davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1938-02-06
Inadequacy of Mechanical Process Leads
to Reproductions by Hand With Re.
markable List of Plates.

Ducks are fyin' and il one hit yer
OIL yer'd go!
"As Bert spoke, one struck with
crash like . solid shot We believed
what he said and decided the view
was just as good inside as out the
heavy plateglass. During the clear
interval few birds were to be seen,
yet when the flying fog enveloped, they
appeared again, but most of them
passed safely. Occasionally one prob
ably thought the light was q suspended
star and tried to pass beneath.
"'Three canvasbacks hit 80 far
said Raynor as We were leaving.
How do you know that"
"Seen some 60 by and know when
they hit-thump harder than Blue
bills!
He was right: we found Just three
Of them on the ground in the morn
ing"
SOMETHING of the picturesque
~ flavor Of this extraordinary mans
vocabulary and his talent for etching
with words as we'll as brush may be
gained from his narration of a little
birl anecdote of the sea.
THE surf on Monotony," he says,
drew closer on the port bow. Astern,
Nantucket Sound was feather-white-
the summer Sou'weSter was talking
aloud before fading with the day.
Stand by the main sheet! eased
her of as the blocks came together.
1.-TWO blocks!'
Gently let her come up: the
mainsail swung over, the released sheet
sang and We headed north In the
smooth lee.
"'No tide-rip to buck this time
"'No-but look!'
There, dead ahead, were hundreds
Of darting terms. glinting like snow
flakes against the rising shadow of
the world; twisting, turning, dashing
against the purple east. Below, the
water was churned to foam.
'Bluefish! Get out the lines!'
with jib and mainsail eased, we
swung into the turmoil at about S
knots. Busy? Yes, but not too intent
on lifting the and FOUNDERS over
the rail to take in the wild excite
ment around US. Up the feathered
forms swung. down they came-winged
darts to seize q bit of mossbunker
chewed on by the voraeious blues
The mad riot increased-neither birds
nor fish seemed to know the sloop
was there; the blood-incensed fish
struck along the boats side-the terms
swooped within . few feet Of us.
Both flsh and birds lost all caution
under the lash of destruction. The
sea boiled under the combined forces.
Then suddenly we were sitting
through still waters, the crazy tur-
moil gone as completely and swiftly
as an uneasy dream. Far of to the
eastward an occasional white streak
showed where the bait had gone and
westward the homeward- hound birds
were mere glints of orange against
darker clouds above the sunset.
Some battle!'
"'But well have flsh for supper!'"
THESE days Of stirring events and
salty experiences Rex Brasher has
now put behind him. Today he lives
IN the same little farmhouse he pur-
chased many years ago with the money
won at the racetfack.
Evening star., 1938-02-06

must be built for them within two
years. As time went on and the money
for the project was not Forthcoming.
the artist recalled his collection and
their present appearance in Washing
ton is the first public showing the
collection has had since it came again
into the artists possession.
Rex Brasher was only 10 years old,
in 1878, when he expressed his desire
to paint all the birds of North America
Tor the first time. His father, Philip
Marston Brasher, an amateur orinthol-
ogist, for whom the Brasher warbler
was named, had pointed out to the
young boy the historical value of q
complete pictorial reference of North
American birds. True, Audubon had
already made his valuable contribu-
ton to nature study, but Audubon, in
his 435 beautiful hand-colored engrav-
lngs Of North American birds, often
sacrificed exactness to dramatic pose
or effective color. Brasher determined
to reproduce with fidelity, In so far as
was humanity possible, bird life as it
existed in nature.
THE next few years, living in Brook
lyn, in New York State, the boy
would often play hockey from school
to lie for hours in the bogs waiting and
watching for birds, studying them in
flight. or when they alighted, familiar
1zlng himself with their colorings, their
shape and habits, the set of wing, the
f1irt OF a tail, the cock of the head, the
roll OF the eye. He made copious notes
IN small notebook he carried with
him, 1otting down descriptions Of the
tiny feathers about the mouth, the
"rictal bristles" useful in hy-catching,
and OF the "scuttelation" or horny COW
erings Of the legs.
While still very young he served q
brief apprenticeship at Tif1any's as an
engraver. But indoors could not hold
MIN long and he burned with the de-
sire to begin his real life work. So one
DAY ne started off with nothing but q
pack on his back and an invincible de-
termination to accomplish his resolve.
Inc years that followed were spent
IN wandering all over the North
american continent, studying birds
Wherever he found them. He picked
berries, worked on the roads, cut
wood, worked at anything he could to
get money to go on, studying and OBJ
serving his beloved birds. Once, when
working for bookmaker at Q race
track, he bet all he had on Q 'long
shot" called knight Of the Garter and
Evening star., 1938-02-06
MINIATURES OF DISTINCTION
Catherine Walden Myer Fund Makes Valuable Additions to
National Collection of Fine Arts = California
Water Colors and Paintings From Egypt.

