St. Paul daily globe., 1889-06-27

of her entreaties. "The wretched girl
was followed by this parting Shot from
Hitchcock:
If you return to disturb me again will
send an account of this to every paper IN
America.
The sister returned, having been
promised by her sister an interview the
following day. Early Monday morning
the faithful woman returned to Cham
| for the girl. Mrs. Hitchcock left Paris
last Monday night to sail with friends
on the City of Paris from Liverpool yes
terday. She will remain with the fam
! lily of HitchcOck'S brother at Narragan-
sett.
THE HANDSOME BOHEMIAN.
Hitchcock's Artistic Career in
Chicago-How He Became the
Rage.
Hitchcock has had quite career in
Chicago, and the publication there OF
the story from Paris has set tongues to
gossip in recalling him and episodes
of the Bohemian life he led. Exactly
what we would expect that man to do"
who had known him. Ten or twelve
years ago, says the Tribune, Mr.. George
| Hitchcock was we'll known young
man in Chicago. He was moving in the
best of society and talking most learn
edly on art. He was painting few
| pictures which his brother artists were
inclined to laugh at and his social adj
| mirers inclined to buy. George Hitch
cock first appeared in Chicago
in 1877 or 1878. He came here from
Boston, and he gave it out that he was
| a Harvard man. Before he came here
| he studied law for time in New York.
Whether he abandoned this profession
| because of an uncomfortable yearning
| for art: or because his older brothers
| tired of settling the bills which he con-
tracted at the lively pace he travelled,
is not clear. He at last abandoned law
and took up art. When he came to
Chicago he was nothing more than a
clever amateur. He first had studio
with Mr.. Walters, on State street. He
| Immediately obtained the entree of
some of the best families, and soon be-
| came quite social lion. Mr.. Hitch
| cock
WAS so ENGLISH.
Anglomania had not at that time be-
come the virulent disease which it since
developed into. Mr. Hitchcock was
about the first real English chappy that
got so far West as this. He Lad never
been across the water then, but had in
some way acquired thorough mOckery
of what some Americans popularity sup
pose to be the English tricks of pronun
| citation, gait and manners. This was all
quite fetching with the ladies. Hitch
cock was really an exceptionally hand
some fellow, too. Standing full six
feet and we'll prOportlOned, with
fine head of dark hair and hand
some black eyes, he was we'll cal
culated to make striking impression.
And then his ideas on art were new.
He knew all about art in those days.
To be sure he couldn't then quite salts
| factOrily illustrate all his ideas, but he
could talk. The new era OF art had
then taken but little hold here. People
were Oid-fashioned enough to think
| that painting, to be of value, must be
| picture. Mr.. Hitchcock had many
ideas which were new to Chicago pa
irons of ant, and he talked them SO we'll
| that he had half of the art lOverS-the
younger half-sitting at his feet drink
ing in wisdom. Hitchcock early showed
| that he had a truly artistic disregard
| for financial affairs. He
NEVER PAID BILL
| till he had to. He had studio in Pixies
| building at the corner of State and Mon
roe streets, then spot where many art
| lists clustered. The old Academy of
Design was there. Mr.. Pike. however,
was not renting the building simply for
| his health, and after desperate Strug
gle Hitchcock paid his rent. He told of
the incident as great joke, giving MIR.
Pike the reputation of the best col
lector he ever came in contact with.
| They used to tell story on Hitchcock
which we'll illustrated his NERVE" in
the way of bills. ae allowed his wash
erwOman'S bill to accumulate till it
amounted to some S45. He was about
| to leave town. The woman modestly
suggested that her account be settled.
Taking quarter from his pocket
Hitchcock handed it to her with the air
of lord. saying: "Here, my good
woman, take this. I'll owe you the
rest.' And he still owes it. In 1879
| Hitchcock had studio in Stevens gal
lery. He was painting bits of land
scapes and marines in water color then,
and taking lessons from Mr.. Spread.
His work was crude, but had in itmuch
strength. He could paint what he saw
before him we'll, but was quite without
imagination or the power of invention.
| He went abroad that year for the first
! time. He stayed in London for awhile
| and then went to Holland. There he
made great number of characteristic
Dutch sketches-windmills. wooden
shod girls, and fishermen. These he
brought back and placed in Stevens
gallery, then at the corner of Wabash
avenue and Adams street.
THEY WE'RE QUITE THE RAGE.
Other artists ignored them. but the
public bought. Mrs. Samuel Allerton
purchased several hundred dollars
! worth. Hitchcock bOasted of getting
$50 for sketches which he had spent but
half an hour in making. After his re-
turn with the Dutch sketches he re-
mained here about a year, and then left
suddenly, once more going abroad. He
went to Holland again and later to
France. Word of his success as an
artist soon reached here. 1t was evi-
dent he was doing some good work.
His pictures were admitted to the salon
mention. His old admirers here felt that
their taste was being vindicated. A
number of his canvases came to Chi
cago. Several were exhibited at the ex-
position. Potter Palmer purchased a
tulip picture much like the honorable
mentiOn'' salon canvas. When Mr..
Palmer wanted to donate picture to
the Art institute, and lett it to the di-
rectOrs to select something fit, they
picked out one of Hitchcock's Holland
pieces-a Dutch flower girl-and it now
hangs In place of honor on the insti-
tute walls.
His old friends here felt sure that he
had put aside his youthful follies and
had settled down to earning reputa-
ton as an artist. They were mistaken.