The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-09-22
spirit of 76' Began
As Humorous Painting
Celebrated Picture Was Almost an Accident, Says
the Painter-C Central Figure of Famous Cam
pas Was That of Father of Artist

would feel a strong sense Of dissatisfac-
ton. throw away my sketches and begin
anew.
Inspiration Comes mt Last.
Meantime the centennial year was has
tening on and the exposition at Phila-
delphla was about to open. We had
hoped that our photographs would have
very wide sale there. I felt the need
OF haste.
MY central character. the old drum
mer. was no longer living. He was only
a memory of my boyhood. Z had to drape
his personality round some other model
At this time my father. a superannuated
minister. was living with me He had
the tall. strong figure I needed, and he
posed for me with the drum. But just
as ] seemed to be approaching a final
plan. my father was taken sick. and
saw that he had not long TO live.
Then something OF self-condemnation
came over me that / had ever treated
this theme as a humorous one. A sudden
inspiration came to me- / saw my mod
els. Harry DevereuG. a fine manly boy,
whose father was my friend; Hugh Mosh-
er, and MY father. in a new light.
saw them in Imagination on the battle
field. had seen such men there. I
looked into my fathers face. and the
lines Of the commonplace faded out. and
nearing death. fine old heroic man.
whose soldier spirit had been with him
in the years of his privation and SELF
denial. ] saw Hugh Moshsr as / had
seen such men in battle
The whole idea took on new signf-
canoe. I tied bandase round the head
of Hugh Mosher. l put his own fine
manly boyhood into Harry Devereux-
And into the old drummer I put as
saw 1t the dignity end fortitude and
moral herOism Of my father. And now
! had to work hard and fast, dividing
my time, watching nights with my father
and painting by day. Ny father did
not live to see the result. But I finished
the painting under the inspiration Of his
character as / saw 1t in those anxious
days.
An Immense Success.
I'VE sold the photographs as we had
planned The centennial at Philadelphia
kept the printing frames IN Mr. Ryder's
busy. But this was not the real
triumph The painting itself was sent
for and exhibited at the exposition Il
was Iife-siZe canvas. and hung on the
line: and crowds thronged it day after
day.
Hugh Mosher attended the centennial
exposition. and he was recognized at
once. 1t made him a local hero. and
his own community by reason OF IT.
Harry Devereux. too, saw ii. and his
father bought it, and placed it in Abbott
Hall of his native town OF Marblehead-
But my father never saw the compile
ton of the work which his character
inspired.
Il painted no more carriages 1 took
leave OF my good friends IN Wellington.
where I had spent happy years. and re-
moved TO Cleveland, where l since have
lived 1 since have painted many pic
lures. and they hang in many public
and private galleries. There are some
that show more OF technique than this.
but this one has in II something that
stirs me deeply when I think Of il. and
l am glad the public continue 10 love It.
II may add a closing word about tho
title of the picture. I gave i the title
which 7 had first in mind. Yankee Doc
die That is the tune l still hear when
! look at IT, But many OF those who
love il prefer The Spirit Of Seventy-s!x-'
And I am content with either.