nF PECULIAR interest among
these recent acquisitions is the
little miniature Of a lady OF 1902,
paitned by James Peale, younger
brother of Charles Wilson Peale,
which, as the acting director of the
National Art Collections, Mr.. Tolman,
has aptly said, lis a perfectly beauti-
ful miniature of homely but distin-
guished lady. In this instance the
artists name is known, but not that
Evening star., 1938-02-06
Current Exhibitions.

CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART
Exhibition of historical por-
traits under the auspices OF
the United States Constitution
Sesquicentennial Commission.
Joint exhibition of drawings
and water colors by Mr.. and
Mrs. Wayman Adams. Exhi-
bition of water colors by Eu-
gene Weisz.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
-Etchings and Autographs by
Thomas Handforth.
UNITED STATES NATIONAL
MCSEUM-Arts and Indus
tries Building, exhibition of
original prints illustrated in
American Annual of Photog-
raphy, 1888.
UNITED STATES NATIONAL
MUSEUM, Constitution ave-
nue-Exhibition of water COL
ors of California by w. S.
Bagdatopoulos. National COL
lection of fine arts, group of
miniatures recently acquired.
PHILLIPS MEMORIAL GAL
LERY-Exhibition of prelimi-
nary sketches for painting by
Carl Knaths. Recent acces-
sions-drawings, water colors
and prints. Print rooms.
PHILLIPS GALLERY STUDIO
HOUSE-Exhibition of oils,
water colors and drawings by
Olin Dows.
ARTS CLUB OF WASHING
TON-Miniatures and flower
paintings by Eulabee Dix.
Water colors by Gladys Milli-
gan.
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART,
WASHINGTON GALLERY
Exhibition of American water
colors from Homer and Sar-
gent to the present day, ex-
tended to end of week.
GALLERY OF MODERN MAS
TERS-Exhibition of pictures
in various media by contempo-
rary individualistic artists.
PUBLIC LIBRARY, main build
ing-Drawings by Agnes Vein
rich. Northeastern and South
western branches-Oil paint
ings by local artists.
CHILDREN'S GALLERY. w. p.
A., 816 Independence avenue
S.W.-Exhibition of humor and
children's art.
DEPARTMENT OF THE IN
TERROR ART GALLERY
Exhibition of paintings by stu
dents in American colleges and
professional schools.
THE CARAVEL SHOP-Paint-
ings by Philip Bell, Auriel and
Cleo Bessemer; prints by Kyra
Markham.
HOWARD UNIVERSITY-Exhi-
bition of prints lent by the
P. w. A.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
BRANCH, NATIONAL LEAGUE
OF AMERICAN PEN WOMEN
Water colors by Ethel B.
Davis.
Evening star., 1938-02-06

Mr. Dows' drawings and water colors
that his gift Is best displayed, partly
perhaps because In them 1t displays
itself unconsciously.
This exhibition was to have
continued. Is announced, through
February Fl, but because Of q one-man
exhibition which Mr.. Dows Is holding
in New York In the near future, 1t will
close on the 18th.
Arts Club Opens T1Oo NeU
Exhibitions and Entertains
Walter Damr0Sch.
TWO new exhibitions open this
afternoon ut the Arts Club. One
will consist Of miniatures and paint
ings of flowers in oil by Eulabee Dix
OF New York. the other Of water colors
and pastels by Gladys Milligan Of this
city. teacher Of art in the National
Cathedral School for Girls. Mrs. Dix
has won enviable reputation by her
miniatures. using. in most instances,
rather large pieces Of ivory. rendering
her portraits with certain breadth
and giving them some of the pictorial
quality which adheres to the work Of
the English school OF portraiture OF
the 18th century. Comparatively
recently-that is, within the last
few years-she has been painting
flowers in oil. moved to do so by the
beauty Of the roses found in English
gardens, and, remarkable as 1t may
seem. has so handled this somewhat
hackneyed subject that she has given
1t new character and meaning. While
naturalistic in treatment her paintings
Of roses have extraordinary decorative
effect and are completely. it will be
found, out Of the ordinary.
Miss Milligan was born in Ohio,
studied at Pratt Institute under George
Luks and at the Fontainebleau School
under leading masters. She is a
member Of the Society Of Washington
Artists, the Arts Club, the National
Association OF Women Painters and
Sculptors and has received honorable
mention in an exhibition held at the
Denver Art Museum This will be her
first one-man exhibition in Washing
ton.
Evening star., 1938-02-06

