THE SUNDAY . OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JUNE 13. 1920
MARGARET DELAND WRITES SURROUNDED BY FLOWERS
She ISlakes Her Characters Dr Lavendar" and "Miss Martha" Living
Persons to Her Readers as Thev Move About in "Old Chester
BY MART HARP.OD NORTHEND.
MARGARET DELAND entered the
literary world through a grate
way of flowers, her first pub
lished volume being- entitled "The
Old Garden and Other Verses." Her
pathway has been strewn with blos-
noma ever since, as is shown by the
Jonquil sajes which are held each
year. Through all the winter flowers
overflow the rooms of her home, the
wide-low windows being- filled with
pots of white narcissus and baby
snowdrops, bearing a profusion of
delicate white blossoms against the
soft green of the leaves.
But in the background of it all are
her pets. The three bob-tailed eheep
dogs receive as much attention and
occupy the same place in Mrs. De
land's heart as the big boxes of geran
iums, orchids and dainty vines in the
conservatory. The oldest of these
dogs has three distinct names. When
clean he Is known as Ruffles: when
fighting as Ruffian; when covered
with dust and mud as Roughscuff.
However, at all times he will answer
to the name of Rough. The first dog
of this species was given to Mrs.
Deland by her brother in Pennsyl
vania and was known as Bobby. At
his death he was replaced by Rough,
who was purchased from the kennels
of Mrs. Richard Harding Davis.;
Now he has two playfellows. Gibbte
and Bella, although the latter also
answers to the name of Girlie. It is
evident that the author writes from
experience in her charming book of
essays called the "Common Clay,"
where she speaks a true word on
"Loving My Dog."
Of the three pets Rough is the fav
orite, following his mistress every
where, even perching in a chair at
the side of her table and peering
down at her work, as if giving it his
approval.
To those acquainted with the life
history of this gifted woman the at
mosphere that-surrounds her home is
not easy to understand. There is a
quaint commingling of New England
conservation with an almost southern
dreamy elegance which is the gift of
childhood days spent with her par
ents. Her childhood was a happy one and
Us training Influenced her entire life.
Her foster parents were earnest
thinkers and firm disciplinarians.
While a mere child she listened under"
standingly to doctrinal arguments,
thinking deeply upon subjects almost
too grave for such a young mind.
Borne of the arguments doubtless
found their way into "John Ward.
Preacher," one of her earliest books,
the writing of which raised such a
rommotion in the family that she was
hf-sought to accept a sum of money
and forego its printing. This it nar
rowly escaped. Its sale ran up into
the tens of thousands, and the oppo
sition, though still as strong, did nol
how itself so plainly.
Her first writing that was printed
was accidentally discovered by a
friend. This was a poem -which so
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The first writings were filled with
enthusiasm and an early love for
truth and purity. Tears have mel
lowed the sharper tones, but the
enthusiasm has not died out and her
books have not lost their charm.
There is. to be euri, a broadened
view, a deeper charity, and that is all.
The "Awakening of Helena Ritchie"
was carefully done. For she weighed
each separate word, cutting, chang
ing over each sentence that they
might be an active living part of a
perfect whole. Six months was spent
In revising a single page to suit her
critical taste, and although she spent
three years in Us revision she asked
for still another, but her publishers,
anxious to print it, refused to grant
the request.
In every horns she has occupied
there is a distinct atmosphere, charm
ing yet elusive. It lies not alone la
the flowers with their snowy blos
soms nor in the architectural per
fection of arrangements, but In the
house as a whole, for so skillfully has
each detail been fitted into place that
they make a composite whole. "
Every summer the authoress spends
at Kennebunkport. Me., to refresh
tired nerves after a long winter spent
in Boston.
SLAUGHTER OF ARMENIANS BY
TURKS TOLD BY EYEWITNESS
Dr. Mabel Elliott Declares That in One Church 2300 Persons Were
Killed, Only 22 Surviving Attack Pillage Called Barbaric
captivated the reader that she "urged
Mrs. Deland to print it. Its accept
ance meant that she wrote many
more, all of which were gathered Into
her first volume.
Margaret Campbell after her grad
uation from tne Cooper Institute be
came Margaret Deland through her
marriage to the late Frank Deland.
