Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-12-02

~ reputable mail box bearing the
scrawled inscription, H. Aleu-
marks the country lane over which
Y you would have to travel were
you looking for the author OF
sAnthony Adverse"
Secluded in scattered clump Of scrub oak
and pine trees, shining Whitley in the sun, just
70 miles from Washington, the home Of Hervey
Allen looms slowly into reality. Suddenly.
arriving at the house proper, you would be
struck by the extreme beauty Of the entire
setting-the house itself, low-gabled and having
an air of extreme comfort and security, and
the outlying buildings, all done in similar
Colonial architecture, as, in fact, they would
have to be- since they were, for the most part,
erected about that period.
Then you would see Mr.. Allen very tall and
with barrel chest, dressed in rough tweeds.
He would be putting nervously at cigarette.
His features, clean and acquiline, with the sun
flashing from eyeglasses, would Immediately
center your attention with their animation.
Knee deep in half dozen Airedale dogs, Mr..
Allen would greet you and accept you into his
home with hospitable and sincere attitude
that placed you at your ease completely and at
once Then and apparently from nowhere at
all you would meet Mrs Allen-Anne-calm-
voiced extremely gracious, appearing at your
elbow
PROBABLY you would sit there for an hour.
! 1t would be pleasant sort of get-together
hour Then Mr.. and Mrs Allen would start you
on a tour of their 35-acre estate, which they
acquired only short year ago. They have been
more than busy reconstructing its former glory.
Mr.. Allen would tell you that is one OF the main
reasons he has not been doing very much writ
ing these days.
You probably would agree that after finishing
q tome as volumnous as Anthony Adverse" it
would be quite likely that he deserved and
needed rest from writing.
You would make inspections OF the various
,inl, milf inn
for next Springs seeding. Mr.. Allen would
halt beside the combined garage and barn,
where the upper door looking in on the horses
would be open, making an ideal leaning spot.
You would lounge against the lower half OF
the door, shading your eyes just little from
the glare of sunshine across the water.
He would tell you that he is planning to
have his life center around this home and
community where he is quickly becoming sort
of patron for his neighbors, many OF whom
already have started going to him with their
problems During the next few years there IS
a great deal of work to be done in developing
and making the estate as disappearing as
possible, while at the same time he plans TO
write of many things, he would tell you, ms
deep eyes apparently weighing problems not for
discussion.
This place must be very old, isn't it?" That
would be the question you would ask first.
'Yes. 1t back great many years and
fascinates us in many ways. We've been knock
going to be permanent home.
In delving into the background OF the
estate we have learned some quite interesting
things about it, Allen probably would
usher you unobtrusively across the lawn to a
small building, somewhat nautical In appear
ance, what with portfolio windows and gen.
erally rugged aspect Mrs. Allen would excuse
herself and then Mr. Allen would continue.
Now for instance, you see how this Knoll
comes up here on which the house seems 70
squat?"
"Um humph," you probably would answer
well, from records and legends, it seems that
the entire knoll was constructed artlhcially Win
slaves being used to cart the earth here IN
baskets. which they carried on their heads"
Mr. Allen would laugh. oddly enough, too.
one legand relates that the owners gave some
of the slaves wheelbarrows to aid movement OF
the earth and 10 and behold! the colored boys
came I'D with the loaded barrows, all right. but
they were carrying them on their heads!"
BY this time you probably would be entering
the small, nautical building
This is my study and work room," Mr.. Allen
would say to YOU modestly refraining from any
further comment. As matter OF TACT, there
would be no comment needed.
THE room would strike you Immediately with
character almost its own. You knew at
once this was room for intensive reflection
and work Dark panelling covered the walls
and ceiling with heavy exposed beams. Inset
bookshelves covered all the space in the room.
Mostly, they would be reference books with
here and there lighter-veined interloper.
Behind Aliens desk you would great
many copies of Anthony Adverse" from the
various printings both here and abroad. On the
desk there would not be many things: a few
pens There also would be torn cigarette pack
ages matches and ashes strewn about here