New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-06
II, BURROUGHS
SMILES AT YEARS
Naturalist Feels as Young
as Grandchildren with
Whom lie Plays.

John Burroughs. in gold frame,
held court IN the front drawing-roo
Of the Princess Lwof -Parlaghy's stu
do, at JOG East Thirty-niuth Street,
Yesterday. John Burroughs, with a
bunch Of arbutus in his hands and a
birthday smile on his wrinkled face,
held court in the rear drawing-room.
Ard the guests couldn't tell which
John Burroughs delighted them the
more.
il was a birthday reception for the
naturalist. and he brought down from
his home, at West Park. the first Off
cial news that spring had come. New
York always counts on 81. B." for the
first spring song, and he did not fail
yesterday.
The arbutus. he laughingly admitted
was plant" Il had been sent to him
by friend In the South, and it was
so sweet he couldn't le, il 90 from his
hands minute, although it really
WASN'T quite fair because il was not
housekeeping New York arbutus.
However. there was no nature-fak-
ing about his birds
THE orchards are full Of them he
cried, jubilantly. Every morning 7
see bluebirds and solden-wing wood
peckers and song sparrows lots Of
them.
"My little boy loves birds.' cried one
Of the women worshippers.
Does he?" the naturalist responded
happily. We'll. tell him he must learn
TO distinguish the male from the f.
male by its song. II he IS goirg 10 be
real bird lover, it isn't enough 70
know the male and female by sight. but
he must know the difference in the
song. too"
Some one congratulated him on his
birthday. He was seventy-nine years
old on Monday. and this was New
York's share in the festivities.
"Oh. am as well ss I can be- he
laughed, "snd as strong as any Of my
Grandchildren had the whole crowd
ND for the real birthday on Monday
and what do you suppose we did? We
had maple sugar Doll ana .rade lock
Jaw When the sap begins 10 run 1t IS
the greatest sport n the world 10
gather il in pals. boil It over an open
ire in the grove and cool in the
snow. Then its 'lockjaw.' and | tell
YOU that's the right name for IT.
-. b." pulled his snowy beard and
chuckled reminiscently. Then he came
back 70 New York and the pink candle
light and the buffers and the gold
framed portrait.
81 am delighted with it, he said.
"Fronn the very first rough sketch the
nrincess had me there. Some artists,
YOU know. paint anybody at al al first
and then paint in your personality
afterward Princess Parlaghy got ne
first and then put IN the ran alter
ward" q.
Friends OF the princess told more o.
the story OF the painting OF the por-
trait 4. was the Monday OF the bir
storm. q month ago. Mr. buUoughs
had come down from his country home
and dropped in A. tho studio 20 OK
anime the portraits Of Joseph Choa
Alton b. Parker, Henry Fairfield o.
horn and other prominent mes. ne
storm grew so severe that he decided
20 stav I'M town. Then and there they
plotted the portrait. and It was Begin
hat very hour For three weeks inc
artist lived in fevered frenzy. Genius
burned day and night She shut her
self of from the world. not even allow
NO her friends TO telephone 20 her.
Mr.. Burroughs sat every day fro~
10 20 5.
The finished portrait shows the nat
uralist sitting m straight carve"
chair. His hands are touching the arr.
Of tho chair. and his body Is poised
olertly> As II he were about 20 rise.
Several hundred friends o. the nat
uraIist were invited 10 view the pot
trait Yesterday afternoon and evening
.ud this afternoon