the horse came in. winning about
$4,000 for Brasher. With part of
this money he later bought an old
farnIouSe for himself in Chickadee
Valley in Kent. Conn. It had once
been the home Of q moonshiner who
had made liquor from wild honey OF
the region. This retreat was later to be
the scene Of the real labor OF pro-
ducing and painting the 100 sets Of
his Birds and Trees Of North Amer
ica." 1t Is still Brssher's home, al
tered to his needs and character
istically decorated with objects and
carvings that denote his sole absorb
ing interest in his feathered friends.
MEANWHILE. however, many years
~ of his insistent pursuit Of knowl-
edge Of them were to be experienced.
Once he bought q sloop and sailed
along the coast in 1t for q year, OBJ
serving the bird life of tidal marshes
and inland bays. Another time he
lived with a group Of men in the
mountains who were running q still
for livelihood. When he ran out Of
money he sailed out Of Gloucester
with the fishing fleet and was fish
erman for three seasons.
THAT" he says. was profitable.
for I was earning money and studying
birds at the same time"
The life was never an easy one. As
one writer has pointed out, bird
painting is no trade for 4 clerk. A
man must be patient, curious, hardy,
sharp-eyed and indomitable beyond
belief" Rex Brasher was all Of these
things. He would lie immohlie in
brambles for hours, crouch in duck
boats. shin up tall trees, wiggle all
day through the burdock, stand waist
high in icy pools.
Many of his experiences he has re-
counted IN brief and charming FASH
ion in the text which accompanies his
paintings. In simple, homely phrase
ology he relates some of the little
happenings that marked his days.
Thus, Of the snowy egret he writes:
II saw a small flock of these egrets
near Mosquito Lagoon in Florida and
saw about 20 more in Indian River
Narrows. They are the most exquisite
and gentlest Of their family. With
downward curved neck, head and
breast plumes thrown forward, they
step daintily along q branch to greet
q mate, while delicate back aigrettes
wave In the air like bits of filmy
cloud. The birds undoubtedly are
beauty conscious, for the display Is
given with q delightful vanity which
entirely charms the fortunate OBJ
server.
Sometimes a flock will become i'm
bued with spirit Of play which shows
in wild rushing and scampering
through the shallow water. Leaping,
fluttering and flying until the water
Is foam, the air a blur Of white forms,
the birds release the electric life within
with unrestradned abandon"
And again, writing Of . flight Of
canvasbacks, he tells this story:
trembling Of the shaft was per-
ceptible half way up, and when We
reached the lamp room the gale was
swinging up some inches back and
forth. Scud streamed past in luminous
wells, and ut intervals winged meteor
cleaned and was gone.
keep to lu'ard II you 20 outside.
Evening star., 1938-02-06
By Lucy Salamanca.
ONG. lean, looking like an In
dian, Rex Brasher leaned back

