New-York tribune., 1883-03-18
OLD MEMORIES OF AN ARTIST.
THE LOCKER FAMILY.
PERSONAL TRAITS AND HOME LIFE-AN KNGLIsH
HARVEST HOME FESTIVAL,

HARVEST HOME FESTIVAL,
To ihe Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: Many years ago. at Tuer. In Buck.
inghamshire, / made the acquaintance OF
the Collins brothers, and Lockers, and met with the
adventure described In previous letter. The
Locker family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Locker. the
two sons, Frederick and Arthur, and daughter
Bertha. The father, who was then hopeless in.
valid. wheeled about in Bath chair, had been
man of note in his day, having held the position OF
First Secretary of Greenwich Hospital besides being
an F. r. s., which is considered almost equal TO
title of nobility in England. The daughter Bertha
was lady Of rare dignity, beauty, andintelligence
and although habitually amable and agreeable
was more utterly devoid of self-consciousness than
any woman ever met. She seemed to have noneof
the fancies, antipathies or tremors common to
humanity, and universal in her sex. remember
seeing her fondle and caress snake as coolly as
though it had been kitten. She knew 1t was per-
fectly harmless, and after that felt no repugnance
toward it on account of popular prejudice, or the
general bad character of its family The unfortunate
Young lady came to a tragic end some years later,
being burned to death by the explosion OF lamp.
Of the brothers. Frederick, the elder, whose charm
ing poems are well-known IN this country, where
they have been copied lar and wide, then held
position in the British Admiralty Office, an office in
which he now occupies much higher post. He has
been twice married. and singularly enough on both
occasions to ladies of title in their own right the
first being Lady Charlotte Bruce, so the style and
title of the pair has always been Mr.. and Lady
Locker. He was very handsome man OF the ultra
refined type of beauty. His eyes and hair were
black, his chin prominent, and nose delicately
aauilme He held his eyes haf-closed with that
peering look peculiar 10 short-sighted people. lie
had high born air and address, calculated to I'M
press one at once with the idea that he was no ord-
nary man. At the time he lived IN 1uer ne had
never written anything for publication, nor indeed
for private edifcatiOn far as L was aware. On
the other hand his brother Arthur was always scrb-
bling, and did some very clever things IN humorous
vein. remember well one of his etfusions at Pic
mic we organized at lovely spot In some nobemans
private grounds on the banks of the Thames, near
Madenhead. Locker induced one Of the party, our
village doctor, to sing that fine old song, Tho
Pope." then as familiar to every man. woman and
child in England as the Lords Prayer, but litte
known to this land and generation, fancy. AT al
events here it is; and if your readers know IL oy
heart it won't hurt their eyes to see 1t In PRINT:
The Pope he leads a happy life,
He drinks the best Of Rhenish wine.
wish the Pope's gay lot were inine'
And yet ali haPpys not his i Iiis, ,..
he has maid nor welded VIE;
He has no child to cheer his hope.
think would not be the Pope.
The Sultan better peaseth me-
He leads q life OF jOlty; -
Has wives many he will.
The Sultans lot | then would MI.
And yet he's not a happy man.
He must obey bis Alkoran;
He dare not drink drop OF wine.
would not tnat his lot were mine
Here then take my humble stand,
And live in German Fatherland
I'll kiss my maiden fair and nne,
And drink the best oil Khenish wine
whene'er my maiden Kisses lie.
I'll think that the Sultan be-
And my oheery glass tope,
I'll fancy that all the Pope.
When this song was finished, and he in turn was
nressed TO sing he gave us the following parody Of
his owns
Old Jones he leads happy life
He has welded strife;
lie Crinks the best or ginger wine
wish old Jones's lot were mine
And yet he nappy quite
Tue gout 1t makes him swear outright;
The rheumatism racks his bones
1 think I'd rather not be Jones'
Young Johnson better pleases me;
He's In he best society;
Has lords and ladies at command.
In J0hne0ns boots Ia Iatner stand
And yet I'm very much afraid
For those same ,ots he's never paid;
He's alw ays out lest duns should call.
I'd not be johnson a1er all
Then here III rest, rashly 60,
But live and die in Pmlico;
AT home III druk my ginger wine,
And 20 when I'm asked out 10 dine.
Ard !s; as drink iEI, my , ginger ICn., vine
And when invited out to tea,
III fancy yOuOg johnson be.
When the song was finished the Doctor reclaimed,
with good .humOred pretence Of being mlfed: 80
that was the reason Twas trotted out to sing Ths
Pope' Just TO act as foil to your parody. Mr.
Locker" Arthur Locker afterward went TO Aus
tralls where he held some Government appointment.
but subsequently returned to England. aud was
engaged as writer on The Times London). He is
now and has been for time past, the Editor oi
The London Graphic.
The Lockers house in Tuer was beautiful spec-
men of the thoroughly English home. Outside il
was perfectly plain and unpretentious. but as soon
as the portals opened you found yourself surrounded
by evidences of the history of people who had lived
lives of refinement culture, travel and human con-
tact. There were trophies and mementoes from all
parts of the world and representing innumerabls
lines of thought, skill and observation. Books
pictures, relics, arms and odd exotic knickknaeks
abounded. Through the vista of the corridor and
the open garden door you caught glimpse OF the
secluded, beautiful lawn and shrubbery, bounded in
the distance by the foliage of orchards aud coppces
where no sound came TO disturb the invalid father
save the song OF birds and the hum of bees
remember after dinner once Arthur Lockermade the
statement that person could not tell the difference
between one wine and another if he tasted them
alternately with his eyes closed. II proposed to
try the experiment on myself, as professed to be
| rather a Judge in such matters | was accordingly
blindfolded The glasses presented to me alter
nately, one containing port and the other sherry
For the first two OF three sips could tell the differ
ence readily enough but after that they lost all dis
tinguishng flavor But had noticed that one glass
ontaned a good deal moro than the other. and
guided by this went giving the name of each
wine correctly till the Lockers were satisfied that
either their theory incorrect or else that was
marvellous expert. Inever told them OF the fraud
of which had been guilty. nor have until the
nresent moment ever revealed my infamy to mortal
man.
While in Tuer attended with the same party. the
acLar faniliea a Qnnnine English iIar-