Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-31
A ROYAL PHorooRAPHsR.
william Dovney. Who Always Photograph
the Queen.


William Downey is the grand old n1an q
photographers in England. says the Pa Mall
Bsdgsf:
He began TO practice his profession hearlv
forty years ago. and during that long period
he has photographed emPerors and empfcssos.
kings and queens. sultans, princes OF the i.leod.
prineesses Of the blood. peers OF the fcalm.
peeresses OF the realm. soldiers aud statesmen.
men Of letters and women Of letters. queens Of
beauty, private beauties and beauties of the
boards
One Of his greatest successes was the smiling
photograph Of the queen, taken twents -four
years ago.
Indeed. Mr.. Downey saws. this 1. his chef
d'9uyre, for her majesty on most occssions
assumes n grave and solemn mien as IL tn lsns
Was dangerous weapon instead 81 a harmless
scientific instrument and u b.. Therefore the
grave and.solemn micn with which awavs
endow the queen. Every lover of dog viii
be pleased 20 hear that il dog SHARP. tie
collie on the chair. that raised that smile on
the queens face. Sharp Gtogsthe decliued 20
SIT still. but John Brown would stand a. nom
sense. and, despite the presence Of lis mistress.
he gave the dos good shaking. He wont
sit. Brown. said the queen. He won't your
majesty. Tie naun obey We aud be coIapiai-
SAINT Ike the rest of us. He maun cit" And
after another shaking Sharp SIT. ard the queen
laughed 20 see such sport. aud Mr. Dowuey,
made great Init all because of Brown and
sharp. The queen" continued the veteran.
has done more TO promote photography than
any one. for she hrs always been a great col
loetor OF photographs, though she does cum
plain Of their fading"
Mr.. Dovney started life in murky shields
and the northern burr stiil fingers 90 his
! tongue. From shields he extended his oi..-a-
hons TO Newcastle. the capital Of the unrth,
and thence his fame spread and spread until
oae momentous morning a Telegram snmuinned
him TO Balmoral. such a summons would st
1hs hearts OF most men pslpitatiug, hut Mr..
Downey was conscious Of his own sbilitias and
only wanted n fair fold and no favor Here
was the opportunity come at last 20 show uhet
he had IN him. shall attire myself m parl 10
and hne hneny he asked himself. visions a
court lie rising before him. Never n hit"
was the reply. "A simple art man should be .
child OF nature. and in my own homaly broad
cloth will make my first bow TO her grneioas
| majesty. No gUnUfeXions for the northern
Photographic. who went abcu. has busiutss ia
such mAply way, and executed his con mis-
sion so skillfully that during the last thirty
years he has constGntly.risited Rslmoral aud
windsor, and IL Is one Of his pleasures 60 call
/ himself PHOTOGRAPHER 60 the queen" wtich.
as he SAYS in his blunt northern way. il snf-
hcient honor for any man and better than a
garter
When Mr.. Downey began il was with the
greatest difficulty that photograph Of the qaeen
could be procured. TODAY aft that 4, al..~sa
I
demand. though il is extremely difficult o. So
cure a sitting. owing 20 the many calls upon
her majesty time. Mr.. Downev relates saith
zest how on one occasion at Windsor the qneen
entered her Photographic studio there. took on
her bonnet. adjusted her hair. posed Rgainst
the head rest and said: NOW. Mr.. Dowasv. I
have just five minutes; Lore ID, rby Is Naiiing
for me. Mr.. Downey is not nervous Iaar,
so he got good result.
''Some men have the greatest objection 20
having their portraits taken. said Mr.. noWncv.
| 1t - species of vanity. Mr.. Disrg eli VAS
one OF these peculiar people. and We owe a TO
her majesty that Mr.. Downey's well-known
photograph of the famous statesman Is IA sx-
istence. One day he happened to be in at
tendance at Balmoral and, after much perFua-
SION by the queen, consented TO face the lens
which was on the lawn. Mr.. Disracli was
always a dandy. and on this occasion he wore .
light coat and pair Of light blue trousers
which was not the sort Of costume that a ftat-s-
man should make his bow TO the world in
The negatives were not success. ''Dizzy" con-
scented TO SIT again next day. The rain Vas
coming down a Little when Dizzy" stepped cut
into the grounds wearing a beautiful black
velvet coat. The rain annoyed him dreadfuilv
| for he was IN great fear about the welfare %
this beautiful black velvet cont and insisted
upon an umbrella being held over him. The
umbrella was held over him, and the second
set OF negatives were failures. On the third
day he consented TO try again, but for Eve
| minutes only In those five minutes W. Dow
| hee tooh iouf eucCtrsanl ItfAtaNte. lIulu kutcu
| innumerable prints taken. Prom these
hundreds of thousands of prints have ben
sold, and to this day, especially on Primrsse
day, the demand is still great.
The Wide-Awake Railroad Conductor.
| From the New York sun.
The experienced railroad conductor easily
locates and keeps in mind al the passengers
on his train. He seldom asks passenger twice
| for his ticket He goes without doubt or
hesitation straight TO those who &c: on at
way stations, no matter IN what car thew
may be. Brakemen. intelligent and with an
eye TO the future. acquire the same habit q
| accurate observation. The man who walks
briskly through the car. apparently int, nt
only on reaching the brake at the other oIsd.
may take rs he goes a quick mental lhOtO-
graph Of all the passengers. At station the
other day a woman who had just stepped OF n
car exclaimed. Il have lost my pocket boob -
brakeman who stood on the car platform
looked at her for an instant and then. with more
than mind readers celebrity Of movomeut
and with greater certainty of action. he walked
vide awake straight TO the seat the lady had
occupied. He not confused by the fact
that IL was now occupied by other Passengers.
he simply asked them to let him look for the
pocket book. Ii was there on the floor whcfe
the lady had dropped il, and il was restored 10
her within minute after her discovery that $40
| had lost IL.
The Scheme Worked.