DOI issue:
No. 190 (December, 1912)
DOI article:Price, C. Matlack: The late Francis David Millet-notes on the decorative panels in the Cleveland post office
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43451#0399
The Late Francis Davis Millet
CARRYING MAIL IN
NORTH CHINA
THE CLEVELAND POST-OFFICE
BY F. D. MILLET
gether in Washington. The senator, knowing Mr.
Millet’s nature and peculiar capacity, casually
mentioned the fact that on a certain part of a
certain street there was a little oak tree, struggling
to grow under the overshadowing branches of a
larger tree. If it were moved, or if the shadowing
branches above it were moved, it might grow into
a splendid tree. Probably it was some one’s busi-
ness to give this little tree a chance, but it was
neglected. Millet’s note-book came out, the
exact locality of the two trees was put down, and
Millet said, “I’ll attend to that.” It was at-
tended to. And so, wherever he went, with
whomever he came in contact, no duty or obliga-
tion was too small or apparently inconsequential
for his most earnest attention—wherein is the
reason that he became known as “everybody’s
friend.” “His work was pleasure, and his play
was work . . . He made it his business to
get the best out of everything.”
In his art that same capacity and love for de-
tail, for the “tremendous trifles” that character-
ized his daily actions, brought results in his paint-
ing. He was like the late Edwin A. Abbey in his
accuracy in the costumes and other accessories in
his pictures, and no detail was too small for his
most careful and conscientious study.
This is readily illustrated in his painting, Be-
tween Two Fires, which is still a picture of wide
popularity, and one probably better remembered
and by more people than any other example of his
work as a painter. It showed a dour and grim-
visaged Puritan, seated on a wooden bench before
a table, while two unquestionably comely and
pleasing lasses, standing one on either side, are
obviously twitting him on his unsociability. The
delineation and expression of thinly concealed
irritability, on his part and trivial badinage on the
girls’ part is consummately rendered, while the
THE POSTMAN IN ENGLAND BY F. D. MILLET
THE CLEVELAND POST-OFFICE
XXXV
CARRYING MAIL IN
NORTH CHINA
THE CLEVELAND POST-OFFICE
BY F. D. MILLET
gether in Washington. The senator, knowing Mr.
Millet’s nature and peculiar capacity, casually
mentioned the fact that on a certain part of a
certain street there was a little oak tree, struggling
to grow under the overshadowing branches of a
larger tree. If it were moved, or if the shadowing
branches above it were moved, it might grow into
a splendid tree. Probably it was some one’s busi-
ness to give this little tree a chance, but it was
neglected. Millet’s note-book came out, the
exact locality of the two trees was put down, and
Millet said, “I’ll attend to that.” It was at-
tended to. And so, wherever he went, with
whomever he came in contact, no duty or obliga-
tion was too small or apparently inconsequential
for his most earnest attention—wherein is the
reason that he became known as “everybody’s
friend.” “His work was pleasure, and his play
was work . . . He made it his business to
get the best out of everything.”
In his art that same capacity and love for de-
tail, for the “tremendous trifles” that character-
ized his daily actions, brought results in his paint-
ing. He was like the late Edwin A. Abbey in his
accuracy in the costumes and other accessories in
his pictures, and no detail was too small for his
most careful and conscientious study.
This is readily illustrated in his painting, Be-
tween Two Fires, which is still a picture of wide
popularity, and one probably better remembered
and by more people than any other example of his
work as a painter. It showed a dour and grim-
visaged Puritan, seated on a wooden bench before
a table, while two unquestionably comely and
pleasing lasses, standing one on either side, are
obviously twitting him on his unsociability. The
delineation and expression of thinly concealed
irritability, on his part and trivial badinage on the
girls’ part is consummately rendered, while the
THE POSTMAN IN ENGLAND BY F. D. MILLET
THE CLEVELAND POST-OFFICE
XXXV