The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 19, 1902, Page 5

b The kast Days 2t the Bedside of the Martyred {merican. CTYEULY I have had & long and varied experience since I last saw Call- In this world of ours one er can tell what fate has in store for ms. Little did I think the telegram came to Lane Hospital Dr. request that I attend the sick room in the ce here where Mrs. McKin- a few months bed of the band, he to ving homage as ed States. rst my experience has ream, & dream full of sad- ness, yet & sadness that I would not for- through its medium I have been ow sublime it is ending. Never the doctrines of more forcibly ex- fe of our late until his passing, n the datly 1 honor of dally leparture from this hs 2go. wded into so limited fe can be lived in a was all a great sur- re than pleased when I was to accompany ty to Washington. I | my long hard years spital work the reward Iw thankful that I es to study bled me en it came. s city to Wash- e pleasantest mem- ple with whom I came st imaginabie, considera- gh the thought- s =0 few pleas 10 at the bed- ccasion while unt, nice part u would so you go air and I he did ressed me most e almc place was rewarded asp and of the n: n ittle things hed by reac ined lapse urs of lib- when off city with at w tea. McKinley dainty walls cei ging niture was X ssive and very € st treasured pic- f the Presi- »m was sble be about, she and would have a the window soft cling- fiimsy shawl rs, making & pic- she bent he the smoot s voice esident as official duties re- oom would come d , armed with of them e would pull up through colum much amused, g her wish, that about himself. elate humorous in- d his hearty laugh to the sweet face with such ten- experience as like that the s wife, he was even the man of which we e dropped cares of state contaglous; be happy hief'characteristic of e was simpli rning at 8 o'clock the Kinley, Secretary Cor- y would assemble for fter which the President r an hour, sometimes from 408 the little book called Daily Needs, some- times pter from the Bible. Then af- te K d @ look at the stable, a the garden or a short, would return and shave H his shaving was as importunt of the morning as was the break- ways amusing, for often would call, possibly an old like Senator Hanna, for in- uld ery out: “Come in here, can chat all the e hall with a big his neck, soap on a razor in his hand, his fri Some- se of himself in the burst into hearty am shaving, but we , generally etimes a popular melody T ursery rhyme, like d on the piano he companiment with se hours of song McKinley would 'd her dainty hands in her beloved knit- bend over some flimsy of which she would not which was served at 1, ordered, and generally g ould a drive. Many visitors came Lo the house to see the President Bometimes parties of excursion tourists would stand out on the j send him word that they would lik N interesting letter from an art student in Paris tells all about how the American devotees 1o brush and palette celebrated their Thanksgiving dinner in the Amer- fcan association for the benefit of our students in Paris. *“We had anged for some good old American sports of football, one of baseball and races, for Thanksgiving, but our hearts were not entirely in it, for most of us feit like strangers in a strange land with only a prospect of a lonesome old dinner in view with nothing to brighten it but a mental vision of the folks at home ha ing a big time with turkey and cran- berry. Guess most of us had pretty se- vere attacks of blues about that time, and it is hard to tell what kind of a day we would have put in if that consignment from the Art Students’ League in New York hadn’t come as a message from the old Stars and Stripes. They sent us a number of real American turkeys. Lord love 'em, and I tell you we all felt pa- triotic enough when we saw thos tional birds. When the day came it stormed so that we let the gumes g0 and gave ourselves to the feastgand what a time we had! Before the birds were dressed and ready to be, roasted all of us who wgre present grouped ourselves on the walk in front of the kitchen and had & photograph taken together with the turkeys. later the tables were ar- ranged in the parlor and committee rogm and the hundred hungry fellows who sat down to them were as typical a Thank: giving gathering as could be found. How we did eat, and how we cheered when a monstrous brown turkey brought in and set before the President! We had cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and green corn, too. You tell that to any of the fellows who have lived here and they will know what efforts were made to se- cure that menu. Some of the girls sent & quantity of Aries, mince, pumpkin, lemon and applé, and you can imagine that they were given a vote of thanks. Almost every toast presented during the dinner was to those dear pie-senders. After the dipner we just sat around the table and sang every American song we knew; some of us recited, and when we raked A game some nd these At times 1 have d. THE SUNDAY OCALL. dozen kodaks pointed at him as he stood on his steps, and at s he was always amused, aithough Mrs. McKinley rather She seemed superstitlous in d never allow, if she one to take a snap shot of disliked this. a measure, ar knew it, any her. I also had my kodak with me and secured very many pretty views of the house and grounds and some pictures of all up id college chants it made a regular Am day in cvery detail.” The same letter tells of a dramatic club was organized and how, by the aid f some of the ormance v socially, voung lady 'students, a < given with much suc- dramatically and finan- hired for the occa- a_was composed The : and it was good to see an_audience once more, and to ach clap of applause was not paid for at so much per clap. During the evening one or two Erenchmen strayed somehow or other, and their surprise consternation were comical to behold when they saw the