The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-10-19

all, written better verse for children.
With keen insight into child nature, she
still has that spontaneousness and soul.
fumes, so to speak. which marks all
that she does Life and character tell
upon the work of the artist. Ruskin has
declared and exemplified the idea too
thoroughly foT. the intelligent or cult
ured reader not to apprehend my mean
ing in all it's significance. What a man
or woman is, determines what the work
is Cleverness and attainments are mere
auxiliarles. Her readiness to see and sels9
upon the good IN any production or ex-
hibition of art, has not infrequently i'm
pressed me in the exercise of my Office
as a "scathing critic" of musical PEI
she would call my attention to some ex-
cellence and / would go on and praise
what at first seemed to demand my con-
demnation. This power rendered her one
of the best OF teachers She saw the
possibilities of the dullest pupil and re-
deemed what other teachers had pro-
nounced hopeless. DR.. Holmes, who
greatly admired her sonnet on Words
loyal. royal soul" and | distinctly recall
an evening at the opera, wnen my conf
panion was one of the most -liguisEed
criminal lawyers in the celtry. Who,
lis that lady?I :'Tldt lady" replied.
lis the author of the little poem 'POme-
granates,' that you are so fond Of quot
ing" II believe it," said he earnestly,
'tndL Is Jle most SOULFUL lace ever
saw-hundreds of beautiful women here
bat there's a soul and a lady born. If
had that woman on the witness stand,
where | have sifted witnesses like wheat,
and had her n my side, I'd have the
jury in ten minutes"
A friend at court surely means much
to the ca ldidate for favor in the art and
literary world. l nave seen abunda 1t
success follow in the wake of discreet and
able cha peronage. A good thing some
times fails to achieve the success it mar
its, because it Is not properly put. 1t is
merit indeed which can stand alone. Yet
Miss Cooke never had a helping hand.
She came among scores of competitors,
into an atmosphere Of criticism as search
ing as an electric Light. She asked no
favors. She simply did the work, quietly
She had not a friend in the city whom
she arrived. In a month she could num-
Der many. and that without the least
self-seehng or what is called push,
on her part. OF the latter quality she
has as little as a child, and like most
people of genius has good deal of the
child in her. Socially, IT is the same.
She did no seeking, but was sought OF
the best. Her piano-playing is not mere
digital dexterity, as is too much OF the
playing of today, but true Interpretation
of the masters with excellent technique,
and that most rare requirement, beau
tiful legato. The French praise her
French and the Germans say she speaks
German well. She has good knowledge
of Italian and Spanish, yet with the
clubs she seems, Notwithstanding her
ability. altogether impossible. Let one of
the leading clubwomen tell her story.
20, yes" answered this prominent mem
Der, when / inquired Of her concerning
Miss Cooke. II know Miss Cooke. and
met her too with mind full of prejl-
dice against a woman who thought wo-
man-stiffragists a terror, who spoke of
their tendency to develop 'neuter gen.
der and actually called a woman who
had been a candidate for ONCE against
a successful man, it-'not she and not he,