Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-17
NOBEL PRIZE WINNER
LAGERLOF AT HOME
A First-hand View of the Swe-
dish Author of "Jeru-
salem"

Henry Goddard Leach, secretary of the
| American Scandinavian Foundation, who
| contributed the preface to Velma Swan
| ston Howards translation of Selma La
| gerlofs Jerusalem doubleday, Page &
| Coz, in recent issue of the American
I Scandinavian Review tells of her visit to
| the home of the famous Swedish author
| ess in Marbaka, Nermland.
J when l visited Miss Lagerlof. some
/ years ago." he says, "Marbaka, the home
! OF her childhood, was being transformed
| from a quaint old dwelling to a modern
| country place. and Miss Lagerlof's in
terest in the carpenters was divided by
her solicitudc for her aged mother The
hall was just rehnlshed, and the draw
ing room had been furnished in Swedish
old-manor style, with hand-woven car
pets, lowered wallpaper reaching half
way to the ceiling, white -enameled fur
nture. trimmed with gold and uphol-
stored in shimmering, delicate silks The
authoress work table was, for the mo-
ment. in the hall. A few leaves of man
uscript showed where she directed the
plasterers from the midst of a new ro-
nance.
she received me in the drawing room.
Discussion of my visit to the Jerusalem
country in Dalecarlia led 10 a series Of
questions from Doctor Lagerlof about the
religious situation in America and the
eagerness for information included also
American women
Your women interest me so much"
said Miss Lagerlof You have so many
authOresses-Mrs Howe. for example and
now Mrs. Wharton. and you have Mrs.
Eddy. who changes the religious convic-
tion of half million people, In Sweden
we have no women who can take such
leadership"
"'How about Saint Brigitta?' | asked,
THAT'S true she replied, smiling at
a foreigners essay into Swedish history,
but that was so long ago.
But where has America a Selma
Lagerlof?"
It is interesting to note that THE Har-
vester'' and Michael O'Hallor6n," both
by Gene Stratton-Porter, were among the
IA books which the readers of the Con-
tinent voted as their favorites during the
year 1915 As is we'll known, the Con-
tinent is a leading religious journal and
its easy contest on The Books 1 En-
joyed Most in 1915" brought thousands of
interesting replies.
1t is not generally realized that Will
lam Winter, who is not only the dean
of American dramatic critics." as he is
so often called, but also one of the most
solid of our poets and essayists, was
contemporary OF the giants of the golden
age of American literature-Longfellow
Whittier, Holmes, Lowell and their peers.
Whittier was born In 1886. Longfellow in
1907. Holmes In 1909. Lowell in 1873 All of
these men and their peers Mr.. Winter
knew intimately-yet he Is still among
US. hearty and happy man, living on
Staten Island, in Greater New York,
and writing steadily. His latest book,
''Vagrant Memories" appeared this fall
Besides being a movie fan. baseball fan,
racing fan and one of the most successful
newspapermen in the country, Charles e.
Van Loan author OF the new fall novel,
Buck Parvin and the Movies" is a sue
eessful hunter and fisherman, who motors
of into the mountains for bass and bear
and comes back to Los Angeles for a turn
at deepsea fishing for tuna.
Thanks TO the intervention of Mary
Roberts Rinehart, the Blackfoot Indians
are TO be saved from imminent starva-
tion. Last summer, on her return from
Europe, Mrs RinehaTt visited the Black
feet and was made a member of the
tribe Late in November. discovering
from personal correspondence that the
tribe was in desperate straits and re-
ceivins insufficient provisions, Mrs.
Rinehart had a personal interview with
President Wilson, as a result OF which
provisions were Immediately started off
to the Blaekfeet.
Mrs Arthur Gleason, who Is just back
from a years ambulance service at the
Belgian front and who figures as Hida
IN her husbands book. Young Hilda at
the Wars" has just left New York for
a visit in her home town. Cedar Rapids.
Iowa.
Alfred Moves. whose Lord OF Misrule
and other Poems" Is recently published.
Is nov IN California on his lecture tour
of The United States.
Gertrude Atherton has taken aa apart
ment near Columbia University. New
1ork. for the winter.