strange audience, which was seemingly all one big family. Everybody seemed to be talking to every- body else, voices were calling and an- swering each other from all parts of the house, in fact, everything was as uncon- ventionai and homelike as it could be. Each one of the Parisians stayed until the show was over, but I wonder what their thoughts were when they went home and what they sald when they were in no danger of being pverheard.” From a Dutch exchange it Is recorded that at an art historical congress held in Amsterdam a lively discussion was brought up by the director of The Hague Museum, the subject being the conserva- tion of the neglected art treasures of Spain. He claims to have seen a Murillo 50" utterly neglected that large flakes of pigment had fallen off the canvas. In churches he saw valuable Riberas, of which half the paint had scaled off: in Valencla a thousand or more valuable paintings were also more or less damaged. After an animated discussion it was re- solved that the directors of all the Kuro- pean museums should use their influence on the Spanish Government to save what vet could be saved. Another interesting point brought out in a lecture before the congress is that the Ted brown found in so many old paintings had originally been a green color, the discoloration of which is ascribed to chemical influences. Espe- clally the reference was made to several ola palntings by Ruysdael and others, of which it was formerly thought that the artist had purposely used the red brown to bring out the figures in the foreground, while really it was only a discoloration of green paint. o il An enthusiastic _wrucr speaking of that ART NOTES AND GC351P CULLED FROM HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE. veteran American landscaplst, Winslow Homer of New York, whose work recently exhibited in the Paris salon created such favorable comment, breaks forth in glow- ing terms in regard to the -marines of Homer's brush. “In his marines he has reached the ripest maturity of his genius. The hum#n import of the ocean has spoken home to him at last in its least local significance; they realize as no other marines with which I am acquainted the majesty, isolation. Immensity and ponder- ous movement of the ocean. Boundless, endless and sublime, The image of eternity, the throne Of the invisible. “They are the spontaneous utterance of his soul full to overflowing with the mag- nitude of its thoughts.” A sign of the rapidly increasing activity of the interest taken in the art questlon in America is presented by the numerous art clubs and galleries which are simul- taneously being established in various parts of the country. A new art club has been organized in Alameda; Stockton is about to organize one and Spokane is planning for a new gallery. One of the most charming studios in the — 4 ; SHAKESPEARE IS BECCMING FASHIONABLE AGAIN. REDERICK WARDE is with us once more. That means more of the legitimate. We ought to be learning or re- Jearning a good deal about Shake- speare these days. The past two weeks of Modjeska and James have kept the dust from gathering on our Shakespeare vol- umes; and here, to follow up this matter of our classical education, comes our old friend with “Jullus Caesar” and *“King Lear” ‘in his repertoire. They say in the East that Shakespeare is becoming fashionable again. To be ure, we have not seen the swagger mod- ern productions of the old playwright's works. Maude Adams kept her Jullet for the exclusiveness of New, York, Soth- ern's Hamlet never gave us a chance to quarrel, no more did Nat Goodwin put us down on his route for “The Merchant of Venice.” But the old ones who have stood loyally, by the Avon gentleman, even through the years when he was on his up- pers—they do not consider us too remote to be visited. So, although we may not have Shakespeare up-to-date, still we have him. Warde is the same Shakespeare disciple that he always was. He has clung to his ideal through feast and famine. He has played Shakespeare and lectured on Shakespeare—he has preached him and studied him and worshiped him. He reaches out every once in a while to take in some less classical drama, but they are side issues. He has encouraged modern playwrights & great many times. Runnymede,” by Willlam ““The Lion's Mouth,” by Henry Guy Carleton; “"Gaston Cadel,” by Delia Logan—these are only a few of the recent works; but note that of the four plays which he announces for San Fran- cisco—"Julius Caesar,” ‘“The Mounte- bank,” “Virginius” and “King Lear'— half of the four are Shakespearean pro- ductions. Warde has lost money year after year for the sake of that Avon bard, but he is at it again, and now that fash- ion has come round to him once more there may be more money in the venture. He is sald to have two beauties to help. Beauty is a large consideration at the box office.” The ladies this year are Antoinette Ashton, leading woman, and Virginia Drew Trescott, a stunning brunette who used to play with Lewls Morrison. He produced * Greer Harrison . city is that shared by the Wickes sisters, 2125 Bush street, the Misses Ethel Marion and Kate H. Wickes. e former, after several years abroad where she had the advantage of study under Courtols-Girar- dot, and more recently the great Bougu. reau, has, since her return, put the finish- ing touches on several Holland and also some charming Irish scenes, which show the result of the best instruction coupled with much poetical feeling and talent in expression. One of the gems in this studio is a large canvas, an Irish scene, entitled “Nine Miles from Cork.” The subject is quaint; one of the old-fashioned jaunting cars pulled along by a sleepy yet imperti- nent-faced donkey IS just emerging from a reddish road which leads out of a wood and passes through a clumsily fashioned gate. The composition is excellent, the wood {s wonderfully natural and cool Jook- ing, the atmosphere is