The Washington herald., 1908-04-19

OF MS second administration. ltuhufi
accomplished all and more than he was
sent to accomplish, and his campaign of
education yielded splendid results. for
during their long travels the young men
who We're attached to the embassy
learned much of foreign statecraft. and
some of the cleverest statesmen of the
Mikado's kingdom served their an-
premiership with this wise man and
astute diplomatist.
Carl Rakeman IS back in his old home
again for short visit. wearing the
laurels he has won In various fields very
modestly. Incidentally he is painting as
industriously as ever. for what true
artist is able 10 separate himself from
his palette and brush for long at time
Mr. Rakeman's father has long been a
familiar figure in Washington. and was
associated with Brumidi in the decors-
ton of the Capitol Since those early
days this venerable artist has lived to
see an entire revolution in art as he
learned it fifty years ago. and is the ex-
ponent Of the old. as his son represents
the new, in this field, for there is a no
more progressive artist, no more de-
voted follower Of the modern school than
Carl Rakeman. whose friends liken him
TO Herkomer. because he sees and paints
things much in the same way as does
that celebrated artist. and has ike
versatility. Alr. Rakeman studied IN
Dusseldorf with Yansen. and when he
quilted that master. whose recent death
lost Germany one OF her most talented
sons, he put in a couple OF years in
Paris making one Of a small colony Of
Americans. among whom was Rosekranz
Vedder, son OF Ellhu Vedder, and
Ralph Williams. a Washington boy. who
have already made their mark in the
world, the former as an architect, the
latter as a decorator, Lately Mr.. Rake
man has had a studio in New York,
where he IS a popular member Of the
Bohemia that flourishes there one of
lis especial cronies is. Richard George, a
son Of the late Henry George, who is
sculptor by profession, and has filled his
studio with portraits of his father, whose
most noted feature was his bald head
Mr. Rakeman tells an amusing story Of
the inimtable Grossbeck came in Il
say, George" he announced. after squint-
Ing for some time at the several busts OF
the great sociologist that were ranged
against the wall, II know why your
father was so bald-headed" "Why?"
asked George, expecting to be given some
deep reason for his fathers lack Of hair.
so draWled Grossbeck, you would
not have 10 use so much plaster in MAX
ing a bust Of him.
Mrs Frances Hodgson Burnett, as she
viii always be known in Washington.
despite her marriage a few years back to
Mr. Townsend, was a regarded figure IN
town last week, and her presence here
brought TO mind her first appearance in
society at the Capital some-but Is It
quite fair to Mrs. Burnett, with whom
Time has dealt so gently and affection
ately. 20 say how long? Suffice il that il
was in the early days OF the HAYES ad-
ministration when That Lass o. Low
rie's' had made her famous and she be-
gan 10 be lionized. She was a petite
figure then, with ripping, gold-brown
hair, and glorious red in her cheeks. the
red one rarely sees outside of England.
and she affected the Greenaway style Of
dress, which had just come in and struck
those who saw Il for the first time as
very odd and queer for a grown woman,
but in talking To Mrs Burnett one for1ot
her gown and everything else except the
enthusiasm Of her, not about herself and
her work particularly, but about every
thing and everybody Of interest in the
world, and she discusses matters with a
certain naivete, for she had lest no ilIu-
si0ns then. and II is 20 be hoped she still
retains them; some she must certainly
have kept, else she could not write the
bright and fresh romances. clean and
sweet and entertaining. that still make US
happy. Mrs. Burnett visited Mrs. Sea
we'll while she was here, and her old
friends, who gave her a warm and cor
dial welcome back into their midst again.
had much pleasure in seeing her and re-
gretted that other engagements called
her so soon away. Mrs. Burnett pur~
poses passing the summer at her country
place, Maytham Hall, Rolvenden, Eng
land, whittier she viii sail shortly.
Dickens called the parks Of the Eng
lish capital ''the lungs of London"
better name for these breathing spaces in
Washington could be borrowed from
Paris, the 'Elysian Fields" for if there
is a paradise on earth II is to be found
in the melting loveliness of the Washing
ton parks just now, which are a fit set
ting for gods and goddesses, places
where the
Universal Pan,
Knit with the graces and the hours in dance
Leads on the eternal spring,
They are temples of optimism. where
one can worship the good and beautiful,
Danish dark and gloomy thoughts, and
in spirit gambol with the children on the
green. play diabolo with the lads and
Iassies, or indulget in pleasant revelry
with the grayheads on the benches. Ali
these dear grayheads. How they basl
in the warm sunshine just now, drinking
in the perfume of the Towering shrubs
and feastlng their eyes on the little
balls Of dimpled lovellness toddling about
on the lawn or growing in their car
riages while their guardians placidly knit
or animatedly gossip. Why has no artist
added to his reputation by transferring to
canvas one OF these enchanting scenes,
with its riot of color, its variety, its
charm?
There is an old lady, little Miss Flite.
she is called by those who have come
to know her, who visits one OF the uptown
parks every day. She is small and wrin-
kled and withered, but her eyes shine
like two black beads, and her cheeks
are as red as a girls. The hour for
her appearance is in the afternoon.
She is never late to the theater she has
selected for her diversion, and from the
moment she takes her seat on the bench
beneath the great pink blossoms of
Japanese ounce until the play is finished
and the players are trundled home in
their carriages, she is an interested spec
tator, clapping when some unusual feat
is presented for her enjoyment and she'd
ding real tears when any OF the little