The morning call., 1891-02-22

possible, Lewis, whose apprentice l then
was, directed me to make for these Cupids
wings Of real feathers instead of gauze
winch Is ordinarily used
FEATHER WINGS.
FOR time l was at my wits end How to
make leather wings that should have the
ehiplance OF real bird appenGages, was
Wnat Lord Dnndreary calls staggerer.
put at last bright idea struck me- In Full
son MarKet found number of beautiful
, WINE i've geese. bought them, and no
king was eyer prouder or happier than I az
my newly purchased bipeds. The geese
were soon killed and picked, and many
hehipers OF the company and attaches of
tns theater dined on roast goose that even
Ing Ing. l hrst took wire and fashioned it into
tne shape of wing This l covered
with gauze, to which I partly sewed
anu partly glued the white goose feathers
s sil IL was impossible to detect at short
issuance that the structure was not q genu-
lne wing, When completed these wings
were attached to the hinges of an iron plate
fastened to the back of each Cupid, tie
realism.
speaking of Lewis, recall pretty little
idno'usnG In his courtship of his wife. the
daughter of a prosperous New York mer-
chant, who thought himself a conn oisseur in
WORKS OF art This story, perfectly true
oIe, pY Tue way, is striking illustration of
Mmat eonsummate master Lewis was of
drapery painting.
Nnen the scenic artist asked the mer-
chahI LOT his daughters hand the old fellow
salu; hen you can paint picture tn at
snali De so natural as to deceive me into
and not before"
Lewis accepted the condition and imme-
ulately set to work. He was an excellent
painter In oil color and he soon invited the
olu gentleman to inspect small fruit pict-
ule; nat seems to be pretty well done,"
o"id ,pGaterIamlllas, as he gazed upon 1t with
a, critical eye; but | can't see it for that
race you have draped over it and am going
10 pull 1t off," And endeavoring to suit the
actlon TO the word he found that the lace
was painted on the canvas. 1t goes without
SAVING that Lewis received the girl and the
paternai blessing forthwith.
PAINTING A SCENE.
The first thing to be done in painting
scene Is to cover the canvas with a coat of
primlng, which consists of glue and whiting
mixed with water By means of an enor-
nous ruler. technically called straight
edge, and charcoal pencils contained in
n noiafds &; OF great length the scene TO be
painted Is sketched out. The local or prin-
clpal colors are then laid in, the proper
euects Oh light and shade are given, the fine
nnlshing touches arc put to the work and 1t
is complete. The cOlors used comprise both
vegetable and mineral substances and being
ofs. In every paint-room there are n large
number of vessels called stock-pots, in
which large quantities of all the colorS en-
ployed are kept ready, mixed with water.
Before being used they are taken from the
stock pots and mixed with sizing, which
consists of glue and water boiled together.
his is'done to fix the color upon the can
vas and prevent it from rubbing off. The
proper proportions of the scenes to be
painted are determined by the size of the
stage upon which they are to be set.
During my long career as scenic artist 1
nave enjoyed favorable opportunities for
caitiyatlng the acquaintance of some of the
most gifted of the great actors of the past.
| have spoken of Laura Keene. 1t was at
her theater that [ first met the late E. A.
Sothern. well remember how, when "Our
American Cousin" was produced for the
first time, Sothern positively declined to play
the small part of Lord Dundreary, until
MISS keene consented to allow him to
lnterpolate any lines or stage business he
desired. The result WIS that Lord Dun
dreary became the principal part and
Sothern attained fame and fortune.
ARTHUR PALMER.
Copyrighted 1891 Al rights reserved by Godfrey
WitliSi0n christine.