The Washington herald., 1918-11-30

Books al, -lspiration of beauty
in life and OF all beautiful things.
For hooks nourisn the spirit and
spirit makes life
Take a cold. dead body as an illus
tration Of this truth. Beauty is a
cold. dead thing without that illumi-
nation from within.
Truth. beauty. life and freedom
come from the spirit within Let me
repeat a few lines which ! read the
other day in the Christian Monitor.
have been saying them over each
day to myself and each day have felt
my spirit rejoice in them.
The vast resources Of truth are at
the disposal of the hungry heart, all
talent. all beauty, all symmetry. all
capacity and art are at hand to be
perceived and enjoyed
The infinite reflections Of spiritual
light are ready to refresh, instruct
satisfy. The marvels of Gods bounty
III the heart and make il whole.
spends Holidays Reading.
read all sorts of books. everything
that is TO be had. Sometimes in my
busy life. for actresses are very busy.
have to snatch the time Most of all
enjoy the books in my own home.
| have a wonderful library and spend
much of my holidays reading.
When all this fever of war and war
work has foamed itself away, l mean
to write a book myself. Women need
so much help and advice. So many
problems confront them now too. We
should pass on the experience of life
to others
have rit hnnL al
though for eight years wrote a news
paper article each dav for the Chicago
Tribune. 1t seems to me that COW
cred every phase and thought in con-
nectiOn with women. but there was
no continuity or central idea in all
the writing. and a book should ex-
press some great central theme.
Novels are not especially interesting
TO me although I enjoy those of Will
lam J. Locke. He always brings in
several real. live people and that is
what | especially enjoy.
Wears Out Edition.
For the same reason am part:cu-
larly fond Of historical novels be-
cause they tell of real people and in
cidents that happened. Ruskin is a
favorite classic author with me and
often re-read his books. My pet de
luxe edition is almost worn out.
Books are the sources from which
we draw information about the
things we love. I study everything
care about and possess. There is
not a book on porcelains which |
have not seen. l study my rugs and
tapestries i'm the same way. and
know all about them.
Fads like this are the very best
| things one can have. If l had time
I would constantly preach fads.
When | am too tired to read | rest
in my Chinese room. perhaps, and the
history of each riece comes back
along with bits of my own history
which they recall and am enter
tained and rested. For many of them
I have sacrificed or waited long until
could afford them.
Laces are a pet thing to me. I was
more than surprised to discover that
my collection was rare and unique a
short time ago when my sister exhib-
tied them in Pittsburgh.
Lace Books Fascinating.
Old lace books are fascinating and
full of the quaintest information.
Many beauty secrets are buried IN
these books of the ancients, too. l
discovered many beneficial things
about good grooming from Egyptian
tones. Architecture drew re 10 the
subject of ancient Egyptian history,
for SO many Egyptian motifs and
ideas, are used in stagecraft, but the
subject of Egyptian treatment of
beauty is even more marvellous.
For example, no Egyptian woman
would consider appearing before her
husband without the bit of rouge on