Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-03
LOOK PLEASANT PLEASE.
AN OLD CHICAGO PHOTOGRAPHER
RELATES HIS EXPERIENCES.

| era-Llttlo ExnlD 1t1OnS OF SSuASy OCCA-
| sionaIly Seen in Great Men.
! 'sThe price doesn't cut much of figure in
the photograph business nowadays" said
well known photographer the other day.
thine was when the price was everything,
now it's the quality Of the work. People are
getting educated up to the point of knowing
good work when they see it, and you can't
fool them. Except when it comes to making
| 'em better looking than they are, then every
man, woman and child in the country il
ready to be deceived.
Only the other day popular clergyman
came in here for some pictures. He Is man
somewhat advanced in years, and his face
shows it. He said: Now 1 want these pict-
ures to show me just as ammo tomfoolery.'
had diagnosed my man, and after he left
instructed my best retoucher to go over the
parsons plate just as deliberately as he could,
to obliterate every wrinkle, and make the
picture just as young as he knew how.
| When the finished photos were handed the
clergyman he examined them long and low
ingly. There he said, is the first decent
photograph / have ever had Then, after
another careful scrutiny, However, you
might retouch them-just little
VAIN SUBJECT.
"Then there's another man, a millionaire,
and one OF the greatest reputation in the
west He is no longer young, and never was
handsome, but he has the most extraordinary
penchant for his own picture imaginable
One would think he had something more
weighty to do than chasing around getting
himself photographed all the time, but the
man actually comes down here at least every
two weeks and orders fresh lot of pictures
I never saw anything like it. The last time
he was here he had his pockets all bullying
out with varied assortment he had just got
in New York, and he spread them out for my
edification, and seemed to gloat over them
like one possessed. Can you do as wellP he
inquired l, of course, said, Yes and he
forthwith ordered 100 more. He always
orders the new proof brought around to his
Office. When go around with it he rings a
bell, and the whole Office force from the
chief clerk down to the elevator boy, come
trailing in. How do you like itF he de-
mands, and looks around SO as to include
everybody in the room. Usually they an
swer in chorus, Splendid! the best yetr But
sometimes strange perverseness sweeps over
the crowd and they all shake their heads:
Don't do you justice, Mr.. Blank Hardly
enough breadth of forehead, and so on. That
damns the pictures, and they have to be done
all over again.
Chester A Arthur was great stickler
for looks. He was up here three hours once,
at the time of the convention which nomi-
mated him for vice president He was
dreadfully punctilious man about his dress.
submitted ten proofs to him, and he scruti-
nized them as closely as if they were weighty
documents of state. He discarded seven OF
them because the arrangement of the hair
didn't quite please him. Iwant you to de-
stroy those at once he said; they make me
appear like negro minstrel
Il had Abe Lincoln here several times dur
ing his campaign with Douglas. What a tall,
awkward man he was. His hair looked as if
it had never seen comb and his clothing
hung on him like the traditional bag on
beanstalk He never looked at the proofs and
didn't care the least how his pictures looked"
''Do you remember any other celebrated
sitterss"
George Macdonald, the author. was here
once several years before his death. The
Rev. Robert Laird Collier brought him up.
His dress was rather quee. , and he made
picturesque subject with his long hair and
fine head. He brought his wife and thirteen
children on his visit to this country, and
with him. No wonder he could write such
charming books for children; he surely had
inspiration enough. He was jolly old gen.
tleman and kept US all laughing continually.
GRANT AND SHERIDAN.
II have taken a host of pictures of Cen
Grant. He was quiet little man. remem-
Der he had habitual habit of keeping his
hand in his trousers pocket It worried me
the thing for an elegant pose / finally vent
ured to suggest that he might assume more
dignified position. oh, guess this is good
enough he said carelessly, my hand is in my
pocket most of the time anyhow
Then there was Sheridan He was the
worst subject l ever had. Austere and cold
as All icicle. Wouldn't let me touch him He
would come up rugged out in all the bravery
of full dress uniform, and it seemed as if his
demeanor was part of his dress. He had a
short neck and heavy chin, and it was hard
to get characteristic likeness. I did get one
that l think exceptionally good. l always
make it rule to persuade the sitter to think
of some characteristic action of his past life
If l can and in tits case the general fell into
q reminiscent reverie of some events of the
war. l had an idea he must have fought
Winchester over again, for the sitting. before
a particularly large camera, occupied two
minutes, and at the close he suddenly reused
himself and exclaimed: Not through already,
are your
''E. b. Washburne was one of the best sit
tiers ever in my gallery. he realized the full
meaning of the word gentleman better than
any one l ever knew. Digniied, gracious,
gentle; he had a strong face and made an adj
mirable subject.
when Leon = Escosura, the celebrated
Spanish painter, was in this country several
years ago made quite number Of pictures
for him. After his return to Paris he wrote
me asking me to send him a dozen of the
prettiest pictures had of young ladies. He
was much struck on the Chicago girl type of
beauty. He acknowledged the receipt of the
photographs several months later, and said
that two of the faces had been Incorporated
in his Salon picture of that year. The paint
ing was the Arrival at the Chateau, and is
cow, l think in the Aston collection in New
York"
DO you have many stage celebritiesF"
mo, don't want them They are prime
nuisances around photograph gallery OF
course il is not much trouble to take their
pictures, for they know just what they want
and can pose readily, but they litter up the
place with their costumes and things, and
FAKE life not worth living Besides, they
drive away the class Of trade that cater TO,
which Is the one there IS the most money in,
you know."--Chicago Tribune
QUEER TEMPERED RAZORS.