Evening star., 1938-04-24
Temple Bailey Finds Success
In Ir,curable R0mantiicisn,
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

AsO oOLOV1 OOO
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
Despite Temple Bailey's breath tax
ing success as writer Of short stories
and Of popular novels, all Of which,
Beginning with her second book, Con
trary Mary" have been best sellers,
she hasn't trace of seaf-conscious-
ness. Nor could any one be less
professional" in manner.
A famous woman's page editor once
said about her: Temple Bailey has
done more to bring the blessed aura
Of wholesome romance into the other
wise drab lives Of her middle-aged
women readers than any other author
IN America, because she herself be-
lieves that life is good and dreams
come true"
But she has not permitted her life
to be changed in the slightest degree
by . writing career that is almost
Aladdin-like in the way 1t came to be-
How does she achieve it? Her answer
Is delightfully."- frank. by living q
double life as it were," she says. THE
morning Is my time for work. After
an hour with my secretary I write
intensively until / o'clock. The rest
Of the "a hours is as divorced from
my writing routine and background as
II they did not exist
Miss Woodward Her Secretary.
Miss Bailey's secretary is, by the
way, Miss Elinor Woodward, a Smith
College graduate and the daughter of
DR.. William c. Woodward, famous as
one Of Washington's ablest health Of
flcers.
Despite the fact that Miss Bailey
and her mother are genuinely fond
OF people and greatly enjoy them, they
deliberately cut themselves off for two
hours Of every afternoon from all tele-
phone calls. except emergency and
long distance This is because" as
Miss Bailey delightfully."- puts it, mot
only do we desire little time apart
from the rest of the world, but be-
cause to keep acquainted with ones
own family it is the most satisfying
process I know"
Does she do her own housekeeping
In their Wardman Park apartment?
Oh, yes. and enjoys 1t, too, including
the myriad details Of planning and
ordering. She drives to the wharf
for Chincoteague oysters and to the
famous Women's Exchange in Balti-
more, too. for Lady Baltimore and
other delicious cakes on which the
Baltimoreans justly pride themselves.
Her father was a great epicure, and
the tradition holds in the family of
retaining all the native flavors OF fish
and game without the "entangling
alliances" Of high seasonings and for
eign sauces.
Wharves Inspire Story.
One OF the three serials which are
forming at the moment in Miss
Bailey's writing hours owes its incep-
ton to her weekly drives to South
west Washington. where the boats
from Chincoteague Island and other
Chesapeake Bay oyster beds make port
during the season. Against the back
ground of our Nations Capital her
hero and heroine not only meet in
SnoVStorm on one OF the wharves
Of Southwest Washington, but their
romance develops against the his
| torlc background of this vicinity. Later
It moves uptown. linking both the
Northwest and Southwest sections in
| Its picturesque narrative. The first
name Of her heroine will be the quaint
! and upueIlal opa ~ N6or;ono NJ a,l
Eastern Shore Of Maryland and Vir-
ginia family name among certain of
its earliest settlers in Colonial times.
1t is not extraordinary that Miss
Bailey'S short stories and novels
should have such a wide sectional
appeal, for her own background IS
varied and cosmopolitan one. She Is
the daughter Of New York parents
who were Of New England ancestry,
her mother having been Miss
SpraRue Of the well-knoUn Boston
family. There are also Dwights, Dud-
leys, Newtons, Batchellers and other
Massachusett names in the family
eenealogy. Seeking warmer climatic
conditions shortly after their mar
riaee. Miss Bailey's parents journeyed
to Petersburg, Va. where Temple. their
younger daughter, was born. Much
Of Miss Bailey's girlhood was spent
in Washington. and her sister, Beatrice
Bailey, who died several years ago.
was known in Washington musical
circles as = brilliant pianist and COM
poser. She married Paul Vernon Bum,
who began his career in Washington
IN the Civil Service Commission with
Theodore Roosevelt. Mr.. Bunn's COL
lection Of Rooseveltiana is one Of
the most complete and valuable in
the country.
Father Helped on Books.
Miss Bailey denies being educated
in the formal sense of the word. Her
early training at Miss English's school
IN Richmond was supplemented by
that OF special teachers and courses
here. there and everywhere to meet
the challenge of her later interests and
activities. Her father who was pos
sessed OF literary taste and of a fine
library, guided her in her selection of
books.
Nor is it by mere chance that such
volume Of hers as The Blue VIM
dow Is a veritable guidebook to the
picturesque parts of the Eastern Shore
OF Maryland and Virginia or so red
olent OF the charm of Baltimore's old
homes. As girl and young woman,
temple Bailey spent many summers
with her father sailing, fishing and alb
soroing intimately the mystery and