Evening star., 1926-11-25
THE MARYHILL DEDICATION.

Speaking Of that long day before
we arrived at Spokane. l forgot to
mention that all along the way they
brought US wonderful apples. 1t
seems to be a great apple country.
At one station there was also an
Indian chief and his wife who brought
US some splendid trout, and the old
warrior presented me with a bow and
arrows. This was truly picture OF
the West and it's quaint contrasts.
1 awoke to sunshine and most
arresting view of the Columbia River
set in a curiously bleak but fascinating
landscape in different tints of brown.
All the grass wos duun color, with
golden lights upon it. out of which
deep brown rocks suddenly surged, as
though old feudal castles in ruin; here
and there stretches Of sand like the
desert, with faded reeds and weeds
waving in the wind. These. too. had
golden lights upon them, in fact, this
whole landscape was a study in
browns, buff and gold, with a back
ground of purple mountains dwindling
away till they were but faint Japanese
like shadows. Also the crest of
Mount Hood had with its crown of
clouds a queer resemblance to Fuji-
yama.
This somewhat bleak country had
a strange charm for me. There was
something great and silent about it,
something unkempt, which neverthe-
less seemed to hold hidden promise.
Position Is Strategic.
We got out at a tiny station which
has no name that l can remember
and, accompanied by Mr.. Hill, drove
in an open motor to that strange and
nt fCrNR anf to hI1hd OF, tod ENyy
that great road pioneer in a veritably
strategic position.
1t were too long to tell Of all the
forethought Samuel Hill has built into
those concrete walls; as I said in the
little speech | made there in answer
to the addresses of welcome rendered
to me-a dream has been built into
these walls, big dream. A dream
what the everyday man can hardly
IA athOm.
Several years ago, when I met Sam
uel Hill and when he became my
friend, he spoke to me of what Mary
hill meant to him. and though to some
it may seem a lonely and inexplicable
spot in which to build a great house,
he was able to fascinate me with the
thought he had put into 1t. One of
the least unexpected features of the
isolated dwelling Is that you can, with
a motor, drive straight into it's big
hall This we did and it was here
that the Inauguration ceremony was
held.
l saw a certain astonishment writ.
ten upon the faces of those who had
come with me, not unmiXed with
irony. They could not well grasp what
it all meant, nor how this half-untin-
ished fortress-like house could be call
ed a museum. This aroused in me a
desire to take up the cudgels for this
great dreamer and for those who had
helped him to make his dream live.
So, after the mayor of the place, Mr..
Hill himself and NJ. Tirman had spok-
en-, stood up like one who sees into
the inside of things, and what l said
to that skeptical audience was glow
ing defense Of all dreamerS.
Strange Atmosphere Felt.
There was a strange atmosphere
about that place. Everybody felt it.
But few understood what it really was.
For moment, while they were under
the spell Of my words, l made them
understand if not with their brains
anyhow with their souls.
Yes that morning felt the strange