Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-24

HrBfrIoN OF .PAINTINas-Two FORGOTTEN
NorAnLEs-rHE VICE PREsrpENr-ELEcr's NEW
sIpE-wHIsKERs-REHISDT THE SCENES.
Correspondence Of THE EVENING srAn
NEW YORK, November q.
The most theatrical entertainment in New
York just now Is the verestchagin exhibition
at the American art galleries. To step out of
the daylight and rattle and busy jostling Of 23d
street into the subdued or artificial light, the
bizarre arrangements of strange effects and the
musky odors Of the building containing the
celebrated paintings is like stepping into
another world, 80 strange is the interior of the
Verestchagin gallery in its contrast with the
scenes one has just left outside 1t is the theat-
rical arrangement that effects this contrast.
This feature begins at the little ante-room al
the head Of the fight of stairs to the left, a
small chamber which has been transformed
into Tartar tent. by means of rugs and pecu-
liar Eastern fabrics. The only light allowed to
enter 1t Is from single lozenge-shaped pane.
and from the stuffs of which it is composed
there arises curious odor which almost suffo-
Gates while it Is nevertheless plea sing In
the soft half.light behind the hangings
there sits q woman alone, playing the peculiarly
plaintive melodies pleading, wistful folk songs
that are sung by the half wild Cossacks and
the peasants OF the Russian Steppes. Then
serves native Russian tea from a sanaOrnrin,
and beyond, through draped passage, are
seen the arches of the mosque Of Delhi de-
picted in blaze Of sunshine on q canvass that
Is simply and grandly immense. The effect is
realism presonified, and il. as some of the
critics say it is more theatric than artistic it is
certainly impressive and interesting Most of
the paintings and their accessories are on the
order OF panoramas, but they are such piano.
ramas as no Philpotteaux or other famous piano.
rQ llaf 81
in the gallery I have already described to
readers OF The STAR. The collection of brio
a-brac Is almost As great an attraction the
paintings. and indeed tits the attraction for the
lady visitors. There are several cases of rare
oriental curios, the like Of which has never
been seen here; some suits of Indian mail in
which the winding in and out of the metal is
as delicate, nearly, as lace, and superb col
lection OF photographs taken instantaneously
by the artist in the midst Of the carnage of
battle.
Verestchagin's method is different from that
OF most Of our painters. The effect is what our
artists strive for, and they produce il by
breadth of style rather than accuracy of detail
Verestchagin on the contrary, is mechanically
exact and correct even to the most tedious de-
tails. In his stone walls and his buildings
every stone is drawn with architectural correct
ness. and every piece of joiner work is as if
some carpenter did it. And so in all the sub
1ects OF which he treats. Another point pecu-
Is not painter Of this or that. but of every
thing, and his limits of variety are only marked
by the extent OF the whole field of painters
art. make no pretensions to connoisseurship.
but 1t seems to me that this wonderful man is
equally successful in every theme and in every
style Of painting.
met two men on Broadway Tuesday after
noon who have each cut considerable figure
in public life, but whose names are now rarely
mentioned. They were walking side by side
when passed them, and marveled that they
were together. Perhaps, though their brush
ing Of elbows was only an accident of the
crowded thoroughfare. for they are two men as
different in life as could well be imagined. One
OF them was the Rev. DIR. Burchard, whose al
lucrative speech helped undo Mr.. Blaine once
upon time. The doctor strobe along erect
and defiant, q remarkably well-dressed and we'll
preserved specimen of manhood, with an air of
dignity and courtliness which could not fail to
attract attention to him, even from those who
did not know who he was. He has suffered
nothing because of his peculiar notoriety
quaintance, and believe no clergyman in New
York has larger number of sincere friends
than he. The other man. who might or might
not have been walking step with the doctor
by accident, was young Henry 8. Ives, at one
time "the Napoleon Of finance" He had lost
him SO well, was carelessly if not shabbily
dressed, and seemed generally worn and
troubled. 1t is rare for him to make his ap-
Pearance on the promenade nowadays, and he
Is said to keep quite close to his home in Ho-
boken, where he lives in very modest STYLE He
has escaped conviction on all of the suits
brought against him, / believe. and might. if
he would, with his remarkable capabilities,
build up no mean fortune to replace that he
once enjoyed. But report says that the mans
Shirt q hrn a,,Ix 1ox h. H..
ton beyond living quietly with books and
studies which he has taken up since his mete-
oric fall into obscurity.
The embroidered trowser is now accompanied
by the blonde moustache. have noticed an
unusual number Of my acquaintance of late
whose hairy upper lips are changing their
former raven glOssinees to brownish tinge,
and am informed that the blonde moustache
is becoming sine qua non of fashionableness,
Laales ike blonde moustaches my barber says
and the men are bound to humor the ladies'
taste. The process Of bleaching moustaches is
II my barber doesn't tell lies, rather expen-
slve one, for they must be soaked thoroughly
IN champagne every night before the bleacher
goes to bed. My barber explained the method
to me quite in detail. and wound up by remark
ing thoughtfully that Col Thos. p. Ochiltree's
appearance would be much improved if he
would soak his head of auburn hair in cham
payne every night. And when l suggested
that the colonel had soaked other portions of
his person pretty thoroughly in champagne,
the barber wore still more thoughtful ex-
preston, as he said: Eyes, suppose the whole
lining Of his stomach is as blonde in color as q
sorrel horses tail.
An odd thing about the audiences at Mary
Anderson's season in "A Winters Tale" at Pal
mer's theater is the fact that they follow the
play throughout with textbooks in their hands.
It is like performance of Coquelin and Ha-
ding. or one OF Italian or German opera, for
the rustic of turning leaves and the burroying
OF noses between book covers. 1t must be that
American play-gOers are precious unfamiliar
with the works Of one William Shakespeare. or
else they are unable to understand the English
that Is spoken by Miss Anderson and her Eng
lish company. 1t is to be hoped that this is not
the dawning of o new fashion, for goodness
knows it is bad enough at the theaters now
with the high hats. the coming in late and the
incessant babble Of the bored society boobies
who go to the playhouse to gossip and chatter.
They don't have textbooks at the Booth-Bar-
rett performances Of "Othello" and Merchant
OF Venice" across the way, but the latter's au-
diences have been less fashionable" than Miss
bred.
hear that Miss Gertrude Griswold, who was
to have been the prima donna of 'sThe Yeomen
Of the Guard" has recently told at a charity
entertainment at Mrs. Sherwood's the reason
Ior her withdrawal from the Casino company.
II seems that Richard Barker, D'Oyly Carte's
Engllshman, who staged" The Yeomen" at
the Casino. swore at her Miss Griswold had