Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-20

college paper. After leaving school, he
became the tutor of private school in
Kentucky and with the money he made
there started TO study law at the Univer-
sity of Virginia. He began the practice
Of law in Richmond when he was TWEEN
ty-two and kept at it for years. writing
some Of his best stories in the midst OF
the preparation of dry legal documents.
College in 1901, and he has received sew
raj degrees as doctor of literature.
Il
have known Mr.. Page for years, and
have had many chats with him about his
literary methods and literary work. de
does not like to discuss such things for
publication and it has been only by ask
ing many question that / am able to give
you the information contained In this
letter There Is nothing of the literary
egotist about him, and as to his own
writings he is as backward and bashful
as any girl in his stories.
NV last call upon him was just after he
had been chosen as our ambassador to
Rome, He lives, you know, here at the
capital. His home Is a reproduction of
the ideal southern mansion OF the old
time plantation. 1t is built Of the same
rough brick as was imported for the
Virginia homes in the days of the cava-
liers 1t has the roof balustrade and
quaint dormer windows Of colonial days
and its broad entrance porch and old
fashioned doorway are among the artistic
features Of the Capital city.
Entering the house you come into
wide hall hung with paintings. etchings
and engravfngs each OF which has Its
story. An easy flight Of stairs leads to
the second floor. where is the library. a
room as big as the hall of colonial
church. This is walled with rare edi-
TORS of the classics and of history and
fiction in beautiful bindings. The cases
hn
floor almost to the ceiling. The furniture
Is old mahogany. beautifully inlald.
There are soft divans and easy chairs,
and all the surroundings of the dilettante
book lover and cultured. easy-going soul
AS you look about you you see no signs
of work and the average caller or visitor
leaves without imagining that such a
thing as work is connected with Mr..
Pages life.
It is different in the real workshop.
This is two stories higher, little room
which Is almost under the roof. Here
the books are Of many kinds and most OF
them are In ordinary bindings There
are scores Of old biographies. odd vol
umes of history and historical collections.
shelves filled with Americana and volume
after volume of biographies and stories
relating to the old south. There are ref
erence books, religious works, a we'll
thumbed Bible or SO and full equip
ment for literary labor.
The easy chairs and luxurious furniture
OF the library below are absent. AT one
side is a typewriter, at which Mr.. Page S
secretary sits, and in the center of the
room is a fiat-topped desk, such as you
can buy anywhere for thirty or forty
dollars. and a plain Office chair.
The desk Is covered with proofs, manu-
scripts and papers. half dozen pencils
lie within easy reach Of the chair, and
beside them are several quill pens, made
from eagles feathers. The only easy
chair In the room Is one with an old
wide sheet of leather, SO arranged that a
screw at the top makes 1t tight or loose.
enabling one to rest his back as he sits.
The framework OF the chair Is OF biack
walnut and It Is wonderfully comfortable.
II was made for Henry Clay and was