Journal Article of Barries death written in 1937

HIS MEM A
D E F T Of I
NORTH IOWA'S
DAILY PAPER
EDITED FOR THE HOME
"THE NEWSPAPER THAT MAKES ALL NORTH IOWANS NEIGHBORS"
H O ME
EDITION
VOL. XLIII ASSOCIATED PRESS AND UNITED PRESS FWJU LEASED WIRES MASON CITY, IOWA, SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1937 THIS PAPEB CONSISTS OF TWO SECTIONS NO.. 218
BARRIE JRITER
OF 'PET
'Boy," Now Middle Aged,
Who Inspired Story,
at Bedside.
LONDON, (U.R)-Sir James Matthew
Barrie, creator of "Peter
Pan" and other characters who
won the hearts of the world, died
of bronchial pneumonia in a nursing
home Saturday at the age of
77.
The famous author and dramatist,
who "saw lite through the
eyes of a child," lived almost as a
recluse in his declining years. Although
he retired from the public
gaze, his memory was still green
in the minds of the generation
which laughed and cried over "Peter
Pan," "The Little • Minister,"
"What Every Woman Knows,"
"Dear Brutus" and other tender,
understanding portrayals.
Besides members of the family,
those at the bedside in Barrie's
dying moment were Peter
and Nicholas Davies, brothers
whom Barrie adopted after Peter
Davies as a child inspired him to
write Peter Pan.
Now in Middle Age.
Unlike the character lie inspired,
Peter "grew up" and now is in
middle age.
Announcement of Barrie's death
was made at 1:57 p. m., but the
time of death was not specified. It
was announced that he had been
unconscious"smce before B a m
Dr Maclray Huey, who was associated
with Lord Harder, physician-
in-ordinary to the king, in
attending Barrie, announced as he
emerged from the nursing home:
"Sir James Barrie has passed
away. He passed away quietly and
peacefully. There was no pain. He
had been unconscious since before
B o'clock."
Collapse of Heart.
Barrie's death was officially described
as caused by double pneumonia
and heart collapse.
Amplifying his earlier statement,
Dr. Hucy said Saturday afternoon:
"Sir James had as peaceful an
end as one could desire. He had no
pain nor even any discomfort. It
was as though he had passed away
when asleep or under an anesthetic.
" 'Peter Pan' Davies and his
brother Nicholas, also Lady Cynthia
Asquith were present. Sir
James' niece, Lillian, previously
had left the nursing home after
staying there all morning.
"The death room overflowed
with flowers, including a large
bunch of lilies at the bedside from
the great Ornnond Street Children's
hospital, to which Barrie some
years ago donated all financial
rights in 'Peter Pan.' "
Success From Start.
Unlike many writers who, at the
beginning, have had to struggle
for recognition, the career of Sir
James M, Barrie in the 'field oi
literature and drama was a pronounced
success almost from the
start, and reached its climax in
1022 when he was decorated with
the Order of Merit, one of the
most select and coveted of British
orders. His early training as a
writer before branching into literature
was as a newspaperman in
Nottingham, and later in London
where he wrote for the St. James
Gazette, the British Weekly, the
Speaker and the National Observer.
Born in Kirriemuir, Scotland
May 9, I860, Sir James was educated
at Dumfries academy and
Edinburgh university; His £irsi
book, "Better Dead," a satire on
London life, was published in
1887, and the next year he produced
"Auld Licht Idylls" and
"When a Man's Single."
His Genius Recognized.
While these three books attracted
some attention it was said tha
his genius as a writer was firs'
recognized and acknowledged with
the appearance of "A Window in
Thrums" in 1889. There followed
"My Lady Nicotine," and the bes'
known of his early works, "The
Little Minister," which, when
dramatized by Barrio, became one
of the leading stage successes anc
later had several revivals.
His early works became better
known than the man and thus Sir
James amazed London when at a
time he was being acclaimed he
deserted the city for his little native
town in Scotland. Modesty anc
shrinking from publicity were
traits that characterized his entire
life.
His End Peaceful
OF
PENNSYLVANIA,
SIR JAMES BARRIE
.

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