Evening star., 1918-09-29


of their PROSPERITY. 1t is also the face
of a very handsome man. That idea
had struck the Rambler, but his first
thoughts were that it was a pleasure
to look on such a harmonious and
friendly face. But1Dr. Holmes first
comment after looking al the portrait
for a few seconds was. He was n
handsome man." The scientists next
observation was, "There is a great deal
OF artistic merit in the painting"
When normal times return you should.
so down to the National Gallery of
Art and spend day with Jhe pictures.
IL you make the acquaintance of really
good pictures and get the habit you
will understand the message that mas
ter painters put across and you will
throw into the ash can some of the
art atrocities forwhich you have paid
good money.
Soon after the Rambler left the
National Museum, Dr.. Holmes came
up to The Star office to leave with
MIN "a little book containing repro
duction of a photograph of the Van
Ness portrait. On the cover of the
book Is this:
Washington. ID. ", organized January H. lal4.
Oldest national bank in the District of Co.
lunlbia
1t is short history Of the bank
compiled by a committee chosen for
that purpose by the directors, the COM
mittee being Arthur r. Brice. Cuno Fl.
Rudolph and A. A. Hoehling. jr. With
IN the book is letter dated January
"a. 1916, from Mr. Brice to DR..
Holmes. Mr.. Brice writes:
memorial of the National METROPOLITAN Bank
which compiled two years ago. 1t contains a
short sketch Of the life Of Gen. Van Ness.
which may be of interest now that his portrait
is to be on exhibition at the National Gallery.
Taking the little book along with
him, the Rambler walked up to the
bank to see if he could borrow the
photograph of the portrait. He con-
{esses that as he strolled into the big
fine place he felt i'll at ease. TO sit
down in a fence corner or on the top
rail and talk things over with the
plain people of the country is a SIM
pie thing to do, but to go into a
stately hall with solemn stone coll
umns, and where everybody wears
creased trousers and seems to be busy
with his coat Oh, creates a different
sensation. Men in beautiful bronze
barred cells we're counting money
with that free and easy grace which
rich men acquire. Readers of the
Rambler should not give way to the
impression that he feels abashed in
the presence of men of wealth. He
has met many millionaires, but un-
fortunately he has never met mill
lionaire who had any money. WASH
ington millionaircs seem to be the
most prosperous of the class, because
a Washington millionaire will some
times have as much as thirty or
thirty-fire thousand dollars invested
in mortgages. There are million
aires who are rather more imposing
than that. Three for example is
the New York millionaire. The New
York millionaire is usually one who
owes about $4,000 and has a foreclos-
ure hanging over his steam yacht.
The western millionaire. is the most
spectacular. If the Rambler We're
called on for a chemical analysis of
the western. millionaire he would write
1t thus: One per cent red necktie,
perNcent diamond scarfpin, 81 per
cent wind.
The first time the Rambler was in
the National Metropolitan Bank was
with check for $7.35, which Billy
Hibbs had given him. That check was
the proceeds of most terrific plunge
in speculation. The Rambler search
ing, expecting to see headlines some-
Piunger startles Wall Street" But aHr
there was nothing doing. Some news
papers are very slow in getting real
news. Tightly clutching that check
the Rambler went down to the bank.
He had to be identified 1t seemed
hard that man who had lived in the
District long before the first settler
set up his cabin here and who stood
on Giesboro point Cor was it Poplar
pointD and saw Capt. John Smith and
his companions sail up the Potomac
should have to be identified. But so it
was. George Watson was cashier of
the bank then, and George and the
Rambler are old friends Still tight
ly clutching that check, the Ram
bier told his troubles. He expected
George to say something like this.
Really, l think that check Is too big
for us today. / don't .belieVe we've
got that much on hand, but I'll take
you over to the Treasury Depart
ment and introduce you to the Secre-
tary" But they cashed that check in
very offhand sort of way.
Searching for the photograph of the
Van Ness portrait, the Rambler went
up to the desk of one of the young
men in the bank. Lying idly on it
was a twenty share stock certificate
of well known corporation, 1t was
an unimpressve-l looking certificate. II
was not half as brilliant and artistic
as certificate the Rambler once
owned in "The Boob Bait Gold Mining
Company-ca, ital, $1,000 ,O0O-par
value of shares, 80 cents-incorpor
ated under the laws of Arizona--arnd
with principal offices and plants no
where" When the yn,po bopEar