Evening star., 1897-04-05
MORE THAN ARTISTS.
Diversified Talents shown at the
nanHuet SaturdnN Night.

The atmosphere of fellowship and mu-
tual esteem which seems invariably TO ac-
company sincere artistic spirit was de-
lightfully in evidence in the banquet room
of the Ebbitt House last Saturday evening
the occasion being the second annual din
ner of the Society of Washington Artists.
Men who Were only stepping across the
threshold of their careers sat side by side
with those whose attainments and years
entitled them to rank mentors and
We're not afraid. 1t is fact that has often
been chrCnicled that no man loves to carry
his profession into his enjoyments The
serious cares of the members were sup
posed to be past and gone, for Saturday
was vanishing day for the annual eXhibi-
tion at the Cosmos Club galleries. All sus-
penSe was at an end. The artists had
striven conscientiously, and the jury had
provided for the survival of the fittest with
Spartan-iike firmness. There was nothing
left in connection with the occasion eX
cepting for the public to assemble and en-
joy. And the painters sculptors and illus
traitors brought forth their holiday accom-
plishments, and with rare facility became
SatiristS, poets, musicians, caricaturiStS
and raconteurs. 1t was in spirit OF the
pureSt reciprocity that guests contributed
their best endeavcrs to entertain, and the
hours passed with that rapidity which time
never shows excepting when the company
would faia have it Siacken its pace. Mr..
r. {. Messer, the president of the society,
read a poem, in which the didactic quality
called for by his position was enlivened by
fancy and made welcome because of the
literary grace which II possessed. Mr..
Carl Gutherz spoke with earnestness and
feeling of the progress which art has been
making in this country, and predicted a
future for it whose brilliancy would amply
requitc those who were laboring for better
ideals.
Dr. Lane spoke of art in the public
schools and expressed the opinion that
while they could not be expected to pro-
duce artists, they could and ought to per
form a great mission in educating the pub
lie to an appreciation of art i'm its best eX-
pressions. Mr.. Dodge offered some sug-
gestions as TO the place of photography in
art which were interesting and apropos.
Mr.. Will II. Chandlee was the chair
man of the evening, and at his
bidding the banqueters put Pegasus
through his prettiest PAGES. Spring was
the topic of the occasion. owing to the
fact. as was naively pointed out, that this
is the season of the year in which spring
exhibitions are invariably held. Professor
Leo Wheat played The Eiks' Grand
March, an original composition, and Mr.
Sam Ireland gave some of the glimpses
of the unusual phases of human nature,
which he portrays with so much skill. Mr..
Harold Macdonald skilfully avoided the
topic of ''Cuba's Liver, on which he was
scheduled to lecture. and Mr.. Dunbar pur-
sued similar course with reference to
''The Marble Heart" One of the features
OF Tile evening was q song descriptive OF Inc
trials CT an art committee with ilustra-
tions projected on large sheet of MANILA
paper by Mr.. George r. Gibbs. Mr.. Carl
Weller stood by pointer in hand, to pre-
vent any OF the fine points of the ilustra-
tions for the song from beir,g lost. Mr..
Jules Dieudonne discoursei eloquent music
on the flute and Mr.. VIM. Fuller Curtis
performed piano solo, besides contribut-
ing his services as accompanist. Mr.. Wells
NJ. Sawyer told of the Habits and Veno-
mostly of the Florida Coast Mosquito"
and gave an imitation of Paderewski and
the Madrid Quartet, played i'm a manner
which evoked the utmost enthusiasm.
Mr. Hobart Nichols burlesqued '.the art
column as she is wrote Among those
present were E. F. Andrews. w. B. Chiffon,
Frank Moss, Mr.. Jules Guthridge, A. H.
Baldwin, e. l.. Warner. Sheridan Ferree,
i. p. Hough. Philander johnson, w. b.
Hibbs, A. T. Ryan and H. Burseley.