The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-02-25
noteS and News
Of Interest
$3.50 By m. \. ". $3.50

| HyDatia literary lneeliils, 3atui "e'
she dealt with modern artists. IL
was ;'lte int Nesting to Il" III the
list of court painters. three Ameri-
cans: Edward Austin Abbey, who
ipainted the Coronation of Edward
VII. bv command Of the King Ctas.
Robert Leslie. the painter OF QUEEN
|N,rtori1's co ruation "A Ill Bcn,a'nln
iWesl. the cart pan e." 20 brorse
III
Abbey is the most interesting III
the group. He greatly appreciated
the distinguished honor conferred
o. him by the King, b t was not
al mixed joy.
He was given point OF Nah'aG+
rom which to view the ceremony
he was to picture for all the h.
was equal to the task. The paint
ling was a success. but Abbey com
plained that the making of it was
painful process, because many Of
the peers and peeresses were exas-
operating beyond words in their utter
disregard to appointments, in their
VANITY and ignorance: some OF the
ladies insisted not only on full por-
traits, but on their long trains and
all their jewels showing. The King
and Queen gave him no trouble, as
Knight be expected of royalty.
Abbey's greatest work, perhaps, is
to be seen in his nature land. Sc
curely fastened to the walls of the
Boston Public Library are fifteen
beautiful panels representing. THE
IQuest of the Holy Grail" Art crit
les assert that this work of Abbey's
lis the best that American mural art
has produced. In The State Capitol
at Harrisburg are eight mural de
Icoratisn by the same hand.
All Alleys drawing paintings,
fpastels. played its part in develop
ling his hand, his mind and soul for
the task of yisualizing the great le-
Igend of the Holy Grail, which al
though symbolic in itself, was treat
ed realistically and clothed in The
Igarb of the Middle Ages.
On one of the decorations at Har-
lhisburg, Abbey has put this quo
ltation: Art deals with things for
lever incapable Of definition, and
THAT belong to love, beauty, JOY, wor-
Iship: the shapes, power and glory OF
which are forever budding, and re-
building in each mans soul and in
1.-The soul~of the whole world"
/ Abey will hold his place as the
1most poetic painters of medieval
Isubpects in his time and as the
#Igreatest Illustrator that America
has yet produced.
y Chestnut. Abbey had an alert
Sense of humor. His nickname in
This New York days was Chestnut. It
Twas from one of his stories that this
designation for long-drawn out, or
Ian old story, came.
| Edward Strahan gives the facts
ron Abbey's presentation on the
lother side of the ocean, he wassask-
led what stories he knew. He gave
them unpublished Mark Twain's, re.
lcondite Artemus Wards and Lin
lcoln's in exchange their Blue China
Ballads.
"Then he thought Of his chestnut
story, a time-honored jest Of his
title Club days.
He poured it Out with an air oil
conviction and good faith before q
. large dinner party.
.rhe Chestnut Story is one o.
,lthose interminable; pointless, hum
hug narratives which the French
caIl "scu', eternally getting to thu
point and never arriving there, ex
Letting vast interest and calculation
' lin regard 10 the chestuts on a Ger
tain tree; promising a rich and rae.
solution in the very next sentence
straying off to episodes that bafflet
Q the ear and disappointed the hopt
-lThis tale could be prolonged by Alb
T hey, when he was at his best for
: good part of an hour, without eve
: releasing the attention or satisfyin
Q the expectation. AS tru
: the more solemn and practical 0
1.-THE guests would look at each othe
lgrayely. At given moment the "a
: bic would perceive the crux an
burst out laughing. And there woul
be one delicious, venerable English
g man, who, when all were roarin
: would confess that he was slow ;
= catching the point Of American hi
,. NOR and would ask his neighbor
:. tell him what it was about.
. Authors Club
IS A very delightful meeting of tn
Is lAixthars' Cf1ab xyac hald Friday a.