Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-13
T4TTOOING As A FINE ART.
Two Hours In the studio OF n Retired
SRiIRr

way Oh al uhOstentaLlOuS liquor saloon,
hangs framed picture, painted with lad a
ink and vermilion on paper, representing an
American eagle Tapping his wings over a
GODDESS OF Gerty, who waves the Stars aud
SlrlPes- OndeIneath these emblems pass
Jig San reporter read:
Ink"
Behind a screen in the back room the
owner OF that aTistocratic name was found
bending over and firmly gra sping The brawny
arm o! sailor W tn his LETT hand, and a.
work with his right on "crucifixion piece, -
az he explained. He threw a quizzical yet
kindly glance at the intruder. Workman
and subject sat opposite each other In chairs
drawn close TO the window. Under a felt
twinkled merry pair Of gray eyes, while a
grizzled moustache and brown face, crisis
crossed with fine wrinkles, spoke OF
edViS snd on ps sne wore am
ting a genuine artist. His. he said, is
the only studio of the kind in the city.
On little stand, within busy reach, were
two saucers containing pasty liquids, one
black all the other red; a razor a sketching
book partly filled with colored drawings
and queer little Instrument made by bind
ing six No. II needles to the end of stick q :
large as penhOlder and half as long. The
points were so arranged that while they
themselves formed a straight line at the end ,
yet they slanted and ran up ward to an obtuse
point. These the artist called his tools and
while he talked he pricked the needles, with
monotonous motion, into the guiding lines
Which, lie LdI previously drawn on the sail
ors arm. The points made a scratch ing
sound as they tore the skin and left in il the
poisonous fluid, which had been taken up at
each dip IN the saucer. The artist first
sketched "a little, then pricke1 little. With
a damp cloth, after prlcking for few mo-
ments, the arm was wiped clean from the
ink TO enable the draughtsman to see clearly
where to mark the lines that were to follow.
The arm at first looked smooth SURPRISINGLY
so for a sailors, but a glance al the razor
suggested that II had been previously shaved.
Soon, under the irritating thrustS of the
needles, The lines began 10 make ridges and
leave little hOllOWS, and in some places the
blood started. The seaman said as he shifted
10 aD easier position:
ITS nothin'; nOthin' at all! I've had il
done afOTc; N II on'y smarts like a sunburn
Tor few dPys; that's all!'
Meanwhile, the "piece" grew under the
needles. IL stretched from the wrist IN the
elbow, on the inside OF the arm. First the
SOrTOwful head of the Saviour appeared
dropping on His bosom; then the OutStretched
arms; the lower limbs; the cross, faithfully
shaded, in perspective; q MARY" kneeling,
with hands appraised and clasped, and, final.
~, background Of buildings, each with a
come or spire surmOunted by a cross.
Then, with Vermillion, the fr0atS OF the
buildings were redeemed, the gown OF the
g May" was tinted, and the clOth about toe
middle of the hanging figure was deeply
dyed. Last came the b!0od that fIDWeI from
the wound in the side, and from the pierced
Bands and feet. Drops of blood were traced
rom them as though il was running down
the arm. Two hours had passed since the
needles first entered the skin.
That's the best one / ever see" sail the
sailor, admlringly, as he tried to twist his
arm SO that he could view the finished work
IGs many on 'em as I've seen, too"
$50 the crucifXion is a favOrlte piece?'
" es, answered the tattOOer, "fOr twenty
years I've done this kind OF work for sailors
ia India, in the South Sea Islands, la South
America, and Europe; perhaps yOa can see
that I'm an Old salt; AID that's the favorite
piece everywhere. Coats of arms and ma
Clonal flags are liked about as well, though.
Americans, EngliShmen, a I'D Germans are
lIStiy sure 10 ask Tor something in the pa
triOtic way"
What are the favorites in this city,,
Here are some pieces in this BOOK; not
up all over the world"
some oil the designs were Faith, Hope,
and Charity" represented by an anchor, a
Gross, ana q h.art; sailor, ia violently blue
Uniform, embracing a "BiHck-eyet Susan"
q 'CTucllXioD;' q Dung America" which
was sailor Standing ard graSping q red,
white, AID blue tag; q goddess OF Liberty"
standing behind he shield and supporting
The national cOlOrS; and an eagle with out
stretched wings. The marks - and 81 de-
Ter designs.
"a big book Of EN- that had male used 10
lie on the desk" resumed the artist, "but
some young Teller made love to it; couldn't
make nothin' out OF II, though" he added
contemporary. at amt every chicken
sailors are your best customers, sup
pCse?''
That's q mistake every body makes. Sail
ors years ago, bad q fashion OF tattooing their
arms, but it's no more commol among them
now than among men in any other business
They first learned the art from sava yes, by
all over the world. Because sailors were
nrst to Introduce tattooing, IL is supposed
that they are chiefly the guild that practises
II. Not one in ten that tattoo is a sailor.
m nf m. ftnac in, tba oft
come here. They generally want something
representing their trade. A butcher asks for
cleaver and saw, crossed; timer, for a
red-hot soldering iron; a blacksmith, for an
anvil ard hammer, and so on. Most OF them
have some fancy OF their own, and put 1t in
shape. A chap wanted a box put on the
o.hel uay' SaIu L, Whats mat Tor" 'On,
he replied, I'm box maker and want one
on my ARM"
Then, there's society men, )" continued the
artist, ''like the Free Masons and Odd Fell
lows, who want square and compass, the
All-seeing eye, or a trowel. A good many
young blOods come, too. A whole lot OF
college fellows used TO visit here, one by one,
and every one wanted the same sign on his
arm. They had some secret society in COL
lege that they didn't want anybody to find
out; for they were mighty particular TO keep
me from learning the name. There was a
lot OF letters they called Greek, and & skull
and cross bones and things. Landsmen are
days. tell you
places for tattOoing, / SUPPOSE
Well, yes; but the place Is matter OF
taste. You see tattOOing ones self Is fanci-
Iul Thing, mostly, though it is often useful.
In war time Free hasOns used to come in
scores and get an emblem of the craft prick
ed on the back of the hand, where it could be
most easily observed, so that if they were
killed in battle and any brother Mason found
them, he would see tue sign on the hand,
while looking for ring, mayhap, and give
them Christian burial, or search for some
means OF Identification. Many poor fello v
has found a resting place in the old family
lot IN his native village by that means, in
stead of being robbed on the night after bat
tie and left to lie there unknown. But then
It's 2 fancy, after all, and some won't tattoo
their arms and hands because they don't
want any one but themselves to know il.
I'm pretty well scratched myself"
lie showed up his sleeves and both hand
and arms were covered with designs and LET.
tiers. They were so interviewer as to be
almost undistingulshable.
Cant make them out, can you?' ne ex-
Claimed with grin. That's because prac-
ttsed Oh myself for good while before
kpOilt any one else's skin. On my back, COW
eriDg good big bit of it, is 'crucIh xion,
and other pieces are on roy legs. No,
couldn't put that on myself Of course. A
sailor did ii years and years ago; but it's as
bright as ever, they say. Some have a ship
IN iull sail on the breast It's a job TO prick
In a ship you've got 20 know all about the