Life — November 3, 1910 — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

770 Life’s Family Album Harrison Cady (The creative gift has always had an ex- traordinary interest for the human mind. When we see this gift displayed in a way that interests or moves us, we are prone to ask, "How did he do it?” We wonder what manner of man he is who displays this power over us The most difficult art in the world is the art of knowing how to amuse, because it carries with it the knowledge of knowing what to omit. The fact that a thing may be ephemeral does not detract from the quality of its genius. Week after week there appear in Lire contributions and pictures from a great number of creative workers, whose genius displays with un- erring ‘precision some passing phase of thought, revealing hitherto undefined wesk- nesses, reveling in some odd fancy er satiri ing some social foible. The object of this department is to give the readers of Lire an opportunity to know something of ‘the work and personalities of the men and wom- en who make Livz.) M* CADY is the man who draws the cartoons and other pictures in Lire that are so filled with infinite and inimitable detail—pictures that, study them as long as you will, always discover something new. Each one of them, like a drop of water under a microscope, con- tains a whole world in itself, a world of humorous impossibilities, always funda- mental and involving great principles. When we mounted to his studio we expected to sce an astronomical person with the manner of a bacteriologist— the counterfeit presentment of the most advanced forms of science. Instead, we were grected pleasantly by a matter-of- fact young man who seemed not at all disposed to enter into minute facts about his own career. If we had not had a long experience in cross examina- “LIP E* tion, the result might have been fatal. But “Now, Mr. Cady, remember that this is all friendly. Nothing will be done to incriminate you. When did you dis- cover your talent?" “Tt was discovered Chaillu.”” “How did that happen? “He chanced to be lecturing in my na- tive place.’? “Oh. And that?'" “Gardner, Massachusetts. My father was the proprietor of the village store there and when Mr. Du Chaillu came to town to lecture I drew a picture of him surrounded by animals. “ What medium did you use? ’’ “Plain wrapping paper, right the counter."" “And he dropped in——? And saw himself as I had pictured him and advised me to take up humor- ous drawing.’” “Good for him. And then?’’ “At eighteen I came to New York, and after I had been here about twenty- four hours I sold a picture to Harper's Young People. Then I began drawing for the papers until I sold my first drawing to Lirr.’” “But, Mr. Cady, you have said noth- ing about your artistic training. Did you study in Paris? Did you work under by Paul du from Chase? Have you matriculated at some art school?” “No. Like Topsy, I just growed.” By the way, when were you born?” “June 17, 1878.’ “Then your receipt for artistic suc- cess is to begin in a village store in Massachusetts, keep away from = art schools and have an African explorer see one of your drawings? ”” Mr. Cady smiled. “Yes,"’ he replied, “and one thing more.”” “What's that?’’ “Use manila wrapping paper. No Compulsory Repose Presidents should be retired on full pay or. on double pay, and there should be enough character among the people by the force of public opinion alone to compel them to round out their lives in circumspection and repose. —The World. N° NSENSE! Ex-Presidents have, d ought to have, the same rights as other folks. So long as they continue sane, circumspection and repose ought not to be forced upon them against their will, If they were handsomely pen- sioned it might help to keep them quict, but that would not always be a gain. Would it have been better to have con- demned John Quincy Adams to circum- spection and repose and kept him out of Congress? LIFE’S INFALLIBLE FORTUNE TELLER If you were born on November “WS Your future wile will be a Suffragette but will conceal the fact until after she has landed you. EB Your future wife will bea lady of for- eign birth who will ‘annoy you by herin- ability to eat clear soup with chop- sticks, “Ge Your uture wile will be devoted to out-of-door sports and when you dis- agree with her will make you regret you did not study the manly art of self defense, ‘Your future husband §@7 will wear trousers that bag at the knees. You will excuse him to your friends on the ground of his ex- treme piety. ‘Your future husband #3 will seldom smile. He will be editor of the comic supple- ment of a yellow journal and will have no sense of humor. Your future husband #9 will bea spendthrift and you wi! learn that although a soft answer turneth away wrath it has no effect on the bill-collector. comicbooks.com