Life — August 17, 1911 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

“LTP E ® Life’s Family Album Harry Grant Dart 66] AM no artist.” These words’ pierced the cir- cumambient atmosphere with no uncer- tain sound, as we gracefully alighted from our aeroplane and stood face to face with Harry Grant’ Dart, one of Lire’s most valued cartoonists. “No artist!” we repeated sternly. “Surely, sir, you are but jesting. What boots this modest spirit? ” “T mean what I say.” “ But you draw pictures.” If anyone, perchance, should doubt this, he bas only to glance at some of the back files of Lire, of which the ac companying setting to Mr. Dart’s photo- graph gives a diminutive idea. The car- toon in the present number is an ex- ample The truth is that Mr. Dart is an artist; moreover, he is an artist with real brains. Through the medium of his pen- cil he expresses whole political or so- ciological situations in such a dramatic manner that they fairly thrill us. But, then, Mr. Dart has had experience allied to his native talent “Weren't you locked up in Cuba once?” we ventured “Well, not quite so bad as that; but I had the pleasure of being expelled from the island by General Weyler. 1 acted as artist-correspondent during the Spanish-American War, and had charge of the New York Herald’s staff of artists and photographers in the field during those unpleasant days.” “Is that where you got your training, Mr. Dart?” Partly. But I really began in Wil- liamsport, Pa., where 1 was born, Even at that time I did things on paper, and in view of this proclivity 7 was allowed to miss my spelling lessons; hence, I am probably one of the worst spellers in “ Owing to an unfortunate experiment in aviation I was obliged to leave school at the age of fifteen. [ began my career a8 a photographic retoucher, but soon gave over the air brush for the pen, and it was not long before the Herald of Loston had the distinction of presenting the public a carefully exccuted por- it of a gentleman with a violent pen- and-ink storm taking place on the right site of his face, Purchasing most of the n containing this effort and send- ing the copies broadcast to relatives and friencs, I headed for the great metrop- olis and persuaded the art director of the New York World to give genius a chance. Thereafter I began to ‘cover’ artistically prize fights, strikes, murder and divorce trials, weddings and wars.” “You seem, Mr. Dart, to have an ad- venturous strain in your blood.” “Well, you see, my granduncle, George Catlin, was the well-known painter of Indian subjects, and my grandfather was superintendent of In- dian affairs under James K. Polk, and my father was one of the four men ap- pointed by the Government to conduct the Modoc war—and yet [ am not quite so adventurous as it seems. I am fairly well satisfied to watch the beans come up near the icchouse in my rural re- treat.” “But, Mr. Dart, you haven't yet ex- plained what you meant by saying that you were no artist.” “Oh, I mean that I have never had any formal artistic training. If 1 had—.” “Would it have mattered?” Mistaken Diagnosis ARPER’S W LY says (the italies The reason why the Sun retains its heat in spite of the quantity that it gives out is that heat 1s generated by the fall of particles toward its center. But that is not the reason. The facts are against it. The Swi hasn't any cen- ter at present, and not much heat. It is all circumference and glimmer; a dear old friend, but not hot. M** initiatives; God referendums. A ig In bui the 36 Unite these has s We today There a car others We engin powe: this n purch facilit the ¢: any O WI! the c the p figur Th Spec insta comicbooks.com