Evening star., 1934-03-11

and charm, and even in the sunset
period Of her life she attracted the
attention OF all who met her for her
! gifts of gentleneSs and sympathy. The
artists father. soldier and engineer,
who served with distinction in the
United States Army and as builder
of the St. Petersburg & Moscow Rail-
way, Russia, died in l849, leaving his
four young children in his widows
care, strangers in a strange land.
1t was in 1871 or 1872 when all the
! troubles Of her career had passed,
that Mrs. Whistler sat for the picture
which now Is to have vogue never
eXcelled by any other example Of
esthetic genius. Her jimmy called
it an Arrangement in Gray and
Black and it was exhibited at the
insistence of Sir William Boxall in
the Royal Academy show of the last
named year. Later, it was displayed
in New York, Philadelphia and Chi
cagO. and offered for sale at q paltry
$1,000. but no purchaser appeared
Half a century hence the canvas was
to be insured for 100000. France.
prompted by Georges Clemenceau,
paid 1000 francs, or approximately
81 ,250. for the treasure 1t was hung
in the Luxembourg Museum until
1925. when it was transferred to the
Louvre, the first work of any Amer
ican to be SO honored.
Mrs. Whistler died in 1881. The
painter survived until July IT, 1903.
Credit for the Mothers day stamp
idea is due to Mrs. w. E. Ochiltree,
Mrs. H. c. Boone and Mrs. H. H. Nc
Cluer. officers of the American War
Mothers. an organization Of mothers
whose sons served under the flag In
the World War They evolved the
plan, Piled for it with the President
and other officers of the Government
and finally have had the satisfaction
OF seeing their dream translated into
fact. They are sponsoring an official
f1rSt-day cover to carry the stamp to
mothers, sons and daughters through
out. the world. and Albert F. Kunze.
leader. Washington Stamp Club of
the Air, is in charge OF ARRANGEMENTS
for them. Their office is at 1927 New
hampshire avenue northwest.
But meanwhile. on Friday. March
70, there will be an exciting first -day
event at st. Marys City. Md, when the
Maryland Tercentenarv stamp goes on
sale.
Much depends upon the weather
but If the day is fine there is certain
to be a great crowd at the little viii
lage, which in modern times marks the
spot where the Maryland colonists es-
tabliShed their first settlement in
1884. Hundreds if not thousands of
collectors will make the pilgrimage
from Washington. Richmond, Balti-
more and other cities. The scenes OF
Yorktown. Newburgh, etc. doubtless
will be repeated
But Mr.. FeIlers has announced
that he is endeavoring to anticipate
the occasion by providing electric can
ceiling machines and staff of expert
enced postal clerks to supplement the
primitive equipment of the existing
ONCE and to assist the postmistress
Mrs Ethel Goddard
Only small edition of the Mary
land stamp will be printed. As de-
scrlbed in an official release from Har-
old Ambrose. director, Information
Bureau. it will be "of the same size
and shape as the regular issue, OTIS
inch by 0.87 inch, arranged hOri-
zontally. 1t is incloSed in a narrow,
double-line border Within a narrow
panel across the top is the wording
Maryland Tercentenary,' in white
Roman on solid background. In the
widened ends Of the panel are the
dates 1884 at the left and 1884 at
the right, in white Gothic. The panel
is supported by ornamental brackets
at either end.
The central design is a representa-
ton OF the two sailing vessels on
which the first Maryland colonists
came to America. On a curved ribbon
at the left Of the central design is
the inscription, The Ark and the
Dove in dark old English lettering.
In corresponding position at the
right is the Maryland coat of arms.
Within circular panels, with white bor-
ders and solid background in both
lower corners. is the large denomina-
tlonal numeral 81 Between the cir
cles along the bottom of the stamp.
In a narrow panel with white edges
and solid background and arranged in