It was an Ideal life, for she was ab
sorbed in his business and in his
athletic sports. He was editor and
publisher previous to his management
of the Park theater, in Boston. Doubt
less their mutual affection led to the
portrayal of love embodied In her
tales. The reason that these writ
ings are so successful was because
they are in a large measure true to
the reader. There is also a wealth of
imaginative power. It Is hard to be
lieve "Old Chester." "Dr. Lavendar."
"Miss Martha" are in a measure pure
ly imaginary personages.
NEW TORK. June 6. The Turk
ish nationalist forces in be
sieging Marash. Syria, last
January deliberately and continuous
ly fired on the American college and
near east relief hospital and orphan
age there, according to Dr. Mabel
Elliott of Benton Harbor, Mich., who
was in charge of the hospital during
the three weeks' attack.
Dr. Elliott, who has now returned
to this country, with Mrs. Mabel
Power of North Hero, Vt, Miss Helen
Schultx of Reading, Pa., and Miss
Minnie Dougherty of Holyoko. Mass.,
told an eye-witness story of the at
tack, directed against the Armenian
population.
Flrln Sever Ceaaes.
The slaughter ot men. women and
children was horrible, she said, and
the pillage of houses barbaric In one
Armenian church 2500 persons wars'
killed only 22 surviving the attack
on It she said.
Of a Ceelng colony of 5000 Ar
menians, mostly women and children
driven from the besieged city. Dr.
Elliott said only 2200 reached their
Objective. Islahie. bat 75 miles away.
"The whole three weeks of the siege
tlie firing from housetops and win
dows never ceased." she said. "The
Turks fired many buildings all over
the town, and from our windows we
could see columns of smoke rising
first from one part of the city and
then another, every hour of the day
and ntght.
"The largest Armenian church at
first sheltered some 2500 Armenians
of the better class, shop keepers, bus
iness men and merchants and their
families. They had arms, and they
put up a good fight. But the Turks
finally fired the church and forced
them out. Only 22 of them escaped
with their lives.
Trench la Dag.
"A communication trench was dug
from French headquarters to the hos
pital by which the French wounded
were brought in to us. They were
all Senegalese and Morocans. The
Senegalese blacks suffered fright
fully from the cold. Wo. had 900
cases of 'wounded and frozen feet
mostly frozen feet.
"All over town, the Armenians
would gather in the nearest churches
for protection, largely because by be
ing concentrated they were In greater
force, and also because the church
buildings are of stone, and surrounded
by high walls, and thus made the best
means of defense. It wasn't possible
to live a day in a private housa. as
the Turks would fire the house and
drive the inhabitants out, killing
them as they ran for shelter. We
could see that going on everywhere
"There were about 6000 Armenians
who joined the column and tried to
make the march over the mountains
to -Islahie. 75 miles from Marash.
when the French troops evacuated th
city.
"There was no food for anyone, and
only a few carts. Practically every
body had to walk the whole way.
BllEiard Catches Fugitives.
"It was a ghastly, incredible night
mare. The worst blizzard that Ma
rash had ever known caught us.
"Most of the fugitives were woman
and children. Tne men stayed be
hind to ficnt and. cover our retreat.
"They died like flies. Every 69
yards or so someone would drop In
the snow. There was no use trying
to do anything. It was all anybody
could do to keep going.
"We had to cross many streams,
which were frozen at first, but the
ice was broken by the French trains
and artillery, and when we cams
along we had to wade in the Icy wa
ter, and then walk on in the snow.
I saw the French general in com
mand wading the streams on foot.
"Out of the 5000 who started only
2200 ever got there."
STRONGEST, STRANGEST AND LEAST KNOWN
FORTRESS DECLARED TO BE LIOWS ROCK
Odd Structure Towers Some 500 Feet in the Center of a Lonely Jungle-Covered Plain in Ceylon, Where
Only Tigers and Wild Elephants Roam Historic Past Generally Unknown to World.
it; -MtJ;ii'-' Mil- x-HVIt4sevw
BT FRANCIS DICKIE.
f-pHE world's best known fortress
i ma nouit ul uiDr&iinr, out me
1
strangest and strongest and least
known is far away in the heart of
Ceylon. It is known as the Lion's
Rock, and also as Sigiriya. Rearing
some 500 odd feet in the center of a
lonely jungle-covered plain where
only tigers and wild elephants roam,
it is unknown to the world at large,
and its historic past untold. Its
shape is like a domed pillar. The
sides are nearly perpendicular and
in all but one place the top actually
overhangs the walls. Standing in the
heart of a flat plain it is a natural
wonder, and remarkably suited to
form a fortress Impregnable.
