The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-08-22
L--pAYBRRAK.

A long, struggling, crooked street, with
the shadow of the Elizabethan age upon it;
and dark alleys; street to wander about
and ponder about. Nearly every shop was
a museum of curiosities. The brokers Of
the city-the fine old city of Severncross-
had settled down In Tick street like swarm
of birds.
The brokers were proud race, and Gu.
rious; but, strange to say, they were under
petticoat government, and strange to say
under spiusterial government. Miss Will
heImena Jinks was the chief of the race, and
next to her came Miss Chalks Both ladies
were artists in their way, and supplemented
brokering with artistic employment. Miss
Jinks made wax figures and 'tablows," as
she called them, and Miss Chalks stuffed
birds.
Miss Jinks had masculine, domineer-
ing way about her, and was an energetic
woman, continually fighting and asserting
herself She was perpetually announcing
her birth and parentage, and demonstrating
her superiority both in learning and wealth.
''My father ath have saith before, wath
a merchant, and a merchant in thith very
city, and boarding school education was
mine from child, with use of the globes,
and wool works; and when came to years
of discretn, copied his contracts, and kept
his ledger, and it is not for those who have
been brought up otherwise to compete with
one that has
''Your Chalkses may think it elevatiug to
stuff birds and put glass eyes in their poor
weak little heads; but it's for them as knows
what true art is to snap their fingers at such
rubbish. What do you say, Arthur
That was your humble servant. was
Arthur; l. Arthur Westwood When this
little outbreak of temper on the part of Miss
Jinks occurred, had been engaged for
more than week to assist in painting her
wax figures. My father and mother were
''poor but industrious, as the story books
put it, and my five shillings week formed
an important addition to the general stock.
Miss Jinks had three rooms set apart for
her Gallery of Art" her "Wonders in
Wax" 10 which her customers were admit
ted without charge, and which she contem-
plated removing some future day to the
great metropolis Her figures were about
the size of the ordinary Punch puppets, and
they were all her own manufacture. There
were amongst them Kings and Queens and
Princes of all chimes; poets and Generals,
pickpockets and murderers; and a model of
every bird, beast and reptile, copied from
large folio edition Of "Goldsmiths Anima-
ted Nature" Some of the figures were
grouped in tableaux, and others were stuck
up in single file There was Daniel in the
lions den, and Moses holding up the ser
pent; Napoleon at st. Helena; the corona
ton Of Queen Victoria; the trial Of q bandit
chief; the capture Of a negro; and Byron bid
ding adieu to his native hills.
1t was strange world, this new world
which opened up to me at Jinks' quite a
world of wonder and romance. To be al
lowed to revel in Goldsmith's book, and the
history of England, book of fairy tales,
Eastern legends, and Byron's poems; and
not only to look at the pictures, but to paint
models from them, and have real paints and
brushes
The time soon came, you may be sure,
when discovered that my spinsterial angel
was anything but goddess. l was hardly
twelve years old when | found that was
living in FOOLS paradise, and that all the
visitors made fun of Miss Jinks and her pet
IL artist. When my father became well off
l went to school, and learnt to be ashamed
of the name of links, though l imbibed my
love of art at that muddy source in Tick
street, where the morning of nay life first
broke in such glories of blue, aud carmine,
and amber.