Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-11-02
AuthOr of 81 Books
and Many Other
Writings.

errors of Virginia and commander OF
the Virginia forces at Yorktown.
With his brothers. he learned the re-
sponsibilities of life within sound OF
the guns of the bloodiest campaigns
of the war between the states. these
experiences he later described in Two
Little Confederates."
Happy Childhood Days.
Until the breaking out OF the war.
however, the boys spent their time
after the manner Of happy southern
children Of that period. playing aoou u,
the plantation as their companions, or
listening to the tales Of their elders
around the cabin fire. When SUNDAY
came, marbles, tops and strings were
put away. and. rain or SHINE. ene
family carriage. with four hoises ..
as many mules attached was o Easn..
out to take them TO the Forks
church.
After attending school in Hanover
county. DR.. Page went to hanover
Academy, later to Washington Coi :
lege. now Washington and Lee mi
versity. for three sessions. He graz
uated from the University of Virginia
in 1874, Just before taking the law
course Mr.. Page taught school in
Kentucky.
Receives Degrees.
From the University of Virginia he
received the Ill. B. degree: received
the Lift D. degree from Washington
Lee. 1887: Yale, 1901. and Harvard
1918. He also received the LII. u de-
gree from Tulane University, 1893:
William and Mary College. 1906. and
Washington and Lee. 1907.
He practiced law in Richmond from
1875 to 1893. when he moved to wash.
ington. He resided for a number CT
years at 1859 r street.
Mr.. Page was appointed ambassa-
dor to Italy in June. 1913. and con-
tinued in that capacity until August:
1919. his service covering a critical
tons. More than one of the diplo-
matte notes passing between the
United States and the allied govern
ments went through his hands.
Services for World Peace.
In the summer of 1919 he returned
to Washington to confer with offcials
concerning details of peace and re-
construction in Europe and indicated
that because OF advancing years he
would be glad to lay down the Official
burden he had carried throughout the
war. He placed before President will
son at long White House confer
ence a final report on conditions In
Europe. and soon thereafter left the
service OF the government
Much Of his time thereafter was
spent in study and occasional writing.
but recently sold his house with the
intention OF spending most of his
time in Virginia
Although tho services he performed
as ambassador at Rome in the try
ing war years were Of great value TO
the govrnment. Mr.. Page was perhaps
best known. for his literary produc-
lions. which had won for him a name
both at home and abroad long before
no accepted the diplomatic appoint
ment from President Wilson. 1t was,
in fact, this literary talent which es-
pecially endeared him to the Italian
people.
First Attempt at Authorship.
His first attempt at authorship was
an acrostic. written when he was a
child and published in the Southern
Churchman, the appearance OF which
in it's printed form. was at once a
source Of pride and disappointment to
him. While at college he again es-
sayed to write, contributing to the
Collegian. a paper gotten out by the
students, of which he finally became
the editor. He did little literary work
after graduating at law. but In 1856
with his marriage to Miss Anne Sed
don Bruce Of Charlotte county. Va,
came a renewal of the literary i'm
pulse. She cared for his stories and
for him lofty ambitions and
he wrote for her. At this period he
added to his profession as a writer
that of public lecturer.
Wrote Thirty-Four Books.
Versatile and prolific. his contribu-
lions to literature comprise thirty
four books and numerous articles.
Claus" to the Life of Thomas Jeffer-
son." which Page wrote in Italian
during his service at Rome. is a great
gap, yet it is spanned with a success
sion Of literary works ranging from
tho whimsical to the matter-offact
stories of history.
There was nothing in all his writ
ings that reflected the sordid side Of
life. Rather his novels were of pleas
ant adventures, with more attention
paid to elegant phrasing than to Wig
orous action. and with homely senti-
ment outlined strongly in books that
contained no trace Of sex interest. He
wrote of a certain land almost con-
tinuously. and did much to weave the
south.
AIt1C VI
A brief list of his works shows how
strongly his homeland exerted itself
I'm Ole virginia" Two Little Con:
."The Old South" Among the Camps
''Esket and Other Stories" 'Befo' dc
War" "Pastime Stories." '"The Burial
lady" "Msr.e chan. Polly Social
tleman Of the Black Stock" Tive
Partner" "A Captured Santa Claus
"Gordon Keith" "The Negro-the
southerners Problem" II BRED aoh in dhs
1 5ons Hnder G ,ne crust, The oid
Dominion-Her Making and Her Man
ners," Robert E, Lee-the South ern-
or" Tommy Trot's Visit to Sants
Claus" John Marvel. Assistant
"Robert e. Lee, the Man and Soldier.
The Land Of the 81; Spirit I,a,,aa Life .1 o.
Italy and the World War" His writ
ings were published at short intervals
from 1887 to 1920.
HIS literary career was tho big part
Of his life. to which the appointment,
Is ambassador to Italy came as the
problems Of italy with the same
thoroughness that he had given to
the problems Of the south. and the
result IL shown in his book. ITALY
and tho World War" This was writ'
ten two years after his Life Of JEFF
ferson" and was highly praised.
In the thirty three years between
1887, when he published I'm Ole Vir-
rinia," and 1920. whom ITALY and the
world War" was issued, he wrote
thirty-four books, besides numerous
short sketches for the higher grade
magazines. Yet in them there is no
trace Of hurried work. He was q
writer who had been taught that
carefulness is q virtue and that &C
curacy II not one Of the deadly sins.
Member Of Preninent Clubs.