The Washington herald., 1920-12-26
J.
Spent Her Childhood in Lewes.

when was very small we went to live
at Lewes, in Sussex, and there l spent my
childhood and did all my writing. always
had novel going and wrote whenever
was allowed, and quite often when
wasn't GD. We were devilishly naughty
children | feel sure you can spread your
self on this"
To any one who has read the book the
last injunction would appear almost super
huous, for one can see the innate rougish-
ness of the author lurking in almost every
paragraph.
According to Miss Furbank, "The Young
Nisters" would still be a fat manuscript
kept in a drawer and read to amuse inti-
mate friends, had it not been for Daisy
Ashford's two friends, Mrs. Blount, better
known as Mrs. George Norman, dramatist
and author, and her sister, Miss Margaret
Mackcnsie, writer of poems. With the
financial assistance of Lord Latham these
two women dramatzed the book and its
success quickly followed.
Daisy Ashiord's family belonged to that
class in England to whom the doings OF
the court the goings and comings of his
royal highness, the Prince of Wales, and the
queen were matters of keenest personal in
terest Miss Furbank explains. This will
account for the large role played in the book
by the Prince of Wales, who is introduced
as wearing "a small but costly CROWN
The Palace to a Childs Mind.
Another convincing argument in favor
OF the juvenile authorship of the book is
the use OF the Crystal Palace, instead OF
Buckingham Palace as the royal residence
for the latter was a dull and gloomy pile
compared with the enormous glass creation,
half bazaar and half exhibition, which to
the childish imagination formed the proper
dwelling for the royal family.
Miss Furbank gives a graphic picture
of the childhood surroundings of the young
writer.
Daisy, with her two little sisters, were
children by second marriage of her
mother, who was a high-s0irited woman
Of originality. There were many grown-up
step-sisters and brothers, and it was the
tales of their visits and the visiters' they
received that interested Daisy.
"She was always writing and used to
pray for wet days so that she could write
instead of going for long walks on the
Downs. To great extent she and her Sis
ters were encouraged to write, and on the
anniversary of their parents wedding day
it was the habit to write poems and plays
on some incident OF their courtship or
honeymoon"
1t was not until after Mrs. Ashford's
death that the manuscript of "The Young
Visiters" was brought to light. This was
few years back, when Daisy had long
reached womanhood~ and quite forgotten
her childish work. The manuscript had been
brought out now and then and read aloud
for the entertainment of friends by Miss
Mackensie and Mrs. Norman
Book Liked in Private
So well liked was the book at these
private readings that the two women finally
decided to place it on the market Daisy
Ashford was in Switzerland at the time,
doing war work, but she wired consent
One wonders whether Barrie has ever
regretted writing what might be called that
fatal preface. Miss Furbank was having a
stop" at Margaret Mackense's picturesque
country cottage in the old cinque port of
Rye when the telegram was received from
London with the assurance that the book
would have preface by the fanciful pen
Of the author Of "Petcr Pan"
The book was read and discussed by
niarket-boys and cabinet ministers. People
vowed that Barrie had written the whole