Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-02
By Pere 6. Wallmo

said about it. Now most of the pictures lent
are kept by the Capitol artist in his own rooms.
His walls are lined with portraits and battle
scenes of all kinds and degrees of excellence.
Many portraits of former Speakers of the
House are in this collection. Congress in re-
cent years has authorized the purchase of por-
traits of the Speakers. after they have gone out
OF office, and nearly every painter In the coun-
try tries to secure the order. Many send their
efforts to the Capitol artist and as only one is
accepted by Congress several are left in the
store ROOM Some evidently forgotten.
There are now in Mr.. Duckstein's art store two
pictures of the late Speaker Reed and one of
Speaker Henderson, both rejected and left.
The Henderson portrait was rejected by Speaker
Henderson himself because he said it had the
head of man, but the shoulders of boy. Many
of the other portraits also undoubtedly of
eX-Speakers; but no one knows Just who they are.
Some of the pictures left in Uncle Sans art
store SO large that it would be almost inn
possible to find suitable place for them in the
Capitol. They are in the same fix a model
of the Capitol, made few years ago by
French clay modeler who has studio there,
high up underneath the dome. This man makes
a number of plaster casts of odds and ends used
around the Capitol, and when it was proposed
to change the Capitol some years ago he was
instructed to make plaster cast of the build
ing which was to be placed on exhibition in the
rotunda He made a beautiful white miniature
of the Capitol; but when an attempt was made
to take it down from the artists studio to the
rotunda it was found to be too large for the
stairs. The model was sawed into three parts,
carried down. and put together again.
Leutze's Experience with Congress
NEARLY every picture in the Capitol has an
interesting history. 1t is not an easy matter
mttees of the Senate and the House carefully
scrutnize all bills introduced for the purpose of
selling the Government anything
An interesting story is told round the CORR
doris of the Capitol of the finest painting in the
building. the westward Hoi" picture. This
spirited scene was painted on the wall of the
Capitol, at the head of the stairs leading to the
House gallery. by Emanuel Leutze. forever en-
deared to America by his famous : Washington
Crossing the Delaware" He received his COM
nearly year on it. When, however. it came
time for payment for the work. the
and money was needed for other things. In
vain the artist tried to get his contract price
from Congress, and finally appealed to Presi-
dent Lincoln.
The President explained that he could not
compel Congress to pay for the picture; but
suggested that he might appoint the artists son
to the Military Academy at West Point The
boy did not want to be soldier but did want
to be sailor, and SO President Lincoln gave
him an appointment to the Naval Academy.
This young man is now Rear Admiral Eugene
H. c. Leutze. He was one of the Captains of
Admiral Deweys fleet at the battle of Manila
of friends sometime ago. The Government,
however, finally paid twenty thousand dollars
for the painting.
Up to few years ago, the frieze round the
inside of the dome of the Capitol was disfgured
by hanging scaffold, and every visitor to the
rotunda wondered why this ugly platform was
left in SO conspicuous place The reason was
that the frieze has never been finished, and
there is an empty space still spelling the SYM
metry of the outline. The Senate and House
ha
have painted at this place, and may never be
able to settle this mooted question.
There are many other empty spaces in the
Capitol and in the new office buildings connec-
ted with the Senate and the House, waiting for
pictures by artists who are willing to submit
their wares to the uncertain taste and generos-
ity of the ever changing Congress of the United
States
POLAR REFLECTIONS
How awful 'twould be to live at the pole,
With no back yard but an icy shoal,