Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-31
GADABOUT'S COLUMN.
[ Written for the Erenin9 Stdr.l
THE NEW STATUE.


that the horse is too thin for the man, or the
man too fat for the horse. Our art is more de-
graded by its critics than by its workers, and
newspapers, particularly at the capital, would
render a service to art development by keeping
a bottomless pigeon hole for that class of COM
munications which always follows the setting
up of any new statue.
Public men are afraid to take hold of things
artistic, because they have no peace for years
afterward, and there are some small minds still
engaged in berating statues twenty years old,
which were the mere beginnings of out ot-door
art in this country. Clarke Mills two eques-
trian subjects are denounced as If they were
crimes, instead OF conscientious endeavors, al
though crude In execution; but it may be safely
said that without such beginnings, we should
not have realized at this early period work
like Browns Scott and Balls Washington.
Those early statues gave encouragement to
sculpture, and induced the Importation of
bronze founders, chasers, and so forth, so that
we now nave three places to cast statusry in
the United States. 1t is safe to say that more
fuss is made in this country over q few thousand
dollars paid to an artist, than over as many
millions stolen by material jobbers, The art
ists, themselves-at least the poorer ones, are as
barbarous in their abuse OF each other as the
press. We have secured q good statue in the
Scott for this, among other reasons, that pro-
fessional men like General Barnes supervised
the work, instead ola Congressional committee
guided by some clerical founding.
Mr.. Brownies statue marks the second stage
OF progress In equestrian art, the discovery that
rep0se, or, at any rate, pause in action, is more
earnest than exuberant action. After time,
when our art becomes more free, we shall see
expression, as well as portrait and anatomical
excellence. IN our street stafnafy; IL is to be
are but half dozen riding figures, and two
hundred years hence Mills much berated works
will be curiously studied, not for their excel.
lence so much IS for thOir quaintness and
chronological place in home art.
1t is very singular that In all this capital
there is neither bust nor figure by the most
approved sculptor the country has yet pro-
duced, and one still young enough to promise
the most brilliant career of any American
artist. l mean John Quincy Adams Ward, OF
Ohio, Tho has modelled the only Indian and the
only negro recognizable, designed the most
graceful monument in the country, made the
best soldier of the late wal, and finally executed
that Shakespeare in Central Park which is the
best monument yet raised to the man in Europe
or America. Mr.. Ward will probably never
come to Washington in search of an order, but
it is little severe on the government censors
that they never heard OF him.
ANECDoTR OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
An anecdote never printed, and perhaps not
told before, was given me last week by the
person most concerned in Ii.
During the civil war letter was received by
the State department., following a telegraph
dispatch from Boston, relating in terms of such
conviction and certainty plot to undermine
and blow up the Executive Mansion with Mr.
Lincoln and all his ministers on some Cabinet
or reception day, that Caleb Smith, Secre-
VI inc lHltTlOT, was COMMENTARY CudTSeU
to investigate it. He sent for a native
District and Union man, known to every
citizen, and asked him il it could be arranged
to have some expert mechanic examine the
White House cellar and approaches, without
exciting suspicion among the wOrkmen. He
said he knew such a man, and called in Tom
Lewis, a reliable master mason. Lewis took
gang OF men, picks, shovels, etc , and inform
ing them that he wanted TO excavate for
drain or spring, which made the cellar damp,
had hoors taken up, counter mines and trenches
a anh fV,fnr Nd tv,nA
particle scared, that he could see nothing like
the work Of Guy Fawkes.
Caleb Smith was much exercised, however,
and teegraphed to his informant in Boston to
write more explicitly. The man did so, and as
sured the secretary ths' There could be no
mistake about his info Iation, for he had de-
Tfred hpersonaHy BY cor aUnicdtion 'ciih Spirits"
AT THE GovEkNoR's MAsQUR.
AS from the throng OF moving masks
drew space apart,
Well known to some unknown to me,
by my imperfect art,
One, in the habit of nun,
Stopped short, as In surprise,
And through her domino | saw
Two soft, regarding eyes,
Long looked we both, for half 1 felt
Her gaze no mischief spoke,
And knew 1t, when w0man's hand
Reached to me from the cloak.
voice never heard before,
But most sincere and sweet,
Said, "Ah! my love, do we once more
Touch hand to hand and meet?"
"Fair domino" said, s.indeed
Unmask before you 60,
And tell your trouble In my ear.
Why do you tremble sO?"
tremble for the virgin years
When DER MY mind supreme,
You were the hero Of my fears,
The gallant of nay dream"
"And did never know your will
When then, perchance, my heart
Like yours, was longing for a shrine.
mistress, or an art?"
"No, mine was all the pleasant pain,
And heaven permits 1t here,
To say that still as when child
follow your career.
"MMy husband Su,3a Ss pssse a;ns you must
A strong mans hand came frankly forth,
saw his dark ewes shine;
''In honor's way God keep you long,"
These manly sounds heard,
"And never may you cease to be
Our favorite household word"
They vanished in the moving crowd
And left me wondering quite,
Until heard my omrade say:
'Whom have you seen tonight"
"To guess" said. "were fruitless task,
When all this maze see;
But II they ever come in mask,
Two angels spoke to me-"
THE DISTRICT AND THE MEXICAN WAR.
The Scott statue aforesaid ought to give a
good opportunity to our local chroniclers to
revive the appearance of things in Folks
administration, when there must have been a
good deal of movement.
General John b. Kenly, in his recent book of
"Memoirs CT Maryland Volunteer" describes
recruiting the first two companies in the city of
Washington, for his battalion OF Baltimore and
Washington volunteers, afterwards known as
the Old Baltimore Battalion.
Washingto Company Q had for officers
Captain Robert Bronaugh, and for Lieutenants,
Phineas P. Bell. William o 'Brien, and Thomas
M. Gleason. Washington Company d had,
Captain john Waters, Lieutenants w. j. Par
ham, Eugene Boyle, and Edward Murphy. The
commander was Colonel William II. Watson.
June 10, 1886, the battalion left the Marine
Barracks for Fort Washington, on complaint of
Mayor Seaton, who had not been very deli
cately treated when he tried to suppress
their fighting propensities. June ID, these
hve hundred men left the Fort by the
| steamer Massachusetts,, Of 700 tons, and got
out of the Potomac the night of June I6.
The sailors and volunteers had good deal of
bghtiDg the vessel was full of concealed liquors;
in the Bahamas she struck, and alter . terrible
passage the party arrived at Brazos, Santiago,
July 2. where one of the men was almost imme-
diately drowned while swimming in the surf.
This battalion saw service at Montery, Tam
plco, etc., and at Tampico was mustered out
May 30, the government giving allowance on