Morris tribune., 1914-09-18

a A NLAIAhA ADAAISs MY JCdAO OtN'
n white haired, descendant of
IH the cavaliers, as thin and frail
as the house she lived in, rObed
in the cheapest and cleanest dress
ever saw, with an air as simple as
queens, received me.
The reception room seemed a mile
square, because there was nothing in
it except some rows Of books, on un-
painted white pine boOksheIves.
cracked marble top table, rag rug, a
hairless horsehair sofa and two or
three chairs. Yes, there was a picture
on the wall. colored crayon drawing
of a cluster Of pansies. looked
around for the portrait of Andrew
jackson and the pine cone hanging
basket, but they were not there.
Azalea Adair and had conversation,
q little of which will be repeated to
you. She was product Of the old
south, gently nurtured in the sheltered
life Her learning was not broad, but
was deep and Of splendid originality in
its somewhat narrow scope. She had
been educated at home and her knOwl-
edge Of the world was. derived from in
ference and by inspiration. OF such is
the precious. small group Of essayists
made. While she, talked to me | kept
brushing my fingers, trying uncon-
sciOusly to rid them guiltily OF the alb
sent dust from the half calf backs Of
Lamb, Chaucer, HazlittS Marcus Azure
Illus, Montaigne and Hood, She wassex-
quisite, she was a valuable discovery.
Nearly everybody nowadays knows too
much-Oh. so much too much-of real
life.
l could perceive clearly that Azalea
Adair was very poor A house and a
= dress she had. not much else, fancied.
So, divided bet ween my duty to the
magazine and mR loyalty to the poets
and essayists who fought. Thomas in
the valley OF the Cumberland. listen
ed to her yaice. which was like harp
sichOrd'S. and found could not speak
of contracts. In the presence of the
nine muses. and the three graces one
heSitated ~ lower the topic to
cents. There would have to be anoth-
er cOllOquy after l had regained my
commercialiSm. But | spoke OF my
mission and 3 o'clock OF the next after
noon was set for the discussion Of the
business proposition.
Your town. l said, as began to
make ready to depart (Which is the
time for smooth generalities,. seems
to be a quiet. sedate place. A home
town. l should say. where few things
out Of the ordinary ever happen"
1t carries on an extensive trade in
stoves and hollow ware with the west and
south, and its Touring mills have a daily
capacity Of more than 1000 barrels
Azalea Adair seemed to reflect.
II have never thought OF it that
way" she said. with kind of sincere
intensity that seemed to belong to her
Isn't it in the still, quiet places that
things do happen? fancy that when
God began to create the earth on the
arst Monday morning one could have
Leaned out ones window and heard the
&rODs Of mud Splashing from his trow
sa as he built up the everlasting hills
What did the noisiest project in thu
world mean the building Of the tow
er Of Babel-resuIt in finally? A pagl
and half OF Esperanto in the Nortt
American Review"
''Of course" said | platitudinOusly
human nature is the same every
where, but there is more cOlOr-er-
more drama and movement and-er-
romance in some cities than in others.
ION the surface" Said Azalea Adair
Il have Travelled many times arounC
the world in golden airship wafteC
on two wings-print and dreams
have seen (0n dne Of my imaginar,
tours the sultan OF Turkey bowstrin;
with his own hands one Of his wive
who had uncovered her face in public
his theater tickets because his wifi
was going out with her face covere,
with rice powder. In San Francis
co.'s Chinatown | saw the slave cir
Sing Yee dipped slowly. inch by inch
in boiling almond oil to make he
swear she would never see her Amer
can lover again. She gave in whe
the boiling oil had reached three inche
above her knee. At a euchre party /
East Nashville the other night | say
Kitty Morgan cut dead by seven Of he
schoolmates and lifelong friends bt
cause she had married a house paintel
The boiling oil was sizzling as high a
her heart. but wish you could hav
seen the ine little smile that she ca
Red from table to table. Oh. yes. it
a humdrum town. just few miles Q
81 md brick houses and mud and store
-sSam6 lumber yards.
Aama one knocked holi0Klx at th