The Washington times., 1934-08-20

Admiral Byrd and president
of the Fidelity Trust Company,
who made many trips to Eng
land, sometimes preparatory to
a long flight over Europe and
Asia, told me the story. It's
never been printed before.
Mr.. Black and a party Of
friends were dining at smart
Mayfair restaurant. Unexpect-
edly handsome young man
with an engaging manner ap-
peared at his table and said:
81 must apologize for in
truding, but 1 just happened to
Overhear you speak, sir. l rec
OgniZed your voice as the sort
of an American voice I'm used
to. You must be from Mary
land or Virginia"
I'm from Baltimore" said
Mr.. Black, land won't you
join our party?"
The strange young man &C
cepted the invitation, and sat
down.
II feel must explain, sir"
he said. "My name is Byrd,
Dick Byrd, from Virginia. 1 am
feeling a little blue or wouldn't
have barged in this way. The
fact is I've been dining with
a few friends right over there.
And / completely forgot the
time. I've just missed the last
train that would take me to
my ship. I'm due to sail on the
RIBS at daybreak tomorrow.
You can see for yourself, sir,
what a fix I'm in"
Mr.. Black and his friends
tried to cheer young Lieutenant
Byrd-or maybe 1t was Captain
Byrd. But without much sue
cess. They even tried to find
a motor to take him to the
port from which the dirigible
was to fly. No method of get
ting the young officer to his
ship on time was discovered.
The evening ended early and
sadly. Mr.. Black went back
to the Hotel Berkely where he
always stayed in London.
The young aviator went dis
consolately away-someWhere.
The R-38 sailed at the ap-
pointed time the next morning
without young Dick Byrd.
A few miles out at sea, the
dirigible exploded. Everyone on
board was killed.
Dick Byrd was saved for
great achievements, not be-
cause he was doing his duty,
but because he had overlooked
the time.
The moral is very confusing.
Van Lear Black and Dick
Byrd afterward became close
friends. Mr. Black helped in fl
nancing several of Admiral
Byrd's exploring expeditions.
It isn't nice to be curious,
butt should like to know what
happened to the painter who
did one particular canvas of
President Roosevelt.
The theme of this canvas was
practically sacred. It showed
President Roosevelt with the
right arm of Jehovah around
his shoulders, and was done in
heroic style with glowing color.
When the furnishings were
removed from the executive Of
fices recently for the remodel
ing, the picture was brought
down from an upper chamber
and left for a few minutes to
repose on the side walk. Then
it was removed to a destina-
ton thus far not revealed.
Nor does any one seem to
know what happened to the
painter. Perhaps President
Roosevelt, as the distinguished
patron of the Public Works of
Art Project, so felt it his duty
to find a more lucrative job in
another field for so Jealous an
artist.
And, speaking of Art. Henry
Morgenthau, jr., who as Sec
rotary of the Treasury is in
charge of the Coast Guard,
should be congratulated on the
beauty of the young men he
selected to act as life guards on
the resort beaches, this season.
Life in the mid-week would
be mighty dull for hopeful
young feminine things if it we're
not for these heroes. The COL
1egians who have summer jobs
at chain grocery stores are like
wise a blessing at manleSs re-
sorts. 1--WE suppose they're a
bleSSingO .
George Moyle had a fishing
party on his big new schooner
lust off Bethany Beach, Della
ware over the weekend. The
Czechoslovakian Minister, DR..
Ferdinand Veverka, just back
from Maine and about to dash
off to Czechoslovakia, the new
" arrived counselor of the
CONTINUED on Page II, Col. /.
49, ~