Mexico weekly ledger., 1915-10-14

pageant. Art converted mother nnd
children into enchantress and fairies
ard made charming decorative Access
series Of the wild carrots. Like many
Of the other photographs for which
the wife Of the distinguished artist
is noted among her frends-she is
strictly an amateur-these were all
in the-family.
Being in the picture herself, Mrs.
Chase was unable to @press the but
ton" But she did all the rest. She
made up the costumes with the sim
plest means-wherein lies much Of
their artistic appeal-and she plan
ned all the poses; even her own, with
out being able to see herself. Any one
who has attempted this will appreciate
the difficulty. For not only must the
pose itself be a thing of art; it must
also subtIy adapt itself to the picture.
Innate artistic impulse told Mrs. Chase
just what to do and how to do it. She
fitted herself naturally into each pic
ture, a friend touched off the camera
and the deed was done.
Lightness and buoyancy are the
chief characteristics of these photo
graphs. In the principal panel in
which the enchantress is seen lead
ing her fairies through the field the
figures appear to be floating on air.
This is due to their slight forward
poise, emphasized by the enchantress'
arms being ou~tspread, draPeries d.
pending and sweeping away from
them like wings, while all the little
fairies have gossamer pinions. I
have spoken of the pictures as photo
graphs Of a field pageant, for they
show by what simple means a pag-
eantry of the fields a be gotten up.
Mrs. Chase, however, had no sach
idea. She merely saw an opportunity
to achieve something artistic--and
went ahead.
Mrs. Chase's wit and charm and her
devotion as a wife and mother are
greatly admired by all friends Of the
family circle. One Of these friends
was the late Clyde Fitch, around
whom two highly characteristic "Mrs.
William NJ. Chase stories" revolve.
Mrs. Chase was in the audience at
nearly every Fitch first night. She
was neatly amused at "The Cowboy
and the Lady, In hat play, when
the cowboys learn that a lady is com
ing to the ranch they try to put I
curb on their swearing by institutine
a "swear-box," into which they droI
a quarter whenever they swear. Mrs
Chase had written to Mr.. Fitch SC
often congratulating him on his sue
cesses that this time and inspired BY
the scene Of the "swear-box," she
simply wrote, Cd fine play" and in.
closed a quarter.
This original and clever way o.
congratulating him so amused Mr.
Fitch that he could not keep it Il
himself. But, not wishing to bring il
a woman's name, he always told o
the letter as having been written b.
a man. One night both he and Mrs
Chase were among the guests at
dinner. In the course of the evening
Mrs. Chase's table neighbor turned t
her and said, loud enough for tn
playwright to hear, Il do wish MI
Fitch would tell us the name Of tn
man who wrote him that cever let
teri
@She's sitting right beside you!
exclaimed Fitch, who appreciated tn
opportunity and the humor Of tn
situation too much to let them pas
unutilized.
/. During Paderewski's first season i
America the virtuoso gave two privat
subscription reeitals in the Chas
studio. Mrs. Chase came to thes
recitals, and some idea Of her devc
ton to her family may be gathere
from the fact that these were til
only two occasions in sixteen year
that she had left her children in tn
evening. Indeed, to all but intimat
friends Of the artist Mrs. Chase ha
seemed a good deal Of a myth.
After the first recital a woman,
total stranger to her, came up an
said, II understand that Mrs. Chai
is here. Is it true? I've heard 81
/. never goes out, because she's Ian
! and some one has told me she's Jal
! anese."
Just then Clyde Fitch, who hs
: overheard these remarks, came up.
MRS. Chase" he said, may | ha,
{ the pleasure of taking you to supper
He offered her his arm and led HI
away, while the other woman locke
: after them in CONSERVATION.
The Gerson family, of New York,
which Mrs. Chase was a member, WI
7 the centre Of an art coterie and j
self artistic. The son became a m
/, stefan. A daughter, Virginia, is know
: for her books for children, The 9th
daughter is named Alice
az, Alice" she says, married WI
! liam M. Chase"
y MASONS AT CENTRAL.