Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-07
TIE ROMANCE OF A PICTURE.

TIE ROMANCE OF A PICTURE.
The struggle OF Mrs. Fasset 10 Retain Pos
,essiou OF the Picture of the Electoral
Comm, sion.
fDcnver Tribune
At the time the celebrated Electoral Com
mission were holding their anXiousIy-
watched sessions, when 1900, 900 OF peO-
pie in this country and thousands upon
thousands in otter countries were noting
each turn OF that magnificent game which
the greatest legal minds IN the Union were
PLAYING against each other; when the SUP.
pressed excitement Of the citizens OF the
United States had reached point that was
almost painful, and The words Of each
and every one connected with an acton
tried before the most august tribunal
ever brought together on this continent
bore with them significance that was al
most awful: at time when the most bril-
liant statesmen and the most learned stu
dents Of international, constitutional, and
political laws were divided in opinion and
III certain In their minds as they listened to
the Arguments pro and con in the case that
was being argued, not only a. that bar
which had for lts place the time -honored
precincts Of the Supreme Court OF the
United States, but also before the whole OF
the great sovereign people, while questions
that affected the most inherent right Of that
people-that Of ruling by the majority
were being lcarnedly argued and eloquently
debated with all the earnestness that such
vital questions could impart, among the
throngs Of celebrities who every day crowd
cd that courtroom To listen to the words
which fell from such lips as Evarts. Slough
ton, Root, Matthews, Lawrence, Howe,
and Chandler on one side, and O'Conner.
Black. Merriek. Tucker, Blair, Field, and
others III opposition, with an eager attcn-
ton, which showed the Intense interest felt
in each utterance Of the speakers. there was
one woman. and q very pretty woman, who
with busy pencil was sketch1ug the scene
in its entirety. She was interested in that
great trial as well AS all OF those who were
present. and to her quick perception the
full importance of that great event in the
life of nation was as plain rs TO the mind
Of any aud every one present, but at the
same time her quick artists eye and rapid
pencil caught not only the salient points
Of the scene. but even its most minute de-
tails, and transferred them to her sketch
book. This was G. Adele Fassctt, an
artist Of ability, and, what is more,
ability guided by taste and con
tr0lled by education and skill. Day
after dav she sat there in her &c.
custOmed place, putting dow the forms
and faces Of that distinguished assemblage.
So the work went on for weeks until the
great trial was ended. and the nation had
fallen from its sta:e OF high eXpecta icy and
eager excitement into the usual calmness
which so distinguishes the American mind,
and then 10 that empty chamber which 50
lately had been the battlefield OF national
politics came that same woman. and there,
with the same careful eye TO detail, she put
down on her paper the form and proper
tons Of the room, while in her pleasant
home she gathered together the actor. la
the great scene, and there transferred their
features TO canvas, until uniting the in
dividual parts in ole completed sketch,
the embryo OF what was destined to be a
great historical painting WAS upon the
cloth in satisfactory form.
The picture of the scene was now The
effort OF Mrs. Fassett's lie, and for three
years she labored faithfully to reproduce
upon canvas what was 80 well dclineated
In the sketch, until finally the picture Gin
form and color clad" was completed. The
portraits were real likCnesses, and TO one
who looks at the photograph OF the paint
ing the counterfeit presentments " % the
celebrated characters there limned with
such painstakiDg skill are life-likc IN their
resemblances 10 the originals. Every one
who saw the work pronounced il worthy
Of place in the national gallery
OF historical events. But Congress did
not altogether see III TO invest 3d.
600, the price asked. In picture, even
OF so great an event, and while the matter
was in debate and almost determined mis-
fortune came upon the artist. An action
was brought against her husband, Trea-
sury clerk, and an attachment was issued
against the picture on the ground that it
could not be separate property OF the wife.
and one sad day the picture, the work Of
three Of the best years OF the artists lie.
mysteriously disappeared. Mrs. Fasseit
Was in despair. The picture had been
taken during her absence, and she sup
posed that IL had been captured by the
mvrmidons OF the law" and was gone
forever out Of her possession, and nothing
was lett but the Photographic negative OF
the picture.
Years passed by. and with the years the
lawsuits went on, until finally tue suits
Ntlt uctlu'u III laNol VI MI. ullu MTc. u as
seti. and they were freed from the fear OF
future litigation, when. to the artists JOY
and surprise, her beloved picture came
into her possession once more-not by
any action at law. but by the voluntary
action Of some firm and steadfas, friends,
who, when the seizure Of the picture WAS
threatened, committed friendly crime and
stole it. Carefully packed. it was kept
in concealment. on'y one or two know.
ing where II was, and while the al.
most broken hearted artist was griey-
ing over the loss, her work was in
safety, only waiting for the cessation OF To-
gal troubles 10 he reproduced in all It's
original brightness To-. its creator, In whose
possession II now is. Such Is the romance,
aud the friends OF the artist now hope that
as time has healed the bitterness OF the
struggle the painting represents, that the
Government Will purchase what is proba-
bly, the finest collection OF portraits OF
some OF the celebrated civil and legal lumi-
naries OF the country aud the time ever
grouped together in one picture. so full OF
life and action that in gazing on ii one can
almost bear the calm. argumentative utter
anccs OF the central figure as he made his
creates! argument.