ON1, 1edI1, lOOhlIlR IKE all III.
| dian, Rex Brasher leaned back
| in comfortable rocker in the
- little farm house in Chickadee
Valley, near Kent, Conn, and puffed
reminiscently at his pipe.
THE hardest JOLT" he said, was
when found I was through"
That statement put period to al
most so years dedication to a single
purpose-to make a pictorial refer
ence work of every species and sub
species of the birds of North America
from Mexico to the Pole! This stu
pendous task has just eliminated in
the last brushstroke set to the last
| print of the last volume of set of
100 volumes that picture the birds of
the North American continent in their
natural settings, faithfully reproduced
as to relative size, coloring, attitudes,
| characteristics and every other detail
making for accuracy.
1t put period to lifetime of
wandering in every highway or by
way in North America where birds
alight or pass on the wing, of assiduous
study and observation, of answering
devotion to resolve made while only
a boy of 10, of sketching and painting
and measuring, of "tide-over" jobs in
| fields or factories. It put a period to
the accomplishment of painting 874
original plates from life, including
| 1900 major and subspecies birds of
North America according to the
| ornithological checklist, with the de-
piction Of every coloration difference
due to age, sex, season or posture,
bringing the total Of figures painted
to 5000. And it established for all
time the fame of Rex Brasher, rival
ing that of the talented and devoted
Audubon, who had been the inspira-
tion Of his youthful resolve.
TODAY Rex Brasher is acclaimed in
the field of ornithology as one of
the greatest ornithological painters of
all time. His work, stretched over half
a century, is one of the most impress
sive and valuable contribution to
science in this field that has been
made by any single individual. More
than this, it is an amazing example
OF perseverance, determination, pa
tience and all those other virtues
which are said to be necessary to &C
complish with thoroughness and dis
tinction any self-imposed, tremendous
labor.
Therein Rexs Brasher has achieved
another priceless milestone-happi-
ness-gaining what most men have
missed. by doing the one thing he
wanted to do in all the world and al
lowing nothing to interrupt the free
flow of his achievement. Now. putting
away at his friendly pipe in that little
house in the Connecticut hills that
once served as moonshiner's cabin
his only comment upon the fruition
of dream is, 'The hardest Jolt was
when I found I was through"
The public of Washington is fortu-
nate enough to make up the first audi
ence to see In public exhibition the
original s74 paintings that constitute
the Brasher Collection of North Amer
ican Bird Life. for they have never
been shown before. These original
paintings are 10 extraordinary from
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-25
BONES BECOMES.
 STATE TROOPER
Waterbury Man Sworn in; Assigned to Barracks
 at DanieIsOn

State Trooper Frank J. Bowes of Waterbury, one of 25 new state policemen formally sworn in for of f1cial duties yesterday by Major F. M. Nichols of the state police de- partment has been assigned to the barracks at Danielson.
 Four Hartford men were detailed to the Beacon Falls barracks. They include John F. O'Brien, Samuel s. Rome, Anton M. Nelson and Ralph c. Boyington. Walter P. Neumann of New Britain was also assigned to Beacon Falls.
 Other men sworn in and their aS- SignmentS are as follows:
 Robert J. Murphy and William T. Casey, both of Bridgeport, Ridge field barracks.
 Robert H. Ray of New London, Albert H. Pethick of New Haven, Jerome F. Smith of Fairfield, Don- aid c. Frost of Bridgeport, Canaan barracks.
 Daniel B. Mckenzie of Manches- ter and Fred B. Feegal of Meriden, Stafford barracks.
 John F. Reardon on Pawcatuck, Danielson barracks.
 Howard W. Sternberg of Meriden and Osmus H. Avery of Willimantic, Groton barracks.
 Leslie H. William and Robert B. Donohue, New London, Westbrook barracks.
 Henry G. Greifzu of West Haven and John G. Curran of Danbury, Westport barracks.
 John c. Lawrence, Francis T. Hannigan, George D. Smith and Francis M. Begley, all of New Ha- ven, Hartford barracks.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-25
CASE MUST GO ON
 DECLARES JUDGE
Counter Suit Filed By Wife Results in Courts
 Ruling

Joseph Lombardo must go through with the divorce proceed ingS he has instituted against his wife, Joyce Lombardo, Judge Frank P. McEvoy of superior court ruled yesterday afternoon.
 Lombardo, through Attorney Frank Summa, appeared in court on Friday and asked permission to withdraw his suit for divorce.
 Judge McEvoy decided yesterday that in view of Mrs. Lombardo's cross petition for divorce, the case must be heard. Judge McEvoy also ordered Lombardo to pay his wife $8 weekly pending trial of the &C., tion and also to afford her $50 for counsel. Attorney Michael V. Blans- field represents MT. Lombardo.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-25

