The Washington herald., 1908-02-09
By pExTER MARsHALL.

0hte- vi lult Atdl = uuNEAtLs al HI
America has been advancing Justify, so
that to-day even Europe, long a scoffer
al our materialism, generously admits
that IN our array of painters and sculp-
tors we have a rather formidable ad-
vance guard in Art, spelled with big A.
In 1896 when he was twenty years old,
John W Alexander, Of late years one of
the most prominent members Of Americas
advance guard in art Travelled from Alle-
sheny, Pa. his birth town, TO New York
With $40 which he had managed to save
for that purpose.
As a mere lad he had busted himself
with making pictures and dreaming
dreams Of the day when he would win
fame as a painter About the first thing
ho did when he reached the metropolis
was to seek out the publishing house OF
Harper * Brothers and send into the art
manager. Mr.. Parsons. some pen and ink
sketches which he had made on the pages
OF an account book He sat a long while
on the bench in the outer office before
Mr.. Parsons saw him and then he re-
ceiyed the chilling word that there was
no chance for him
t.-A-b-A6
there was one of the day when his signed
work would appear in the Harper pubuca-
tions, and his disappointment was natu-
rally keen. The art manager. noticed his
detection.
No, there is no chance" he repeated.
a little less brusquely and then added
but You may call again"
Il did call again a week later" Mr.
Alexander told me. Mr. Parsons had
been having trouble of some kind that
day and he looked over his glasses at me
as he remarked rather testify L told Won
there was no chance
But you said might call again
ventured.
Yes. I know he said. still testify.
but unless you want 10 take that boys
job nodding at the Office boy I can
give YOU nothing
When does he go?' I gasped.
Pay IA So Week.
Ny apparent eagerness to take The lob
plainly startled Mr.. Parsons. who hasten
ed 10 explain that he had no idea that I
would turn Office boy. Besides. the pay
was only So a week and the boy who held
the Job was the son of the head OF one OF
the mechanical departments.
Again my face fell Again Mr. Par
sons noted my disappointment. He beg
ged TO be excused for a moment while he
could go and see what could be done
about my case. On his return he told me
to begin work on the following Monday.
Il did. and on Saturday evening of the
nrst week l cleaned up the place more
thoroughly than II had ever been cleaned
before. I swept under the tables and
desks, which, apparently, had never been
swept under before. and when T finished
I had built up "a little mountain Of dirt
looked not unlike a coal HEAVIER I had
got thoroughly sweaty and the dirt stuck
TO me.
Worse than that everybody had gone
home but ne, and when / tried TO get out.
down on the street level. after climbing
down the cylindrical stairs between the
two buildings, the janitor or watchman or
whatever he was, who had never seen me, /
proposed that I should BE- arrested ] had
hard time trying 10 convince him that
/ was all right, and il looked for a while
rs If I were slated TO be locked up till
the following Monday morning at least.
Il was kept pretty busy as an office
boy, but I had time 10 draw a little. and
once In while my drawings We're used. /
BY and by got s. q week instead Of S3.
and drew all the time The pay was still
.'4AtAilt bAt 4 was ldHtNs itl WAS lft Llit
same establishment with Edwin 4. Abbey /
G s Reinhardt, and other artists-ius-
traitors whose signatures 7 had watched
for week after week, in Harper's Weekly. /
II you've ever watched for signatures
week after week on pictures, YOU know
how like Elysium the art department of /
Harpers was to me-
'On the 81 salary I finally saved enough |
10 go TO Europe and study"
Abroad Twenty Years.
For the next twenty years NIr. AIexan- |
der lived abroad. He received his art
education in the Royal Academy Of Fine |
Arts in Munich. and both there and while
he was struggling to make his reputation /
his experiences were frequently of a par
with his New York efforts to make f.
living and at the same time be- faithful /
10 his art. Finally he triumphed. and to-
day he is recognized in all the art centers /
OF the world as one of its leading painters. |
He has won enough gold medals TO hide /
Inc expansive chest of comic oDera
general In 1898 his picture known as /
The Green Bowl was bought by the
French minister Of fine arts for the l
Luxembourg collection. an honor Thar has /
come 70 only very few Americans /
Three years later he was made cheValier I
of the Legion of Honor by the French /
government, the following year he be- /
came an academician of the National /
Academy; to-day he Is a member of [
practically sill the famous societies of /
artists and his canvases are i'm numerous
private and public collections on both
sides of the Atlantic. He is one Of the
men whose brushes have made the decora- /
tions of the Library of Congress at /
Washington world famous. and il was he /
who received the important commission /
10 decorate the Carnegie Institute of |
Technology at Pittsburg.
Like the late Whistler, another member /
Of Americas advance guard of art. Mr. /
Alexander works with marvellous rapidity /
and nervously. Physically he is slight. /
i've feet nine or thereabouts. with a /
blond and fun. but not bushy beard and 4
mustaChe and rather scant hair HIS /
raiment is that of the prosperous banker 1
and his patriotism has not been weak |
ened whit by the twoscore years res
idence abroad
Abbey, the Coronation Painter.
Edwin a. Abbey. whose name was 1
widely heralded a few years ago when he /
was selected by King Edward 70 paint |
the coronation picture, is one Of several /
members OF Americas advance guard in
art who have some expatriates. at least i
10 the extent that they have their perma- /
nent residences abroad
On the authority of one of Mr. Abbey's |
close relatives the statement is made that /
the late King Oscar had not a little to do
with the ultimate selection of sir. Abbey /
as the coronation painter
A short time after he became a member
Of the Royal Academy Mr. Abbey. ac-
eor9ing 70 a custom relating TO new
members, was called on to help arrange a
private view for royalty Of the ACademy's
irnpeudlne annual exhibition 4 fav., ,5o,-s