The Washington herald., 1909-05-02
S. F. B. MORSE, THE ARTIST
Son of the Inventor Recalls His Distinguished
Fathers Artistic Heyday.

One OF the most interesting links con
Meeting the present day with the mighty
achievements Of the past is J. z. Finley
Morse. son Of Samuel z. B. Morse, the
inventor OF the telegraph.
Eighty-four years old, M Morse lives
near Westport. on the Connecticut shore
Of the Sound. in the family OF his niece,
Mrs. Susan Morse Perry. favorite grand
daughter Of the great inventor. and wife
OF George K. Perry. country gentleman
The family celebrated the 11sth anniver-
sary OF the birth OF the great inventor
on april q.
Mr. Morse's recoHections Of his dis
tinguished father, ard the achievements
that have immortslized his name. are
particularly interesting at this time. when
wireless telegraphy has caused such &
commotion in scientific circles. But the
aged son Of the inventor does not believe
that the later discovery has astonished
the world as much as did that OF bis
father, says the New York Herald
Strange 10 say, Mr. Morse remembers
his father as distinguished IN art long
before the telegraph was even family con-
ceived- 1t was during the youth Of this
man that Samuel F. 3. Morse was a
struggling young artist, a portrait painter
Of repute, president OF the National
Academy OF Design, and the most jealous
one Of It's founders. The circumstances
connected with the birth Of J. z. Finley
Morse wrought such changes In the life
Of the artist Morse that his thoughts
were diverted from art into the open
channel Of invention. for al that time
he lost his beautiful young wife, whom
he adore6, who was hts inspiration. com
panion Of his struggles. ard his coun-
sellor. What success IN art might have
been in store for the gifted Morse had
not the heavy hand OF sorrow fallen upon
him none can say. Il may have been art
rather than invention that would have I'M
mortalized his name.
Has Many Works of Art.
Mrs Susan Morse Perry has Inherited
many OF the works OF art Of her 6istin-
ggisbed grandfather. The home Of the
Perrys Is one Of the most commodIous
OF the Compo Beach summer homes, 50
that the family lives there ali the year
roupd-''for, you see,- explained Mrs
Perry. I'VE could not move about when
we have Uncle Finley 10 make comforta-
ble- I believe he is about the most i'm
portant inheritance I have from my
grandfather. Uncle Finley Is a bach
elOT. and ever since was married ne has
lived with me-
Mr.. Finley Morse Is the ideal old gen
tlenan in appearance His faculties are
impaired from the weight OF years. and
deafness has been an ilhrm.ty since
early Hfe. but he Is greatly interested in
passing events. keeps Up with The news
IN the daily newspapers. reads all the
magazines. rakes the lawn in summer. and
splits the kindling wood when ne feels Ike
doing so In The winter even on the coldest
days, he shovels STOW and takes a con
stitutionai about I, grounds. he has
an easy chair IN the suaniest corner Of
the downstairs sittiRg-room, a bright
light TO read by. a cigar after dinner, and
plenty OF loving hands TO wait on him
and make him comfortable
No one about the place is buster than
Uncle Finley" said Mrs Perry. He Is
interested in the horses and dogs and
chickens. and IN making the garden
However. I don't think We can persuade
him TO talk, for his habit Of silence has
grown upon him OF late years, IS is the
case with the hOpeiessly deaf"
DisIiISes the Automobile.
So We wrote a few questions on paper.
and Mr.. Morse studied them gravely. and
then from the Quavering voice that had
almost forgotten how 20 arti. late we
gathered that he was much In crested IN
wireless telegraphy and also mat ne did
not Ike automobiles.
When was boy said NJ. Morse,
y went 70 Mr. SINNERS school in New
Haven, and also TO a FreDcn school n
Rye. learned the printers trade when
I WRs young man. and I worked in the
OmCs or Ihe Christian Observer. Ny "a
ther wrote articles for IL, and my uncle.
Charles Morse. worked for it-got sub
scribers for Il"
Ny uncle Finley was never son OF
toll to any great extent" said Mrs. Per
~ Scarlet fever when be was young
left him with deafness and otherwise IL
capacitsted him. and then his fathers
fortune was the means OF removing all
the financial problems OF existence. He
has failed noJlceaoIy in the last few
years, and though his deafness has doubt
less affected his mentality so that he
lives within himself he reads his news
papers and magazines and rarely speak
so We hardly know xhat he thinks sout.
Now and then he has an idea, at=d he
reads about all the new inventions.
L wish siTuetiles that I could make
hin talk and tell Of the seen AID ex-
periencss OF his youth He W The
youngest child OF nv grarCGaf5 s first
wife, and she died one n II. after his
birth. Her death was vitlsru- doubt the
greatest sorrow in the lie o. Grand
father Morse, for she vss-s his aid and
counsellor. She aloPe knew OF all his
struggles. l have bis letters 10 her writ
ten before and after their marriage. They
are so full Of consideration and love.
and through them al there is q vein OF
piety so characteristic Of the time. and
al written with scrupulous care. and
In the quaint formaIIty Of his day, when
2 letter was scarcely the insignificant
Srifie that it is at present"
Fine Artistic Example.
In the library Of Mrs Perry's home
there hangs or the wall above the tail
brick nlant, piece surmounti1g a huge
fireplace an OF painting Of her
Morse, with two children,
posed after the style Of Angelica Kauff-
mans picture OF the Duchess OF Devon
shire and children II was painted IN
lS2o and entities Morse TO recognition
among the best artists OF his time. In
the wide hall IS a huge canvas represent
Ing a life size portrait OF the artists
sister. and n the draving-room Is q small
painting OF Morse. painted by himself
he is adorned by the medals sent bv the
Emperor Of Austria in 1855. and with the
decoration in diamonds from the Sultan
Of Turkey IN lS4S; also the insignia OF
3 chevalier OF the Legion OF Honor, con-
teTred by the Emperor OF France in 1856
These medals were presented BY the
family 10 the National Museum In Wash