This move, in line with the an- nouncement of William Green, president of the American Fedora tion of Labor, that he has urged all labor units in New England to act against the present delegations to Congress from this section, is seen as nucleus of labor's severance in all of the New England states from the major parties. President Green, angered by support of the wage and hours bill by the complete roster of New England congressman, sent word to all union leaders here to do their utmost to bring about de- feat of the incumbent representa- tives.
 The Hartford unionist said that he would not predict the choice of the Union Party for governor but added that he personally favored the nomination of Mayor Jasper McLevy, MT. Coiro believes that the Union Party should incorse him. Otherwise, they should name him as the Union Party candidate, he said.
 Incorporated in September. 1897, the Union Party boiled 2,378 votes in the Hartford city election last fall with James L. Mcclure, of Hartford, as its candidate. McGuire is a former resident of Waterbury.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-25
Modern Changes in Indus- trial, Agricultural Work
 ImpresSes Minister

There are some signs of mod ern methods of agriculture. In fact on occasion you see the old and the new side by side. In one field we saw an old negro blowing with a single mule. A few hun- dred yards away we saw a man blowing with the very latest thing in tractors. The tractor was the great exception, however, for mules still provide mosc of the horsepower" in this part of the South.
 It is interesting to note some of the changes on the industrial side. In this town of Talladega, coun- ty seat, with some 1000 inhabi- tantS there are three cotton mills. Two of these are rather drab look ing places. There has been trou- ble in these mills within the last two years. A prolonged strike ended in 8 riot and two lives were lost in the melee. Not far away is a new mill built by northern cap- ital. This mill seems to be the very latest thing in factory con- Struction and 1t is surrounded by 8 model suburb. They have fine paved streets, 8 splendid school, a fine recreation building, and everything to make the place homelike and attractive. There is only one ominous sign on the hor- izon. An armed deputy sheriff guards the entrance gates to this suburb! You satisfy him as to your business first! Which re- minds me that every once in a while you see gangs working on the roads. They wear no uniforms at least the gangs we saw, but the guard always carried a pret- ty formidable looking gun. They have different ways of doing some things down here in the South and some of these customs give me a rather unpleasant feeling.
 The people you meet in the hotels and restaurants are all so very courteous on the other hand. They act as if it were their pleas ure, instead of simply their bus mess, to serve you. It appeals to me that we might learn not a lit tie from our Southern friends in this matter of courtesy.
 Of course the negroes are every where present, at least they are to be found in large numbers in every city and town and appar- ently all up and down the coun- tryside. They are not everywhere present in the sense of being al- lowed to enter hotels, theaters, and public places as guests. By no means! There are back doors and side entrances, if any, for the negro. He is taught to know his place. There is a good public lib- rary here in Talladega, but no negro can make use of its privi- leges. There is a splendid high school to serve a negro population of some three thou sand and it is not large build ing either. It does not seem like even handed justice, nor is it justice! But it seems to be the South.
 Anyway we feel encouraged. People take an interest in reli-
 zion in these parts. Even the signs pay the preacher tribute. Over 8 local shoe repair you may read the words, I'm not preach CT, but I can save your sole.'
 All of which make life interest ing!
 Yours very cordially,
 JOHN c. WALKER.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-25
Reu. Dr. Walker Writes From
 Land or Sunshine, VioLets
Finds People of Southern States Courteous, HOs-
 pitable, Interesting

That people take an interest in religion in the southern part of the country was decisively proven to Rev. pr. John c. Walker, pas tor of the Second Congregational church, who is making tour of the southern states and Negro Colleges.
 pr. Walker in a most interest," ing letter from Talladega, Ala bama, to a Waterbury friend, writes:
 Talladega, Alabama.
 January 9, 1938. Dear Sir:
 It is something of an exper- fence to find yourself in the Deep South" in the middle of winter. New England seems re- mote and far away. The grass is still grey for the most part but the VioletS and the narcisSus are in bloom here. Of course they say that the weather is unusual for this time of the year. We'll, it is certainly unusual from our point of view! I'm willing to let 1t go at that.
 But of course there is far more than a change in climate to re- mind you that you are several hundred miles from home. All through the Carolinas and Georgia and now in Alabama you note the side roads and the fields brick red with the clay that is so characteristic of wide areas of the South. Here in Alabama they say that if you stick to this country it will stick to you. It certainly does and more specially when it rains!
 All across these states, at least in the upland regions, you see the marks of erosion. The hills are furrowed with deep gullieS that seem almost ghastly with their bright red hue. Once the top soil has been washed away it seems difficult to grow even weeds.