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1729 Mt. Vernon St
Sept 13 [[1912]].

Dear Mr Hart,
     I recievied from the Union League a commission to paint President Hayes: The portrait was finished [[1-word strikeout]] accepted delivered paid for and hung and I never saw it again
      The portrait was far from the conventional. Mr. Hayes knew nothing of art and when I asked for time for sitting, he told me that he had already sat for a distinguished artist who had required [[strikeout: ony]] only 15 minutes of sitting.  I saw work by the distinguished artist.  His method was to make a rapid sketch for the color and then use the photograph altogether.
     I told Hayes this, but all I could get out of him was permission to be in thr room with him as he attended affairs of state and received visitors
     As I was very anxious to please my patrons, I accepted the President's terms fool-
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