In the fifth century Ceylon was the
home of a great nation, made up of
people from India who came some
1100 years before. In the fifth cen
tury a prince named Kasapa killed
his father and assumed the throne,
and would have killed his elder and
only brother Moggallana had not
Moggallana escaped in time to the
court of an Indian king. The capital
of the kingdom, which was noted for
its magnificence, was at Anuradha
pura. Kasapa was much afraid his
brother would return with an army
from India and revenge himself and
take the throne which was rightfully
his, now that his father had been
murdered. So Kasapa bethought him
self of a wonderful rock fortress of
Sigiriya. a couple of days' march dis
tant. But the rock was so sheer that,
while its top would make the strong
est fortress In the world, there was
no way to scale it. Still. Kasapa was
determined. So
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so steep that steps of stone were cut
for the last part of the ascent. At
the foot of these steps another set
of gates were hung.
The causeway once completed, build
ing material was carried to the top.
Here a unique city sprang up, peopled 1
by courtiers, priests and scholars who
surrounded the court of the king.
Kasapa's palace was on the highest
point of the western summit. An ex
tremely Ingenious plan made it pos
sible for this queer city always to
have a supply of water, for from all
the roofs drain pipes ran into a great
reservoir. Several years' supply of
food was always kept on hand. So
popular did It become that houses
were actually built on great timbers
overlooking the rounding face. If a
person absent-mindedly stepped out
of his back door he dropped 500 feet.
On the top of this Impregnable
fortress Kasapa and his court lived
for 20 years.
Fortress of No Avail.
Now took place the strangest part
of Kasapa's strange history. For 20
years he" had lived In an Impregnable
fortress; had come there chiefly to
be ready and protected against his
revengeful brother's coming. On the
rock's top was water and food to last
a siege of years, and half a dozen
men could hold back 1,000.000. Tet
instead of staying upon the rock top.
Kasapa. believing his troops were
.strong enough to win the battle.
marched down on to the plain below
the rock and gave battle. It was a
memorable encounter. But Moggal
lana had good fortune on his side.
Kasapa's fighflng elephants, several
score In number, took fright at some
thing and stampeded, breaking up
the whole army line. According to
the legend, the animals' fright was
caused By the appearance of two su
pernatural strangers of great size
mounted on white horses who sud
denly appeared from nowhere and
with flaming swords began fighting
for Moggallana. What the cause of
the elephants' panic we can never
know. But realizing his defeat, Ka
sapa, rather than be taken prisoner,
fell on his sword. So Moggallana
took the kingdom that was rightfully
his. The great rock fortress was de
sertea. The kingdom a few years
later began to wane.
MAMMOTH CAVE PROPOSED TO BE ACQUIRED
BY GOVERNMENT AND MADE NATIONAL PARK
Surface Assets Include About 1800 Acres, Mostly of Virgin Soil Explorations of Interior Already Cover
152 Miles Property Now Held by Five Elderly Women on a Life Estate.
R'
skilled engineers in the kingdom in I some nine feet high and four feet
counsel. They set to work with thou- I thick. Around the rock this wonder-
a , . .. . . . rr. 1. . ' I A V. a. V.
X lie jr
sands of slaves to assist them
cut into this great pile of granite a
winding stairway tip the face of the
rock, and laid a wonderful Doorway
of solid brickwork covered with lime
stone slabs.
The stairway or causeway was fur-
He called the most ther protected by a wonderful wall
ful causeway wound. At the north
east side and about two-thirds of
the way up as a further protection
an enormous brick lion was built
through which the passage led. Be
tween the paws of the lion huge and
magnificent gates of iron were hung.
Beyond this ths way led to a point
Speeding Blamed on Stork.
