of deco ration seemed to speak to one. A Dam ascan blade, a quaint and curious idol of ancient Egyptian stone, an Illuminated mediaeVal Madonna, crucifX from some wayside Italian shrne-these things sent ones heart on a pilgrimage through the ages to the ends of the earth. But a charming elfn pencil sketch by Dana Gibson over the fireplace brought 1t back And the comfortable sense of books and the scent of fresh roses held it q willing prisoner in the now and here.
 I loafed at my ease in great chair whose back end sides enfolded me hos pitably. The dust and smoke, the noise and newness of work-a-day New York seemed very far away from the silence. the simplicity and the quaintness or everything about me. A cheerful nre cracked on the hearth. upon the top ot which some clever artisan had fash toned in raised iron letters the vefy spirit of the place: