The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-08-18
TattooIng rs q Fine Art.

A man with bronzed face, about fifty
ave years of age, but younger in looks,
with twinkling gray eyes and NOUS
tache in which every hair asserted its
bristling individuality, arose from sofa
and greeted the reporter with sailor-hke
heartiness as he entered the front room
of the second story at 36X Oak Street.
"You seem to be not very busyto
day." said the reporter.
"Well, no, >" the artist replied "Tues-
day is a dull day, generally. II you had
come yesterday you would have seen
this room packed with men and boys
waiting to be tattooed. But have on
hand probably one of the greatest jobs
ever attempted, and the man is one of
the most mysterious customers / ever
had. He is, 1 should Judge, about fifty
years of age, and being fair complex
ioned, the ink takes finely. He comes
regularly every Sunday, and generally
brings his designs with him. / enlarge
or reduce them, as he may desire. He
don't seem to be very pious man, but
all of the tattooing am doing for him
Is of religious nature. In his back
have picked a picture of the Blessed
Virgin, surrounded by thirty-three an
gels. A large representation of the cru
cifixion is on his breast. Then there is a
picture of blind man led by little child
toward precipice, and an angel prevent
ing them from falling over. In curious
contrast to this he has cat on one shoul-
der and a rooster on the other. Three
mermaids are picked in one side of him,
and his arms are covered with religious
pictures. / will soon be through with
him, and / think he will be the tattooed
man of the world when finished. He's
q very uncommunicative man. / found
out, however, that he's engaged in the
tobacco business, can talk Spanish as
fiuently as English, and has spent a
great part of his life in Peru. He told
me once, in q burst of confidence, that
he was born in Massachusetts,, and
when a boy went to South America.
When he returned he found his friends
had forgotten him, his relatives were
dead, and he was q stranger in his ma
tive land. He seemed quite mournful
when he said this, adding that he would
return to Peru Immediately after the
tattooing was completed. / found out
that he received only small salary in
his present business; SO said, one SUM-
day, 'Old man, If were you I'd go iu-
to the show business; with all these
things on you, you'd make over $50
week. He never said anything to that;
so asked him what in thunder he in
tended to do, anyhow. You never
mind,' said he, shaking his head in
very knowing and puzzling manners
'I've got my own ideas about this busi-
"You have no idea why he is getting
this doneP''
"Not the least; he's q perfect mys-
| tarv Tn ma ,,
"Have you any other regular custo-
mersP''
swell, no; nor have had any since
/ finished picking, in May, 1880, the tat
tooed man now exhibiting at Coney Is
land. He has q picture of the Wash
ington monument on his breast. He was
| originally exhibited as Greek, tattooed
in captivity, but is now known as the
American tattooed man. He was once
a jeweler down town, on q small SALARY.
1 understand that he gets $40 week
! now."
"where is your principal class of
4 customersp
"Tradesmen, and not sailors, as you
might at first suppose, although have
| q great many customers among them.
| One of the illustrated papers represented
me and an assistant tattooing roomful
of ladies once; but it was all untrue. /
don't average ten lady visitors a year.
They usually have the names of their
| lovers or husbands, surrounded by roses,
| picked on their forearms. Last month
man came here from Canada by sp-
pointment. He was a very high-toned,
we1l-educated Englishman, and had the
English coat of arms picked in his fore
arm. 1 have visitors from all parts of
l Ts = IL l.
4 possible to remove an India ink picture.
1 Here where this is" said Mr.. Hide
| brand, showing ship on the back OF
his hand, "I had gathering. Although
the skin was removed by the poultice !
applied to it, the ship came out as plain
as ever on the new skin. The only way
TO fix badly picked or objectional de-
1 sign iSto cover it with new and more
deeply colored one. Men come here
sometimes with pictures picked in their
arms when boys and have them covered
with willow-shaded tombs containing
the words, 'sTo the memory of my
mother" This is favorite design with
old men.
Young men frequently have the coal
of arms of their country or State picked
In to cover distasteful pictures. Men who
have had the names of sweethearts who
have Tilted them on their arms otter
have them covered with pictures. Mem
bers of the Fire Department almost in
variably want the old volunteer fireman
with speaking trumpet at his lips
American sailors like the Goddess o.
Liberty; sailors of other nations, the
coat of arms of their country. An In
dian with uplifted tomahawk is grea
favorite with the tars. Sailors some
times come to me, full of enthusiasm
and beer, and want the initials of thei
clearinghouse keepers daughters
j whom they have known several days