The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-13

I have always been told she was beautiful She died when my mother was but three years old. but to me was passed the tra- dition that she had been considered a great beauty. Personally, 1t seems to me that she is not especially pretty, but am so pleased that she wore clothes like that" She was Miss Simkins-a grand old South Carolina name. Across the room from her hangs a portrait of her husband, Gen. Jack Glascock. He is pie tured in the ruffle shirt and high stock that dignified the good looking men of | his day. He is a handsome auburn man either of the others. I think. To make the painting more characteristic the artist pictured the generals favorite hunting hound-he always kept a pack of hounds. for he was of tho old type of southern planter and lawyer. This and the painting of his wife were types of best work of the great painter. Sul- ly, during a visit to the south.
 For the art connoisseur who is blessed with tho saving grace of humor." there is broad smile when he reaches the "house of Warren" The two genial and popular brothers, John and Ed Warren, submitted in their very early youth to the painters eagle eye and forid imagina- tion, with the result that each owns a likeness of himself-John Warren repre- sented as a very pretty litle boy. Ed. Warren as very pretty little girl The latter is reproduced in this sketch. not as an example of any school of early art. but as an illustration of the pranks of fate and as a humorous presentment of ono of Birmingham's manifest types. The subject of the painted sketch-the dlmpled. lady-like little person in a white. low-necked frock and flowing, blue-rib- boned. golden hair is Ed Warren. grown up, sometimes champion in athletic achievements of various sorts. It was the Ed Warren, grown tall and muscular, however. who, 1t is said, stopped his singing lessons abruptly and indignantly some years ago. after struggling over his first song-a series of warbled notes to the effect that Birdie sings so sweetly" "rd look fine singing a song like that, now wouldn't I7' he Indignantly ques- tioned a friend But at the age of 8 the machinations of an admiring mamma and willy painter man were more easily af- fected.
 
 A portrait like the pastel of Dr. William s. Mudd, already noted, possessing his- torical value in connection with this com munity, is an oil painting of Mrs. P. A. Fitts mother of Col. William c. F1tts of this city. Mrs. Fitts Is still living and is an occasional visitor to her former home. She was the wife of the first rec tor of the Church of the Advent and is much beloved in Birmingham. She posed for the artist. Sanders. years ago, be- fore he achieved name. and he repre- sented her as young and lovely. Yrs feeling and life painted into this canvas makes it very realistic. so 1t Is easy to of yesterday.
 There is an inscrutable something that makes a portrait the most entertaining possession one may have. Take the Mona Lisa-how many volumes have been writ ten about the mystery of her smile? In the face of any mellow old portrait you may trace strange stories and then, after endless speculation, you have but guessed at the real nature behind the placid canvas mask. And as time goes on the mystery deepens-even as it did in the case of the Mona Lisa. so that the prosiest old merchant, If he lived long enough ago becomes the hero of a. dreamy sort of romance. His powdered peruque. and his satin and lace endow him with story-book virtues and there is the faint Itinge of rosemary and lavender in the story you relate of the first Lawrence or James of your name and his rather com monpIace peregrinations in merchant