Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08

SAINT Agneo begins, high up on the cliff.
surrounded by orange groves stands the de-
hghtful old inn of Cocumella, once a Jesuit
holding. Here the author and his wife stopped
while they planned permanent home. And
1T was here, before his marriage. that he had
written ITO Leeward" and 'Saracinesca."
| Just beyond, next to an old Capuchin mon
astery. now stands their beautiful villa, two
hundred feet above the sea. There IS little
in the fine. massive but irregular building
| with its tower. which holds the authors study,
to remind one of the dilapidated. weather.
beaten villa as it originally stood. The site is
one of the most beautiful on the entire superb
expanse of the bay. All the rebuilding addi-
tions. interior improvements. with a splendid
system of American plumbing. heating, and
water supply, great arched retaining walls, a
facade OF great beauty as well as strength to
| resist the storms that now and again had
threatened the villa itself, are entirely the
work of the author himself as he utilized the
| ordinary Italian labor at hand simply as
help.
But this rare villa and its charming circle
is story by itself. There is evidence every
where of the exquisite taste and refinement
of the authors wife. and enviable group
of four children,-Eleanor, engaged to
Cavalier Pietro Rocca; Claire. whose accom-
pllshmentS in music are unusual, Harold, now
at Harvard University; and Bertram, twin
brother of Claire, preparing for Oxford The
| author has delightful. almost inaccessible
little retreat at the end of of the upper
terraces, completely canopied and half hidden
by great spreading boughs of friendly trees
that have way of thriving in the most i'm
possible spots on apparently the sheer face of
the cliff. Here in summer days Mr.. Crawford
writes to the music of FLASHING water from a
beautiful little fountain, rare bit of bronze
art in the shape of Medusa head and conch
shell basin, Greek inscription on the wall
above,-all birthday gift from his wife
The authors stanch, roomy, two-masted
schooner yacht Aida is in constant use A
state room is always held in reserve for his
wife, who often accompanies him on his
cruises. The little vessel began its career as
a pilot boat, the Ezra Nye, in New York Har-
Dor. He purchased it some years ago. and
sailed it across the ocean himself Che is fully
equipped sailor, holding masters certificate
after the most rigid examination enabling
him to command full rugged ship on the
high seas). The vessel has all the good points
ing needed for cruising yacht. Mr.. Craw-
ford belongs to the New York Yacht Club.
His literary work continues on these cruises
as regularly as it does at his own villa or at
his novel retreat down on the Calabrian coast
one of the watch towers erected by Charles
", which he has fitted up as secluded study
where he shuts himself out from the world.
The peasants in that part of the country
have not the best of regulations; but the
author has only good words for them. Ger
tainly they are devoted to him. Personally,
the writer has never seen such enthusiastic
affection as he witnessed at various points
from the fishermen and peasants, old and
young wherever Crawford appeared: for he
is known among them far and wide
His Work in New York
FOR a number of years and until quite
Gently Mr. Crawford had suite of rooms
at 10 Fifth-ave., New York, which he occupied