Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-05-25
SEEKS FAME
THROUGH ART
Roy Mack OeMill Ambitious to Place
His Name by the Side Of That
of the Cowboy Artist.
MAKES LswIsTowN HIS HOME
Ambitious Young Artist Thinks This
the Best Place TO Gain Ideas of
Real Western Life.

81 realize that | am far from being
a second Russell just now, but If hard
work and an ambitious determination
counts for anything, | shall be as
famous as the Cowboy artist long be,
fore | have reached his present age.
Such was the modest assertion of
Roy Mack DeMill. a young Canadian
whose every appearance bespeaks the
Unborn artist. who drifted into Lew
istown last Thursday and who says
that his future home will be in the
beautiful metropolis of the Judith Ba-
sin. However good or i'll his future
may be, the young fellow now pos
sesses a most interesting personality
and his career up TO date resembles
in some ways that OF the Great Falls
artist, whose fame first conquered his
adopted west and is now finding wei
earned recognition in the exclusive
circles of eastern art.
His outward appearance IS suffi-
cient la excite more than passing in
terest. A wide sombrero, bound
round with the inevitable cord, can.
not entirely hide a heavy head of coal
black hair which. in All effort TO es.
cape from beneath the fantastic hat,
falls over his eyes and about his ears.
The eyes. dark brown and large. lash
with the fire of enthusiasm when he
speaks of his high born determine
ton TO enroll his name beside or
above those Of Russell. Remington,
Paxton and other portrayers of vest
Crn life. The aqualine nose. the sell
sitiyc mouth from which shine two
rows OF pearly teeth. the dark skin,
unmarried by even a semblancc of a
line of dissipation. the strong chin.
containing subtle suggestions of an
indomitablc will. all bespeak the ar
tIstic temperament. The fingers,
which are long and tapering. seem
moulded Tor deyterity with pen aud
brush.
And natures handiwork is effective,
~ aided by his outward makeup. The
jaunty sombrerO. with vide brim up
turned in front, the neglige shirt with
tie to match. the large silk kerchief.
loosely tied. in plainsman style around
his neck. the multi-colored sash IN
place of the usual belt, all worn with
an unaffected ease. set off a slight
but well built figure.
Roy Mack DeMill was born in On
tario. Canada, % years ago. His ar
tistic instinct manifested itself early
in his public school career as he was
giving lessons to his little playmates
in the art OF picture drawing be-
fore he had left the primary grades.
He was constantly making requests
OF his teacher for new drawing books
and when he left school. after he had
finished his grammar course. he could
pen sketch with unusual facility. De
Mill. senior, was a decorator and his
son took up that business. Three
years ago a cousin from Belt. this
state, visited his relatives in Ontar-
10. His stories OF the west and par
ticularly of Montana. fired the iInpul-
sive Roy Mack with a desire TO see
some OF the Treasure state for him.
SNll. Nv hfpA Ms lAdh0 w h'iho''A'
however. until he attained his major
lily. and then. bidding his family good
bye. turned his face westward. He
landed in Belt and until a short time
ago. made that city his home. He
has spent much of his time on the
range and has learned many of the
accomplishments Of the cowboy. y
rU months ago he decided to make
Jri his life work and after that de-
termination he kept m even keencr
lookout for anything which might give
him the subject for Il sketch. He
spent some time with a band of Ca
nadian Indians and studied them as
they are in their native tepep.
But Belt did not appeal to him as
the permanent location for an as
piring artist and he commenced to
look for a more favorable place.
Lewistown. the center of the Inland
Empire vas named to him as a like
~ place for his studies of western
life, and after making some lnyesti-
cations he mounted his horse and
rode over here. After remaining here
for a short while he intends 10 90 out
with some big outfit and live for two
or three years. II necessary, the life
which he intends to portray when his
genius has developed. But Lewis
town will be his home and he says