Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-02-07
Alefauoria @ax&tte
THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 7.

THURSDAY EVENING, FEBhUAh1 I.
TURNER'S QUEER HUMoRs-It was 90
academy vanishing day that all the strange
conditions of Turner's character had full play.
He was jovial, he was gruff and taclturn. full
of kindness for brother artist. or striving to
kill other pictures by the brllllancy OF his oWn.
OGce Constable was pacing lmpatlently before
picture, trying in vain what was wanting to
perfect it, when Turner came into the room.
and, after hearing the artists trouble, sclz-u
brush and struck in a ripple OF water 10 the
| foreground. That was the missing touch, the
picture was now complete.
| At other times. When an artist would com.
plain of his picture, all the consolation he would
get from Turner would be the gruff. retort,
| "If YOU can paint any better. why don't you DO
| it?" Wilkio Collins when boy used to hold
his fathers paints for him on vanishing day lie
| remembers seeing Turner-at the time shah.
| by, rcd faced, oldish man-sitting on the top OF
a flight of steps, astrido box, with his dirty
! chest of colors and worn out brushes, and
palette Of which the uucIcanliness was sufficient
| to shock Dutch painter. Mounted on the
steps, he would paint with great fury, trying
perhaps to ''checkmate' some brother artist
as he was accustomed to say.
His sense of humor was SO keen, however,
that he was more amused than angry when nc
found himself overmatched. Once on warp
ishpg day he saw that the blue sky in one OF
his Venetian pictures was rendered dull and
lifeless by the briiancy Of tho sky in view OF
Client BY Jones. "TlI outbIue you, Joney,"
he said, and, chucklirg audibly, he climbed on
box and deepened his sky with q scumbc Of
ultra marine. When he had gone away ones,
jocularly, determined to batH, him, instantly
set to work and painted the sky Of Ghent a
blank white, which, acting as toll, made
Turner's Venetian sky look prepostorousy blue
Turker laughed heartily when he returned to
his picture the next day. to find himself again
checkmated. "Wcll, Joney," was tho admls'
sion. you have donc me now; but it must
co."
Mr.. HENRY NJ. STANLEY. since his return
from Africa, has been described as man
slightly bent under burden Of memories of
fsvers and cramps; With boyish face, crowned
with shock of iron gray hair, in curious con-
trast of effect with the black mustachc; with
high cheek bones. q tanned skin, ard the hands
of backwoodsmap, roughened by cutting
way through forest and jungle, and carrying an
elephant rifle firing two ounce ball. When
he reached the ocean from the African interior
he was 80 emaciated that he weighed only 1l9
pounds. In fifteen days thereafter he gained
half a pound day. and his sea voyage almost
completely restored bis health. From the mo.
ment he entered the African continent Oh one
side, until he emerged from it on the other, he
never received letter nor newspaper, nor
heard syllable Of what was going on 10 the
world. Said MIR. Stanley at the dinner given
to him by the members Of the Parlsan
press: 1T was the journalistic instinct
that caused me to speed like an arrow
to tho Victoria, that impelled me on my way
through that untrodden land it was that jour-
nalistio instinct, that desire to have perfectly
accurate intelligence, that led me to turn again,
to 20 back to Ujiii, and ioish what other ex-
plorers has left undoDe it was, if you please
10 call it so, journalistic ambition that led me to
say, II will not give it up [ will 60 and finish
what Livingstone had left undone. When at
NyaDgwe we heard those stories OF the credu.
lous people who wanted to frighten US back by
their pictures Of the dangers We should have
to encounter. again remembered that was
journalist. then said to myself I am SOL
dier of journalism Loud cheers. l know
what the title implies in it's fullest Specification,
and have done my best-and | make boast
Of ito add dignity to the name or jonrua.
ISM Mr. Stanley expedition is said 70
have cost $ll5 900, the expenses bslng divided
equally between the Herald and the Daily
Telegraph of L,udon.-N y Tribune.
OLD TIMES IN WASHINGTON N.-EVer since
the time of Polk the National Hotel hops aaVc
been known as the most enjoyable gatherings
Of the kind 10 the capital 10 1851 aud 1852.
[ see by ancient cards that Henry Clay ard
John Hale figured as floor managers. In those
olden times at the hotel hops the fascinating
Mrs. Crittenden was seen, and the Princess
Salm .Sam yelled her glorious black eyes and
set the men wild by her rich tropical beauty
Here the stately Lady Napier watched her
lords tirtations with fascinating American,
and Mime. IIo Vert sported her wondrous
toilets. The Princess Salm Salm. l an told.
or.o oGar dancinp all nipht received word