Show ALMOST CAME TO BLOWS an incident of chicago ln and theatrical temper the other morning there dropped into tho gallery of a photographer who has long made n specialty of taking the pictures of theatrical celebrities u big strapping western man camo to eco his friend tho photographer Tho woman behind tho counter who knew the caller had just been reading in a newspaper a savage roast of his native city of chicago she handed the paper to the westerner to read expecting to get some amusement out of his comments tho chicagoan was in tho midst of his reading bristling with wrath when tho husband of a well known actress entered the room A framed portrait of the actress taken beveral years ago stood on an easel in a corner tho husband walked up to the picture and after contemplating it for a few minutes said my wife is certainly a remarkable woman that picture was taken all of five years ago yet she is younger looking and handsomer today than it is just then the westerner finished the chicago story well I 1 dont think bo exclaimed loudly and emphatically throwing alio paper down upon tho counter what right havo you sir to think anything about it demanded tho ao tress husband angrily who gave you control over my thinker retorted tho astonished westerner think what you please to yourself but yon shant insult my wife sir shouted the husband your wife where is she are you a lunatic no sir but you are a big bully cried the husband dancing with wrath tho little woman behind tho counter who had beau convulsed with laughter tried to explain the mistake but the indignant husband refused to listen nothing but an apology would satisfy him and ho mado a dramatic exit from the gallery saying that tho westerner would hear from him again wont homo and wrote a letter to abo photographer saying that he bad been insulted and threatening to withdraw his custom it tho apology was bot forthcoming the photographer obliged to arito several letters before ho could calm tho troubled waters meantime tho chicagoan went home firm in the conviction that ho had narrowly escaped hitting a crazy man new york sun the applied art all borts of breezes more or less fitful ruffle the surface of art but alio current is once more setting with increasing steadiness and strength toward the point where art becomes tho handmaid that ministers to the practical deeds of men painters and sculptors are working with the architects not only in beautifying buildings but in giving an artistico arti stio perfection to the fur nish ings and utensils stained glass mosaic wall papers and fabrics arni ture posters book and magazine travious trat ious are only some of the numerous avenues of activity which the movement opens up to abo artist it is quite within recent years that it has reached our shores but now that it is come its continuance and its spread are assured for it appeals exactly to tho democratic conditions of alio national life it brings the masses in touch with art and in tho way most likely to influence them by daily contact museums do much to refine and cultivate the thousands who bissit them but their usefulness would be small compared with a diffusion of art among all the things of everyday life that is the goal to which tho movement iu favor of the applied arts ia directed and undeniably none could be nobler no doubt it is a long way off but that ia no reason for despairing of alio possibility of reaching it nor is the material character it american life n bar to it the athenians of pericles time tho italians of tho and tho were material enough and fully as bent ou matters merely mercenary and yet they themselves with tho evidences in small things aa well as bit of and refinement there is no incompatibility between materialism and art especially when at the back of both is a strong pride in citizenship A largo share of the credit for what has already been accomplished is due to the architects on them devolves the execution of the biggest evidences of improved taste and they have it in their power to combine with their own work that of the painters and sculptors harpers weekly |