Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-03-14
GaIes and Sketrbes.


CnarleS has asked me to write down nv
recollections of sundry episodes in my life
Of course l knew well enough it is halt
chat on his part when he says it is pity
the world should lose them: and also
know, when the subject was mooted to his
father (my junior by just two years, he
said. in his usual coarse way, The old
fool Is conceited enough for anything
Let all this pass; Charles is my favorite
nephew, and half-a-dozen idle words won't
make me quarrel with my brother.
1t is very odd that every little adventure
that befalls me seems to afford him such
amusement. The more unpleasant ii
happens to be the more he exaggerafes it,
twisting and turning the details till so
many standing jokes are scored up against
me, and am thus compelled, in selfde-
tense, to write true versions of them.
Questionable taste, to say the least of it,
this holding up the head Of the house to
ridicu,e but, as / said before, will not
be party to any undignified quarrel; be-
sides, at heart / believe he has AN honest
affection for me.
Only the other day he kept my table in
roars Of laughter by narrating the story Of
the loss Of the family plate. Why. he was
himself partly the cause of it 1t was he
who persuaded me to hire yacht, and if
it had not been for that yacht the misfor-
tune would not have occurred.
He bothered me about boat My father
kept one and ought not to let the custom
drop. could afford it and he couldn't.
Then it would be such grand opportunity
for his son Charles, the artist, to explore
fresh sketching ground.
..T Il a l. &.
a rare chance for you Just now. You can
hire the Frolic. forty-tonner. lying at
her moorings in the Gareloch. all ready
for sea. BE off. and show Charley the
West Highlands.
We'll. WELL" | said at last, don't
bother me any more. Send Charles up
to Scotland, and If he likes the craft we
will try cruise"
-Four days la.er | joined my nephew
on the Gareloch. What lovely scene it
was from the deck of our craft Beauti-
fully wooded hills on either side of us,
here and there crowned with heather, and
between them the sea. all green and gold,
sparkling up for five or six miles till
stopped by grand range of purple hills.
These stretched right across the landscape,
and were called "Argvle's Bowling
Green"
"A curious name,'' said to our skip
per, Captain McCosh. us it possible that
the Argyle family ever played bowls on
such extremely rugged ground p'
"Oh, aye" he replied. The Macal-
lum More would mount yon steep hill be-
fore breakfast and roll the big stanes doom
from the top just for exercise, we ken.
You may see the rocks they hurled doom
to this very day lying all ABBOTT the shores
of Loeb Coil and Loeb Long"
Dear me, what Titans these old Scotch
fellows must have been, looked in VAN.
however, for any remains of their strong
holds. Nothing to be seen but the most
Objectionable of pretty villas, with eagles
and statues before the doors, the largest
being n sort of Greek temple belonging to
the duke of Argyle himself.
We were amused at the eccentric be-
havior OF some person sketching on the
shore close by US he would gaze bare
headed at the landscape, rush to his easel.
dab on some paint. then fall back on the
bank and gaze at the sky. Suddenly he
would rise and repeat the operation. We
watched and watched. till at last Charles
got so interested that we landed to see
what he was doing. We found him in
sort of swoon; young. man with fair
hair brushed straight back from his fore
head, dreamy blue eyes looking into va
cancy, an aquiline nose, and thin-lipped
mouth.
81 beg your pardon" Charles began
"Who is it that speaks ?' he said, Jump
ing up. "Ah. gentlemen. it is who
should ask pardon; but my thoughts were
far away"
81 see you are an artist said my
nephew. land | thought perhaps YOU
could give me some hints as to the sub
jects about here"
II wish it was in my power to assist
you" he replied; but the fact is am
lately come from Germany. and am seek
ing sketching ground myself You are
almost the first person have spoken to-"
"Well, ! am sorry we have disturbed
you"
mot at all. 1t was kind of you to no.
tice stranger. VIII you look at my
work P''
ut is comforting to meet any one who
has your perceptive faculty. SIR said the
stranger to me. Depend upon it. if you
say Of a landscape, How like the spot y it
is n bad picture. because the spiritual has
been sacrificed to the material. The
same is also true of u portrait. How
easy to make it like by accentuating
some commonplace popularity.
The true painters aim should be, not
only to paint the soul of the man. but also
to show what traditions belong to him and
what portents they have. You will par
don my rudeness,r he continued. ..but
your face plainly speaks long history"
You are right - answered. Extra
ordinary as the guess is. you are perfectly
right. am the representative of one of
the oldest families in Britain. The Ston-
nors. sir. date back to Edward the Fourth
a pretty long history"
1T is sir" he said, with polite bow
''but there is no need of your assuring me
of the fact. 1t is written on YOUR face
Come and dine on board the Frolic."
said. land we will inspect your folio dur
ing the long evening"
/ liked this young fellow. There was
n deferential air about him that is sadly
missing in most young men of the present
day. MY nephew did not at first share
in my admiration. but began to alter his
opinion after looking at the drawings.
They were distinctly different from what
we had seen on the shore. Small literal
transcripts of Dutch scenery. quaint fig
ures, boats, buildings. all drawn with
great skill and care, and all signed Ed