The Detroit times., 1909-05-22
MARION CRAWFORD
MARK ON ITALY
Italian by Birth, Famous Novelist
Endeared Himself in the Hearts
of His Countrymen.

ROME. May 22.-More than any
other writer of the English tongue
Francis Marion Crawford has left his
mark behind him in Italy. Italian by
birth and almost Italian i'm tastes and
mode or life, ne knew how TO endear
himself To Italian hearts. and his death
has left blank that cannot be filled
In the little village Of SAINT Agnello.
near Naples, where he had fixed his
home
His love for Italy and its customs
was great. though the Italy he loved
and wrote about was Italy of the past
and the lives OF the Roman mobiles
who figure in his romances are those
of former generation. He knew
nothing OF the Italy OF today. or else
he ignored ii. The undermining of
Rome was u hateful thing 10 him, as
was that bureaucracy which is the
Italian government of today.
In his little village of Sorrento. sur
rounded by his children, his dogs and
mis- books, he lived an ideally philo-
sophie life. For some time he had
been in weak health and his work sur-
fered In consequence. The marriage
OF his elder daughter, though an eX-
cellent one, deprived him OF her So
ciety, and the chronic bronchitis which
had bothered him in the preceding
winter seemed TO take firmer grip
on him.
The earthquake at Messina was
severe blow To him, as the estates OF
his son-in-law, Sig Rocca. were great
~ damaged by the catastrophe, ana
the prolonged absence OF the latter
in Messina was a source OF anxiety 10
him in his feeble health.
His youngest daughter. Claire, now
ever, was great consolation TO hlm'
and 1t was a Joy TO him to encourage
her literary tastes.
Since last November he had suffered
from emphysema. or dilatlon OF the
lungs. and the long, hard winter gave
him pneumonia. Still, no one mag
ined that the end was near, tnouBh
his sufferings from asthma treheVed
by inhaling oxygen) had weakened ms
vital force. Only a few days before
ne died Mrs Crawford telegraphed 10
New York that all danger had passed,
and that Mr.. Crawford was on the
road TO recovery. But the heart was
weakening, and the-daF- before-ifis
death the novelist knew his fate.
His one grief was that his two sons.
one of whom Is at oxford and the otn-
er I'm India, were absent. Ills TWO
daughters, his wife, and his wlles
mother. Mrs. Berdan, where with him.
Living down was painful. so he was
propped up i'll a chair at the WINDOW
gazing at the setting sun behind CAPRI
AS he heard the bells ringing for the
Good Fridays three-hour service ne
said:
81 die with Jesus Christ"
He was devout Catholic ana ne
had duly received the last rites OF the
church. His favorite book. Plato
dialogue on the Immortality OF the
goul j. was read to him by his wish, as
he died. AS the sun dipped behind the
great rocky mass of Capri and the
night came on Marion Crawford
breathed his last.
81 go peacefully into eternity ne
whispered.
His banker. French, of Rome, trav-
eled down to SAINT Agnello with ms
will
The aristocracy OF Rome loved MIN
and many of them telegraphed their
sorrow and sympathy. The queen
mother. by wnom Mr.. Crawford
books were much appreciated, also
sent messages of comfort and regret
to the family.