The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-12-14
miscellaneous.
MR.. WINTHROP'S COAT,
BY STEWART CHAPLIN.


MIR. Waldo Archer, the portrait painter
IlVed, about three years ago, in one of those
pretty studio buildings on Thirly-scventl
street, III New York city. lfyOu have ever
| been through the street you must remember
the buildings, Philadelphia press brick, each
story set back further than the one below
and with slipping roof of ground gl.ss RS.
ing back to the next story.
MIR Archer was not as well known then
as he is now. He had not as yet painted that
portrait of Leonard p. Jenkins, Vice Presi.
dent of the o. p. anf w. Railroad, which
made such stir at the spring exhibition at
the academy in 1886. But he had already at.
tanned reasonable success, and had a pretty
wife who was painter, too, not of portraits.
but of china, that dainty sort you have seen
at the great china stores, wild roses with the
morning dew on them and blackberry vines
in their autumn cOlors. You felt almost GER
tain yuu could see them stir little in some
passing breeze, AS you looked at them.
Mrs. Archer had herself done the house
Work III the little fiat some time, she did not
find il much Of a burden. And now, their
only servant was an old colored man who
had brought them letter from some dear
friends of theirs in the South He had come
to New York to lock up child he had lost
after the war but had only found that the
child was dead.
The Archers did not know what to do
with the old man, at first. He used to come
in in the afternoon to see ii they had found
him place.
Mr.. Archer would be painting away at his
easel on the blue coat perhaps OF a General
or the ball dress of a lady of fashion, and his
wife would be sitting in her low, rattan chair,
reading aloud to him from Robert Browning
or Dr. Holmes, or some other of their favorite
writers, when there would come knock on
the door, and in would walk Alexander Max
well st. Clair, bowling low and swinging
back ut arms length his high white beaver
hat.
He was tall, gaunt old man, solemn in
appearance until he began to speak, when
his face lighted up finely.
Mrs. Archer always laid her book down Mt
once and asked him to be seated, but he
would only bow and smile, and remain stand
ing, and say, bowling his head frequently
while he spoke:
well, sir, any news for me to-day, sir ?"
He always said "Sir," but he evidently
asked the question of both.
There never was any news. Mr.. Archer
LOANED" him little money now and then
"tll he could find place." and finally they
took him themselves, in self defence, Mrs.
Archer said, and he soon became an eslab-
lishud member of the family.
He could cook, and wash and iron, and
sweep AID scrub, not only could, but did
He "iended" the door with much state and
soemnity, made all the purchases at the
gr0cer's and butchers, and, in fact, rendered
life quite another thing for Mrs. Archer.
She said that formerly, when she read to her
husband from Whittier or Lowell, she was
always seeing visions of boiling potatoes and
baking bread floating between the lines Now
she turned all such visions over to Alexan-
der.
One day handsome carriage with flint
red monogram on the panel, stopped before
Mr.. Archcrs building, and in few moments
gentleman was ushered in by Alexander
Mr.. Winthrop.
Mr.. Archer knsw the name He had seen
il in the papers often. And he knew where
Mr.. Winthrop lived, in great, double,
brown stone house, with glitleriug plate
glass windows on Fifth avenue, corner
house with a square oriel window projecting
diagonally from the corner ON the second
floor
Mr.. Winthrop had seen some of Mr..
Archer's portraits at the academy exhibition,
aud recently had been especially pleased with
one he saw at friends house on Fifty
seventh street. He wanted to have Mr..
Archer paint his portrait, and had come to
arrange for the first sitting.
They agreed on Wednesday of the fol-
lowing week for the time, and at two o'clock |
on that day Mr. Winthrop's carriage brought |
him again.
He had Alexander go down to the carriage
and bring up package containing Prince |
Albert coat lie was to wear during the sit
tings. So he put it on, and after much dis
cussion and many experiments as to his posi- |
sion, he was finally seated and Mr.. Archer
was at work.
Now the coat was handsome one. Alex
ander had seen handsome clothes in his day,
at the South, and he noticed this one as soon |
as it appeared on the scene. The material
was a rich diagonal, and il was lined and faced |
with expensive silk. and fitted like a glove.
When Mr. Winthrop went away that day
he left The coat.
81 will leave it," he said. 81 should be
sure to forget to bring it every time"
Alexander wrapped the coat up and put
il away on a closet shelf
After that Mr.. Winthrop came nearly
every Wednesday, for good many weeks,
and then the portrait was finished at last,
and was sent away. 1t made fine picture.
Mr.. Winthrop was a tall, well-built man,
with strong, vigorous face, little flushed,
aud bushy head of hair just beginning TO
turn gray, and Ar. Archer had caught bis
best expression perfectly. Every one who
saw 1t was delighted.
Mr. Winthrop and Mr.. Archer had become
very good friends. and Mrs, Archer had fallen