Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-08-14
ne slorg ora Dinner-SeL

Park, N. J., i also invested with iMseF-
est 81 The Temporary home of an artist
engaged IN q work designed 70 DO cred
IL % Americas industry. This gentle-
man Is Theodore n. Davis. who has been
connected for many years With Harper's
Weekly. hare Just come from his
studio where be Is engaged o. . most
unique work fDr an American artist, and
one which interests every American and
will challenge The attention of the con-
noisseurs al Tie Old World. He Is
makiax lT1e aesixns Iur State dinner-
I..s ssA # hll4 - Gell
/ land. Of Limoges, France, IS now at
work upon, and declares viii be the
finest dianer-set ever made IN Europe.
Upon a high shelf is large photo
graph Of the conservatory Of the White
House. with Mrs. Hayes in the lore
around surrounded By her two youngest
children, and Mr.. Davis little girl, who
makes pies in the sand outside while
her father lays m the water-color. On
this photograph hangs The whole story.
Early last spring Mr.. Davis went 10
Washington en- a mission for the Har-
pers, which was 70 make a picture of
the President and the Cabinet, and
which appeared in due time in the
Weekly. Mrs. Hayes invited him into
the conservatory. and after turning the
camera On the group described above.
the Presidents wife entered into con-
versation on q topic very dear to the
housewives heart.
The china brought into the White
House during the reign OF Mrs. Lincoln
and Mrs. Grant had gone mostly the
way Of all porcelain that servants han-
die at the States expense. She found
1t difficult to set the table for a State
| dinner, since the china closet held onls
a Babel of remnants. She had ordered
new State dinner SET OF HavIland, the
contract was signed, and Haviland was
under $4,000 bonds to deliver the set
by January, 1880. Mrs. Hayes regret
ted that she had been obliged to 20 to
France for dinner set. "They make
very good ware at Trenton" said Mr..
Davis, "but Of course Haviland, of Ii
moges, makes the best. Still, il you
cannot have American ware you could
at least have American designs. repre-
senting the fruits, vegetables, game, fish
and fauna indigenous to this country"
Mrs. Hayes caught at the idea and
acted upon il with the decision and au-
thority of Queen. Scott" she said
to her little son. ''see if you can fREsy fRad
| pesred. "WeBb, win you you ask General
Casey TO come to the conservatory!
General Casey appeared and was re-
quested to write at the lady's dictation.
She began: "Hayiland s Co.: de-
sire to cancel the contract for the din
ner set" "But-" interrupted Gen
eral Casey. Remember, am dIcta-
ting" said Mrs. Hayes, enjoying his
surprise, and continued, "and 20 enter
a new one similar to the first with the
exec eption that Mr.. Theodore r. Davis
is TO have exclusive supervision OF the
designs" This was the substance oI
the letter, which was dispatched at
once.
II was now Mr.. Davis's turn to ex-
posiulate. He argued that he was un-
der contract to the Harpers not to do
work for any one else. Mrs. Hayes,
with woman's faith, could see no OBJ
stacle in that contract, any more than
she could in the first contract with Ha-
viland. II may be tha. a Presidenfs
wife can make and unmake business
treaties at her will. Atany rate, HaVi-
land acQuiesced with Incompatible
grace, and FletcheT Harper, when Mrs.
| Hayes wish was mooted 70 hIm, said 10
his faithful artIst: 81 don't ask you
to try TO surpass everything Of the
| kind that HayIland has done. / expect
you to beat them, and I'll have one ol
; The duplicate sets for myself"
:. Hayiland was in this county, and Of.
fered Mr.. Davis every assistance and
cooperation, but at first he was DIS.
, posed to doubt If any one could surpas:
his favorite artist, Bracquemon. lie
brought out an oyster plate. THAT,
said he, sis the best oyster plate tha
was ever made" Mr.. Davis didn'
like it, and frankly said be thought he
could do better. eff you DO will b.eal
this plate" said Theodore Hayiland.-
A few days aiterward Mr.. Davis showed
+ him the design. and the favorite plate
was seized and dashed into hundreG
, pieces that strewed the warehouse floor
: The artist has already furnished fifty
designs, and HaSiland grows more en-
. thusiastic over them as they come in
There are TO be twenty-five sets bear
. ing the signature OF the artist ant
, maker; these will be similar to an ar
tist proof engraving. Eleven Of these
come 10 this country, and the remain
der will be sold in Europe. Mrs Hayes
will probably have two sets, Fletehei
Harper is 10 have one, and Mrs. Thee
dore r. Davis is not to be forgotten.
Il Mr.. Davis has had everything BIS owf
way, both as to the shapes Of the pieces
and the designs, and has aimed 3
, striking originality and strong bold ef
. fects Of color and form combinstions.-
Everything that enters into the design
Is disfinctiVely American. To give run
. ming description Of the different pieces
The tea-cup isin the form of Chi
, nese mandsrin's bat, the handle beinf
/ formed by curling gtea-sprig. the leavel
J Of which decorate the sides OF ihe cup
. For the oysteF-plaie decoration there
are FIVE Blue Pointhalfshellsin in curve
lie has discarded the conventional half
r dozen, adopting Emersop's saying tina
. nature loves the number Eve. OPPo
; SITE the shells rs scene representa-;
down on the ses<hoEe, see gall, ans