KANSAS CITT. "The wife of an
old boyhood friend of mine Just had
given Dirtn to a child, and I was
hurrying to offer my congratulations
and assistance," W. R. Clay. 705 Olive
street, told Judge Edward J. Flem
ing In the south side court, in an
swer to a charge of speeding. "That's
one of ths bee excuses I ever heard.
the court said. "Discharged." Clay
was arrested Saturday afternoon, near
Twenty-fifth street and McGee street
traffic way by Ha Miller and Harry
Bucher, motorcycle patrolmen. They
said Clay was driving 35 miles an
hour.
Australia Ships Potatoes.
HONOLULU, T. H.. The recen
Importation of 4000 bags of Austral
Ian potatoes by a Honolulu firm and
their sale at a figure considerably
below the price of California potatoes
furnlBhed Hawaii with a short respite
from the attacks of tne high cost of
living. Further shipments are expected.
BT JAMES M. ROSS.
EPRESENTATIVE ROBERT T.
THOMAS of the third Kentucky
district, has introduced In con
gress a bill appropriating 11,000,000
for the purchase by the national gov
ernment of Mammoth cave. Kentucky.
The plan Is to turn the cave into a
national park.
Mammoth cave seems to have been
discovered In 1799, being one of two
saltpeter caves found by surveyors.
One of these caverns was called Dixon,
the other Mammoth cave. In 1812 it
was disposed of to Hyman Gratz, a
Philadelphia merchant. The heirs of
Hyman Gratz sold the property in
1S37 to Franklin Gorln of Kentucky.
It is now owned by trustees named
under the will of Dr. John Croghan.
If the government should purchase
the property, provision is made that
about 3200 acres shall be added to ths
cave property.
Tradition says a man named Houch-
1ns was guided into the great cave in
1S09 by a wounded bear which he was
chasing. Houchins and the bear long
ago disappeared from the scene, but
'Houchins Narrows" In the cave and
many Houchinses in the neighborhood
still perpetuate his name and fame.
There is also a tale, substantiated by
men still living, that the late Senator
Joseph R. Underwood, who began the
practice of law here In .1818, and was
one of the three executors of Dr. Gro-
ghan's will by the way, he was Oscar
Underwood's grandfather In an ab
stract of the title of the Mammoth
cave property, found that cave desig
nated in a 1797 survey as a corner of
a certain tract of land, but other law
yers engaged in litigation over the
cave possessions and the county
clerks in custody of such documents
have been unable to discover the
paper.
Negro Great Explorer.
A negro slave and famous guide.
Stephen Bishop, whose memory Is
perpetuated in a marble slab marking
his grave on a ridge overlooking the
mouth of the cave, is credited with
being the greatest explorer of those
dark, deep and hitherto unseen halls
pita and domes. Stephen was evi
dently blessed or afflicted with what
might be described as an incurable
case of cavernitis.
In 1811 a man named McLean
bought from somebody the cave and
200 acres of land for S40. He sold It
to a man named Gate wood, who in
turn sold it to Gratz and Wilklns of
Philadelphia, who put in, just 100
years ago, the vats and pipes, still
well preserved, which furnished salt
peter for the powder "Old Hickory'
used on the British at New Orleans.
James Moore, a Philadelphia mer
chant, took it over in 1816, but got
tangled up with the Burr-Wilkinson
conspiracy and had to give it up. In
1S37 Frank Gorin of Glasgow became
.he owner, and two years later
wealthy Louisville physician. Dr. John
Croghan. first became impressed by
an account of the Kentucky wonder
while traveling in Europe and, hasten
ing home, bought the cava from
Gorin for $10,000. added some 1500
acres to the sroundg and personally
conducted the subterranean show un
til his death ten years later. From
him the present owners Inherited
Mammoth cave in 1849.
For Trad" Not Attracted.
Dr. John" Croghan pronounced
Crawn was a cultured, wealthy and
eccentric bachelor member of a fam
ily notable for its prowess in trade
and war. Three of them were gal
lant officers in the revolutionary war,
but even before that, one of them.
Colonel George, appears in the very
dawn of Kentucky history as discov
erer of the site of Louisville, May SO,
765. He didn't stop because he didn't
observe anything worth stopping for.
He was Indian agent for the British
government and a tur trader en route
from Pittsburg to Kaskaskia. thence
to Vincennes and. Detroit. But he
probably saw something at the falls
worth returning for. as one of the
prominent figures In the early mu
nicipal affairs of Louisville was a
Major "William Croghan, presumably
a son of Colonel George. That brings
us back to Mammoth cave.
