Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-23

The logical inference is that the hand
was intended for hers. There seems to
be small doubt that the painter, John
Trumhull. painted in his hand first. as
an experiment desiging. IL he found a
better position for the girls hands. to
erase this superfiuous member. and then.
when he had found such better position.
painted them thus, and forgot all about
this waist" hand-no pun intended In
default of any other explanation. this will
have to do.
Directly across the dome from this
painting is canvas by John G. Chap
man, portraying the baptism OF POca-
hontas Whether Chapman sought to
vie with Trumbull in endowing his sub
jects with a superiority OF members or
whether he was merely guilty. like Trum-
bull, of carelessness Is not known, but
the fact remains that he gave one of his
figures more toes than even an Algonquin
Indian really needed in his business The
gentleman thus favored was a kinsman
of Pocahontos and was named Opechan-
canough: whether anybody ever called
him that or not is question history
does not answer He had no additional
name: he didn't need one. If six toes
and sesquepedalian cognomen like that
cannot locate a man he is beyond iden-
LITIGATION.
This OpechancanOugh person is sitting
down in the middle foreground. gazing
in rapt admiration at his left foot. on
which blossom six perfectly good toes:
these he is twiddling, evidently for the
edifcation Of the guileless European at
PENDANTS. just like your uncle used to
Wiggle his scalp for your delight when you
were small boy Opey isn't paving
much attention to the baptismal cere-
mony: toes seem to absorb his whole be-
ing-to be the chief end of the man.
This pun is maliciously intentional
That. an artist. painting a picture that
was intended to become a part OF the
national history and treasure of a great
nation. should have been guilty of such
piece of gross carelessness is as in
eXcusable in Chapman as is the three
handed girl in Trumbulrs picture of
Washington referred to- AS work of
art. the picture is in keeping with this
piece OF carelessness. 1t has been claimed
by some that Chapman did this inten-
tionally because so 1t is argued having
as a sign OF great physical strength and
prowess. in addition to extraordinary
mental powers with which the fortunate
possessor of the redundant toes was
the whole red race.
This sounds pretty fishy: anyhow, this
was a painting of girl being baptized.
not an allegory on ethnology. and six toes
were douby out OF place 1t must be
said that the same reason that moved
Trumbull to paint that third hand moved
Chapman to bestow extra toes upon
Ope. etc. which. beyond doubt. was the
same reason that DR.. Johnson gave the
lady for his having defined in his die
t!onary the word 'pastern" as meaning
only the knees of horse"
..Carelessness, madame, carelessness!
was the honest reply of the old vulgarian
To the left of the Washington painting
referred to hangs a canvas representing
the surrender of CORVALLIS and his army
at Yorktown. 1t was better to say "pur-
porting to represent" for there is no sign
of CORVALLIS, or his army either, unless
two unnamed British privates may be
called a commander and his army.
The gross error in this painting con-