Evening star., 1938-04-24

and foreshadowed the problem which
80 many years later confronted Ed
ward VI1 and the woman he married.
Now that her mothers eyes must
avoid unnecessary strain. one of Miss
Baileys greatest pleasures consists in
reading aloud to her and in discussing
with her the news interests OF the day.
Career Unsuspected.
There was never any expectation In
the beginning on Miss Bailey's part
that she would become a novelist.
When she had written only a few
short stories she was sought out by
Charles c. Shoemaker, head of q
Philadelphia publishing firm, who not
only persuaded her that she could
write book, but to her alternate ter
ror and amazement, signed her up for
four successive novels. Her second
novel, Contrary Mary" proved to be
its seasons best seller.
A touching tribute to the friend
ship which ripened with the years
between Miss Bailey and her publisher
Is the notable collection of rare books,
including many first editions, which he
willed to her with other choice fur
nishings of his personal library. Many
Of the volumes are enriched by the
autographs Of their authors, so that,
in addition to the charm of their
bindings, illustrations and general
format, there is often an inscription
to a distinguished friend or distin-
guished contemporary to challenge q
book lovers interest. Among those
books are several priceless volumes of
Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll's Alice in
Wonderland" Thackerarys VANITY
Fair Jane Austin's Pride and Preju-
dice" and Dickens Christmas Carol"
In recent years Miss Bailey has
made repeated efforts to dictate her
stories to her secretary or to a dicta-
phone. but she still finds that she does
her most satisfying work by sitting
down at her own battered old type
writer and letting her writing gait be
what 1t will. She feels that one must
pay the penalty Of success by giving
up much vital living. for literary pro-
duction is not possible IN "the stream
OF the world" In her opinion, too.
the best writing is done by those who
meet and know many people. yet have
the strength to withdraw and write.
Despite the tremendous success of
her books, which have sold into mil
lions, and Of such short stories as
her many, many times reprinted The
Candle in the Forest and "A Little
Parable for Mothers" which have be-
come modern classics, Miss Bailey
positively affirms that she does not
write with the conscious idea of con-
veying message.
i should feel hopelessly stuffy and
preachy, and be so, if I were to at
tempt this" She says, adding:
There is much beauty and courage
in the world. have known it in the
people around me and try by choos-
ing characters Of the types who en-
body this, to work toward my philos-
ophy of living"
who is content to be spinner of fairy
tales Tor 9roWn-upS, and who believes
with all her heart that short stories
and novels featuring great compelling
loves or the epics of enobling pas
sions that have survived sordidness
and reached up toward eternal good
have a distinct mission in our other
wise prosaic world.
Never in any generation does it
seem to Temple Bailey that young peo-
pie have had higher ideals than those
which are shared by many Of our GOTH
century youth, or greater dreams that
those dreams may work out in actual
ity. 1t is also her belief that they
often hide their dreams from the too
frequent ridicule and cynicism Of their
elders. The imagination to project
oneself into the mind OF modern
youth brings better understanding of
its problems than mere observat ton
and dogmatic comment upon such
outward manifestations. Of their prob
lens as may be encountered.