Evening star., 1934-04-15

the price he asked for decorating this
room for Frederick Leyland, the Lon
don nabob, so he spitefuiiy conceived
the two gorgeous peacocks painted
over the sideboard facing the exquisite
Princess. He named them "the rich
peacock and the poor peacock" as an
illustration of the differences between
Mr.. Leyland and himself. The rich
peacock displays a plumage dotted
with golden Sovereigns, while the poor
peacock has a proud and defiant air.
The artist may have believed in the
old superstitution about peacock
feathers and i'll luck.
James LAYERS whistler" is not
given to excessive adulation, but on
the other hand it is fair and explains
away many unpleasant memories of
the great artist, which some writers
have perhaps unconsciously created.
For instance, the true story of this
Peacock room Mr.. Laver gives at
some length.
Mr.. Laver also clears up some mis-
conceptions relative to 'Jo," who was
for some time Whistler's model, and
who was described by him as perfect
Venetian dream" with her coppered
hair and whitish yellow skin. 10, who
was Joanna Heffernan, the daughter
of a bohemian Irishman, who always
referred to Whistler as ''me son-in-
law" was the model for the, Sym
phony in White''-or the Little White
Girl-in the National Gallery, London.
AS matter of fact, she was never
married to the great artist.
Mrs. Roosevelt's ability to travel far
and lend her presence wherever she
thinks she can be most helpful was
never more clearly demonstrated than
during the past week.
She goes by air, steam cars and in
the little blue roadster, and reminds
one of the late Chief Justice Taft,
who was noted for his frequent jour-
neys, and when some one remarked
that he was the most Travelled man
in the United States, answered. with
his merry laugh. that he sometimes
met himself coming back.
Washington to Columbus, Ohio, to
speak at an educational conference;
then to New York, where she lent her
presence at any number of public af-
fairs, and down to Washington to
speak at meeting of the National
Red Cross-almost week of strenu-
GUS travel. And yet when Mrs. Roose-
welt arrived at the Red Cross meeting
at the United States Chamber of
Commerce, Lafayette Square. and
found hundreds Of people waiting to
see her, she smiled and waved at them,
showing no signs of fatigue.
Mabel Boardman and the Red Cross
are synonymous terms. When one is
mentioned, the other Is always Wis
ioned. From her earliest girlhood Miss
Boardman has devoted herself sys-
tematically to those human charities
which must bring immediate results,
consequently the Red Cross appealed
to her.
AS girl she worked long hours for
the Children's Day Nursery in Cleve-
land. Ohio, and later for the Chill
dren's Hospital in Washington. It
was she who conceived a bold plan
to make the Red Cross a semi-off1cial
relief arm of the Government and re-
sponsible to the Government. Mr..
Taft, who was Secretary of War at
the time, gave her his ardent sup
port.
Miss Boardman has received deco
rations from a majority of the ma
tions Of the world. but the two she
looks upon with extreme affection are
the ancient Roman civic crown and
the Fifth Order Of the Crown, from
Japan.
Her talent for organizing and her
ability to execute were never more
clearly demonstrated than when 1t
took her just half an hour to mobilize
Red Cross relief for the Messina
earthquake sufferers. 1t was after
this extraordinary achievement the
Italian government in 1909 decorated