Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-27

of Annapolis. Md. sufficiently extensive
to be termed an estate, or a demesne, if
one has turn for quaint old legal Eng
lish.
Imagine triangle, equilateral jut-
ting out into, the waters of the bay, or
that will hold in your mind the shape
approximately of Mr.. Armstrong; home
land. And the piece of pumpkin pie.
used symboically. fits the case, because.
as 1t happens, Mr.. Armstrong began to
write alias Jimmy Valentine" the play
which so far has contributed most to his
fame and bank account. one Thanksgiv-
Ing day in his Maryland home, and from
that same play have come funds since
used in making considerable improve
nents on the place.
Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, with their
three little daughters and other members
of the household, have lived at Annapo-
lis for five or six years. but the dramatist
has owned the present place only about
two years. 1t contains $50 acres Of land
of which 100 acres are woods and $50
acres are improved. When Mr. Arm
strong bought it the place had not been
occupied for many years. The last own
er-resident, Col. Brant, had died in 1875
and his two daughters had married and
have since lived abroad. Consequently,
the Brant place showed signs of neglect
and seemed declining into a delicate old
age. OF course, Mr.. Armstrong, with his
this. He has had a small army of men
at work on the buildings and grounds
making improvements, and plans to let
the good work go on.
The house itself is old colonial, with
the generous entrances and spacious
rooms which are characteristic of this
type. Hospitality seems to be the key
note OF this architecture, and Mr.. Arm
strong has not eliminated that quality In
the improvements he has made.
co nf
contains room for an aggregation Of live
stock. and the Armstrong; have taken
advantage of the opportunity. In the
stable are hunting horses. who follow
the trail of the fox. Mr.. Armstrong has
half-brother of an English Derby
winner. four-year-old. whom he has
banned .'Hoorah." evidently after his
The Heir to the Hoorah." Mrs. Arm
strong, who sometimes rides him, de-
clares that there isn't so much ''hoorah"
about this four-year-old. which. by the
way, stands 16 hands 2. as one might
suppose from his kinship-in fact. she
thinks he is quite tame, although she
confesses an apprehension that the thor
run with her sometimes. Evidently Mrs
Armstrong is very fond of her own
horse. 'Salonly Jane" which can leap
five-foot-siX barrier under skillful
guidance.
I'm going to name my next hunter
Alias Jimmy Valentine =" remarked Mr.
Armstrong. He ought to be able to
break through anything with that name
don't you think?''
The three little daughters lust love
pigs. and they have given all Of them
pet names. few very imposing. like
st. John and Catalina. Other wiggies are
named after the particular friends OF
the little girls and one of them after
one OF her friends dog Jack Annabelle
Is the oldest of the trio of daughters
Myrelle comes second and Elizabeth
comes last. Elizabeth they call ''Tutie''
for short. because she is the littlest.
1t was only last spring that the three
gave realistic performance of Alias
Jimmy Valentine" which caused some
little excitement in the household The
idea conceived by the three while they
were in the bathroom one day was that
Annabele should impersonate Jimmy,
Myrelle Red Joclyn. and that together
the two should rescue .'Tutie'' from the
dreadful bark vault. :r.sey locked the
door and threw the key out Of the din
dow. Then they slipped the bolt one
of the invisible kind. Annabelle man
aged to get the combination for the bolt
and slid that back. but 1t was not so
easy in the case Of the lock- Attracted
by unusual sounds father, mother and
governess rushed to the spot. They
found Myrelle outside, and she was just
advising. Bind q towel around your
head. like Jimmy Valentine, Annahelle."
1t was necessary to call In the aid OF a
plumber and an electrician. then at work
around the house. before the door could
be opened.
The children have always called their