Major William Croghan became
founder, lord and master of Locust
Grove, built on that baronial estate.
five miles northeast of Louisville and
short distance from the present
country club. He married a sister of
General George Rogers Clark, "the
Hannibal of the west," and reared
there four children. John was the
first born, and It would appear from
his subjoined last will and testiment
that unde:- the then law of primogeni
ture he came into ownership of all the
family estate.
Realizing that death was at hand
and that there were no heirs to his
body, .on January 10. 1849. Dr. John
Croghan drew his will. A singular
coincidence is the fact that the testa
tor's brother George, "the hero of
Sandusky," to whom and his children
so much of the property was devised,
had died without the testator's knowl
edge in New Orleans on Jackson's
day, two days before this testament
was written. The win in part fol
lows:
Will Disposes of Cave.
"In the name of God, amen.
"I, John Crogan. ot the county of
Jefferson, being weak in body but of
sound and disposing mind and mem
ory, do make and ordain this as and
for my last will. I give and devise
to Joseph R. Underwood. George C
Gwathney and William F. Bullock
my tract of land in the county of
Edmonson called the Mammoth Cave
and also the Salt Cave tract of l
and all other lands near thereto, to
be held by them or such of them as
may accept this trust for the follow
ing uses and purposes, viz: To rent
out the said lands and buildings, ex
cept the cave, from time to time fo
terms of live years until all my
nephews and nieces herelnafte
named shall die. To appoint from
time to time a fit and competen
agent whose duty it shall be to hire
all necessary guides and servants,
and to provide such things as may
be proper for the exhibition of th
cave to visitors he is to keep a good
i book in which, the names of visitors
to the cave shall be registered and
the amount paid by each; and he
shall keep an account of all expenses
and pay the same and render to said
trustees accounts when required and
pay over to them all moneys which .
he may receive. The rents aforesaid
and moneys to be received from
visitors shall, after all necessary ex
penses are paid, be paid over at soma
stated period, to be fixed by my said
trustees, as follows, to the heirs."
Continuing, the will says. "I dedi
cate two acres of land, where my
parents are burled, to be forever
kept as a graveyard for their des
cendants, together with a right of
way to the same.
I hereby revoke all wills, parts of
wills or codicils to the same whicn
may have heretofore made.
"JOHN CROGHAN.
"Published and signed In our
presence, who were called on by ths
testator to witness the same this
10th day of January. 1S49.
"W. BROWNE.
"GEORGE HANCOCK."
Of the original nine devisees, wha
came into their life estate In Mam
moth Cave threescore and three years
ago. five, all of them nieces ol Dr.
John Croghan, are still living and
drawing their annuities at ages run
ning from 74 to SS yearc.
Assets Include Lirfc Acreage.
The surface assets of Mammoth
Cave are 1700 or 1800 acres of high.
and deep hollow lands, of which
1200 acres is virgin soil timbered
with tulip, a half dozen varieties of
oak. walnut, birch, hickory and
chestnut: a hotel, forming two aides
of a quadrangle of clave log cabins.
one of them 300 feet long and- twq,
stories high, the other 200 feet long
and one story high, erected, respect
ively, 1 5 and 85 years ago: a store.
several cottages and primitive water
works, conveying by gravity an in
adequate supply of excellent water
from a spring on a high, ridge two
miles away.
On the property are four very con
siderable caves Mammoth. Salt.
Dixon's and White's. Many years
ago the writer put his query to
"Uncle Tom" Stone, local amateur
geologist, and then, as now, in the
extreme stage of cavernitis: "If all
the leads of Mammoth Cave were
opened up as far as pick and shovel,
ladder and rope would take you,
what. In your opinion, would be the
total length in a straight liner
Taking due time to make the. -mental
calculation and . allowing himself
liberal margin he earnestly and
soberly replied: "Wal, anywheres
from S00 to 5000 miles."
Mammoth Cave has been explored
for 152 miles and its neighbor. Co
lossal Cavern, for 68 miles.
Bridegroom Wears Blue Denim.
MONTROSE, Colo. This town saw
its first overalls social event recently
at the marriage of R. Clifford Ashby
and Mrs. Pauline Lorenze. The groom
was attired in new blue denim over
alls Instead ot the conventional black.
ft