sultry, the picture breathes life from every brush stroke. Several Holland scenes introducing figures are Interesting. Besides the ofls there are a number of water colors, some delightful studies of the Dutch and Irish peasantry. Miss Wickes also spent some time in Bar- bizon and has a number of study sketches from the famous forest of Fontainebleau. Miss Kate Wickes devotes her time al- most entirely to decorative work, and her portion of the studio is filled with charm- ingly original effects in panels and screens. Theres are also some beautiful tapestries. one of the most beautiful be- ing “The Immaculate Conception.” a copy from the original by Murillo. There is also a pastoral and a bagpiper, copi from the original by Boucher. The pieces are very large, exquisitely soft in tone and altogether painted in a way that reflects much credit on the young artist. Miss Marion Holden, a former student in the California School of Design at the Hopkins, has returned to this city after a four ye: absence abroad. Miss Holden spent much of those four years In study under Merson, and later with the inim- itable Whistler, who expressed himseif much pleased with her work. This young lady has devoted especial study te etch- ing, and an exhibition which she will hold of her work this spring will be devoted entirely to that branch of art. HARRIET QUIMBY, Scenes From the Heme Life of President and Mrs. MCRinlel. the President, which I treasure very high’ The evenings spent in the President’s ho ere very beautiful. After dinner the lights in the sitting-room were turned up. and here the Pre t and Mrs. Mc- Kinley would play cribbage, a game in which he always allowed his partner to hed heartily at his own you, who her chapter from the would be read and at 10 precisely s were all turned out. Not until ed to her room attended to. keep the President til midnight; then, w it impressed me, a ro adjacent to Mrs. could not but hear, he wn and pray aloud—touch- ent appeais to the Creator—that ded to do the best for 4 and that all would be ation of mankind, Often for the sa when I listened to these midnight prayers 1 wo k there is one man that can- not ath, for if there is such a place as heaven he ¢ ot fail to go there. Soon t ! decision was reached to attend ion at Buffalo, and to M MecKinley al- h she gave no rea- o go. However, her d aside. The story b ssination which took place a e of Music in Buffalo is already well known. Never Wil I forg e reports of ght struck awe ey was rest- nd, of course, ry few Eva, is it not urn? I had bet- nd I, knowing all news awaited her, o not until y did she s man, she was v brave pon the President being brought to the Milburn house everything was hushed and quiet. A detail of infantry was or dered to the pl To keep aw t surged estab- gregated i . white robed nurses the consul slipped _soft in attendance all of t one nurse and one orderly three nurses— Miss Maud Mohan Conway and myseif—al hes of six hours each. I on duty at 4 In the and was by the bedside or in morning, reaks of early the r when the firs dawn e mpses of sun would s the window. Often e curtains see the sun “They are so say. Always own suffe ail Httle and sor- the Pre b the part rows, whom I 1 t he did not # or little he do?’ He knew wcman, only too well that his going would mean her _entire Sometimes he would express a wish to see some of his old frie but ow his weakness 2 . the Secre- t of doctc On fatal end he seemed ear death, and he 2 e his wite. When she ym, once, and that once 1 woman words e cov- only too red face in alizing at plunged the 1 hope never entire world again to 4 weep_as they wept wr eport that the President was dy aken to_those anxiously Wwalting in corridor. Secretaries Root, Hitchcock and Wilson and many .others a moment to the chamber and ke with us, then, with tears streaming down th they #adly made their way down t irs. At the last I was on duty twenty-four hours without inter- mission, and was in attendance during his I P d of consclousness, and, with many others, during the chanting of the favored hymn “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” turned v that our sobs might not dis- turb the uiter peacefulness and sublim- ity of one so happy in the face of death, There were some twenty relatives and friends in the chamber at the very lasf, but when Dr. Rixey gave token that a beautiful soul had fled never to return not & sound was heard—all was hushed and solemn. After the sorrowing watch- ers had turned away one remained—the life-long friend, Senator Hanna. He broke down and sobbed like a child. At the autopsy, held the n Drs. Garlord and Hatsinger of was present, and for that fact I shall ways feel better satisfled. As the autos disclosed the whole course of the bullet had been gangrenous, I knew that all that lay in man's power had been done. As his last words had indicated, “It was God’s will.” The funeral I did not attend, for after dent’s death I was always with inley, returning with her to the Canton home, where I had been the wit- ness of so much happiness. In Canton there were throngs of peo- ple, so silent and so reverent. They all looked had lost a personmal friend: Mrs. McKinley in the old home alone made my heart ache. She looked s so dependent, that I felt, though my own health was breaking un- der the continued strain, T would remain with her and do my best for his sake and hers. ‘After a few days had passed Mrs. Bar- ber came to stay with her, and then the bereaved wife called for the papers and had her niece read aloud all about the nation’s loss and her own. Until the 1Sth of October I remained in the Canton home; then, feeling that I must rest, I went to New York, and now at last have returned to my native State. Some time after my departure I re- ceived a telegram from Mrs. McKinley asking me to return, but owing to my physical need of change and rest I was obliged to reply, “Willing but impossible.” EVA HUNT,