The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-31

business, and the prices of pictures of real value have risen, very s@pre- ciably. Whenever an art sale is an- nounced there are always eager buy CTS with good bank accounts.
 About 70 years ago, according to the London Times, Ruskin bought for 88 pounds water color drawing of Constance" which the luminous writers on art characterized as one of the most finished and faultless works of Turner's last years. He said that the day he brought 1t home to Denmark hill was one of the happiest days of his life. Sir Joseph Beecham acquired the drawing in 1907, having paid for it 2310 pounds. At a recent auction sale the same picture brought 4500 pounds-about $22,500. This is the highest price ever paid for a Turner water Color. When the great English artist was without fame his finest pictures went a-begging. Connosseurs ridiculed them, and it was not until Ruskin be- gan to glorify them that cultured society saw something in them. The Turner paintings were no long CT daubs. Who today, visiting the National gallery in London, but looks long and lovingly at Turner? In turning back it seems strange that any person of aesthetic taste should ever have seen anything but the truth of nature and supernal beauty in those wondrous landscapes and sub lime scenes of storm and sea. In this country, as in England, art works are in great demand. H. c. Prick and other art collectors own one or more Turner's. And although most of MT. Tricks pictures are by old 1 masters and brought fabulous pri .as, it may be questioned whether any ef them give more pleasure to the real lover of art than the Turner's.
 It is always good sign when men possessed of large wealth take to col lectlng rare canvases, especially when the collection will be turned over ultimately to museum for the benefit of the public.
 Irwin Cobb wants 5000 a week to en- ter vaudeville. That's going to cause lot of talk down In old Kentucky among the people who ''knew him when" * < There won't be much inducement to wear nifty bathing suit at the sea shore this year, if most of the eligible men are in training camps. patron of the news stands drops in to say that the prohibition editions of some of those eastern periodicals make pretty dry reading.
  real live Italian prince is coming to town. The entertainment committee l should lose no time in locating an ex- pert spaghetti cook.
 Every time the waves swallow another Spanish ship those Dons find it increas- ingly hard to swallow their wrath against Germany
 War Killing the Pollyanna School Of Thought. t."-Headline. Perhaps so. The "Pollyanna school" never did encourage l deep thinking.
 contemporary announces the arrival of circus lin all its glittering gor- geousness." Did a circus ever arrive | otherwise?
 A famous chess player died the other day, Chess is another game that de- velops the brain at the expense of tho muscles.
 .sA
 By the way, did those Russian thieves get the chance to start life over again which they so urgently requested? The hope of German agents to raise a large stacker crop in this country is doomed to disappointment.
 Who will be the first millionaire to re- gret that he has but one private yacht to give to his country?
 The rush to get married has started again, and it isn't altogether due to the proximity of June.
 A lot of people who shout ''vive la France! don't know the French flag when they see it.
 MT. Edison is a busy man. but he oc- casionally finds time to make patriotic |