Arizona republican., 1907-12-15
A FADING DAY AND
 A FADING PEOPLE
A Poem Worth Reading, About a Picture Worth While. The Artist Now a Phoenix Man.

Many Phoenlx people will be en- abled this week to enjoy the novelty of witnessing an artist in the act of painting a picture. That may not ap- peal to the reader at first as much of a novelty but after a moments re- flection, how many. or rather how few people ever saw an artist at work. All have seen pictures of artists at work nearly all have seen the cartoon ist or the chalk talk man and a good many have had access to one studio or another where real art was the product But aside from those who have taken lessons in painting, only few have seen the making of a fine picture in oil, for artists generally are a retiring people and prefer seclusion when at work. F. P. Howard, better known as Doc" Howard. is the artist who will do this work and will do it of course as an advertisement of his skill with the brush. He was here last summer for a few days. coming from his home in Oklahoma, but after the scorcher of July 9 he decided to back off till the situation moderated. Later Mrs. Howard and the children came on to Phoenix where they have been for sometime, Mrs. Edgar Ferguson oi this city being a daughter of Mir and Mrs. Howard. and a day or two ago Mir. Howard returned. determined 10 settle down here no matter if the thermon- eter melted. And having settled he's got to get busy for one cannot live on climate even fin Arizona.
 MT. Howard looked around for a window but 1t was a fruitless search, santa Claus having leased everything available. The bes1 he, could do was to secure q portion of the lobby in front of the Palace saloon, and early this week he will begin wogk upon what he assures the public win be a picture he will not be ashamed of, and the public will be invited to stop on the sidewalk and watch an artist daub linen as long as the process Is interest ing. NIT. Howard says he is not a street fakir but this is about the best ar engagement he can make now for an eX- nibition, and he wants to get something in his sock. or sack by Christmas.
 Doc Howard has quite a reputation as a painter over Oklahoma, Indian Territory. Texas and as far west as Denver where he has done some good work, and over which territory he is known to the Bohemians as the "Old Master Painter" He is yet in middle life though older than he looks. and has travelled during a large part of his ca reer, to some extent a victim Of the wander-lust but all the time making life worth living for himself and those around him. He has in mind the paint ing of one or the other of two studies E.- fgv which he has received fine compli- ments. One is entitled An Empty Cradle" A shaggy but affectionate and faithful dog stands by an empty cradle, near which broken flowers are strewn. The dogs heart is broken. ',
 The other picture is entitled "A Fading Day-A Fading People" The theme is Oklahoma and her native peo- pie. and just at this time while the new state is passing through the transition from the things that were to the things that are and will be. it is more timely than ever. The picture tells a heart story that words can scarce portray.
 The scene is early twilight just after the suns goodbye and while the luster of his farewell smile yet fingers on the uneven line oi the far horizon, a silver crescent moon peeps through the del icately tinted background with here and there a scattering star. On the huge rocks of the foreground which seem so massive and realistic one can al- most touch them, stands a lone Indian silent, fixed. immobile, yet not express sionless or statuesque. One can fancy almost the echo of his heart beats while his knit brow tells plainly of his ap- preciation Of some overwhelming idea that holds his mind in thrall, his mus cles tense and rigid. The secret lies in the middle ground where the almost deserted Indian village stands, already succumbing to the Tavaging hand of time. An Oklahoma newspaper man who chanced to see the picture was