The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-27

HA 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 q
queens. received me.
The reception room seemed mile
square. because there was nothing In
1t except some rows of books. on un-
painted white pine bookshelves. a
cracked marble top table. a rag rug. q
hairless horsehair sofa and two or
three chairs. Yes. there was picture
on the wall. a cOlored crayon drawing
Of cluster of pansies. l looked
around for the portrait of Andrew
Jackson and the pine cone hanging
basket. but they were not there
Azalea Adair and I had conversation,
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 1 kept
brushing my fingers. trying uncon-
sciously to rid them guiltily OF the abb
sent dust from the half calf backs of
Lamb. Chaucer. HazIitt. Marcus Azure
Illus. Montaigne and Hood. She was ex-
quisitc she was a valun BILE discovery.
Nearly everybody nowadays knows too
much-oh. so much too much-of real
life.
I could perceive clearly that Azalea
Adair was very poor. A house and a
dress she had. not much else. | fancied.
So. divided between my duty to the
magazine and my loyalty to the poets
and essayists who fought Thomas in
the valley Of the Cumberland. 1 listen
ed to her voice. which was like a harp
sichord's. and found l could not speak
of contracts. In the presence of the
nine muses. and the three graces one
hesitated to lower the topic TO 2
cents. There would have to be anoth-
er colloquy after 1 had regained my
commercialism. But l spoke of my
mission and 3 O'Clock of the next after
noon was set for the discussion of the
business proposition.
Your town. ] said. as / began to
make ready to depart (Which IS the
time for smooth generalities,. seems
to be n quiet. sedate place. A home
town. I should say. where few things
out of the ordinary ever happen"
It carries on an extensive trade in
stoves and hollow ware with the west and
south. and its Touring mills have daily
capacity of more than 1000 barrels.
AZalea Adair seemed to reflect.
81 have never thought of it that
way" she said. with kind Of sincere
intensity that seemed to belong to her.
Isn't 1t in the still. quiet places that
things do happen? l fancy that when
God began to create the earth on the
first Monday morning one could have
leaned out ones window and heard the
drops OF mud splashing from his trow
ell as he built up the everlasting hills.
What did the noisiest project in the
world mean the building of the tow
er of Babel-result in finally? A page
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.
II have Travelled many times around
the world in a golden airship waited
on two wings-prfnt and dreams.
have seen ION one OF my imaginary
tours, the sultan of Turkey bowstriny
with his own hands one of his wives
who had uncovered her face in public.
have seen a man in Nashville tear up
his theater tickets because his wife
was going out with her face covered
with rice powder. In San Francis
cos Chinatown | saw the slave girl
Sing zee dipped slowly. inch by inch.
in boiling almond OIL to make her
swear she would never see her Ameri-
can lover again. She gave in when
the boiling OIL had reached three inches
above her knee At n euchre party In
East Nashville the other night l saw
Kitty Morgan cut dead by seven of her
schoolmates and lifelong friends be-
cause she had married n house painter.
The boiling oil was sizzling as high as
her heart. but | wish you could have
seen the fine little smile that she car
rfed from table to table Oh. yes. 1t is
a humdrum town. just few miles of
red brick houses and mud and stores
and lumber yards
Some one knocked holloway at the
back of the house. Azalea Adafr
breathed soft apology and went to
investigate the sound. She came back
in three minutes with frightened eye.
faint flush ON her cheeks and ten
years lifted from her shoulders.
sYou must have cup of tea before
you CO." she said. land q sugar cake