, 1877-10-28

original, you know; the ideas were picked NJ
Some Of the designs were "Faith, Hope, mt
Charity" represented by M anchor, a cross ant
heart; sailor, III Violently blue uniform,
] embracing Il 1:Bfack-cyed Susan::' q "Cruci
| tlxiol.;" 4 ''foung America which Was :
! sailor. standing and srasping u red, white, ant
| blue lag; Il Goddess of LIBERTY standing be
! hind shield and supporting the natl na
! colors and an eagle with outstrctchcd wings
The marks S3 and So denote the prices to be
paid for larger Or smaller designs.
"Dig book Of 'cm that had made used to lie
on the desk" resumed the artist, "but some
young feller made love to it; couldn't make
nothin' out Of it, though" he added contempt
uously, "It nin't every chicken that can pick
up this business"
'sSailors are your best customers, I sup
posel'
"That's a mistake everybody makes. Sail
ors, years ago, had fashion Of tattooing their
arms, but it's uo more comm0n among them
now than among men in any other business.
They first learned the art from saVages, ny
travelling among them, ana SO 1t has spread all
over the world. BECAUSE sailors we're first to
Introduce tattooing, it is supposed that they arc
chiefly the guild that practices it. Not one in
ten that tattoo Is sallor. hien In all kinds Of
business in the city nave come here. They gen.
eruliy want something representing Their trade.
\ butcher asks for clcaycr and SAW, crossed;
timer, for rel-hot soldering iron; blacksmith,
for an anvil and hammer, and so on Most Of
them have SOME fancy III their own, and put
it In sllapc- \ chap wanted i box put on the
other day. Said |, sWhat's that for!' sOh,'
he replied Pm boxlnakcr, anu | want one ou
my arm.'" -.
'tTl,en~ there's society men," continued the
artist, like the Free alasons and Odd~Fellows,
vino want Il square aud compass, the -Al-Sceing
eye, or Il trowc1. 4 good many young bloods
come, too. 4 whole lot Of college fellows used
to visit here, one by one, and every one wanted
the same sign OIL his arm They had some
secret society in college that they didn't want
any body to tlud out; ior they were mighty
particular to keep me from learnin. the name.
There WIS lot OF letters they called 'Grcek'
and u skull and eros oss-ooncs and things. Lands
men are MOI fond of 1aLtooing than sAors now
adays, | tell your
", Tie arms and hands are the favorite places
for tattoony, supuose!"
" ell, ytS hut tine place is a matter Of taste.
You sec tattooing ones self is 1ancilul thing,
mostly, Though it is Often useful. In war time
Free Masous used to come in sEOrcs and get an
emblem VI th: craft prieked on the back OF the
hand, where it could be most easily observed,
50 that if they were killed III battle and aur
brother Mason found them he would see the
sign un the hand while looking for Il ring, may
hap, aud give them Christian burial, or search
lor some nlcAl's Ut Identification. MANY poor
fellow has found i resting place i'll tie old
family lot in his native village By that means,
instead of being robbed Oh the night after bat
tie ami 1eit to lie there uninoru. Bat then
[t's fancy, after a., and soIne won't tottoo
their hands OF arms becausc they don't want
INV one but themselves to know it, Pm urettr
We'll scratched nnysetf.''
He showed up his sleeves, and both hands md
lrns were covered WITH designs and letters.
/ ncy we're SO interviewer as to be almost undls- |
nguishablc.
Cant make them out, can you?" he ex-
:laimed with grin. "That's BECAUSE prac- |
iced Oh myself Tor good while tefurc spoilt |
my one else's skin. Ou my back, covering
+oul By bit q! it, is 'crucidxiou, and other
'jeces are on INF le@s- No, couldn't put
lat on myself, OF course. 4 sailor did it years
nj years aSo, but it's Us bright as e-er, they
ay Some have q ship in iull sail on the
rcast. IT'S :. job to prick in ship; you've gut
D know all about the rigging. l've seen 'em
o ootclied that they looked as much like :.
lcetln'- '-huuse as vessel.'
- You must have had some queer cases of tat
ooing!"
"Sosnet The other day herdsmau from
ne plains ca,nc in and said; Look var, boss.
lastcr t.lc all over with them thar picturs I've
earn tell on, AM I'll make yer c:es shlnc!' and
Z pulled out fist with tue genuine sinners in
.o went away with almost as many spicturs'
h:Hl Us Capt. COsteilteuus has. Fourteen |
Z pieces. / wish lad ulore such customers,
:en though bis skin was tougher than side
sole lcathcr.a
The artist thrust his hauds into his pockets and
dcd, lncditatiyelv: II suppose it's the cx-
'surc to the wind and weather that made bis
III thisk.h
. Then the thickness Of the skin has some
ing To-; to Dc i, with the difficulty Of working SUI
'Oh, yes: some skins are rs fine as satin, and 6
ey must be touched with the needles as gen
US q Dabv'S. Others arc so tough that it I
lis or breaks the needles. If you prick thin 4
III too much it swells up fright1ul]y; and if
thick is not pricked enough the poison works
}D1a tba- |
L call it. dou't you!''
Yes. The lux is OF peculiar kind, isn't r.
The yermi|ion is the common kind, but the
liza ink sometimes has canphor in it. That
d isn't worth two cents i cart-ioal for this Il
'incss; it makes the skin puff up, and some II
es the !lnes broaden and grow din. Tic
uinc costs S35 All ounce.s'
Doyou ever tattoo wo,ucna" asked the re-
ter.
oh,.. once IN d while; initials, for in-
lcc.n