Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-09-13

CES-ysSSy' ',4s!;, y n; an art. For
N<l:l. .@5!5ffSSSs> trade the tech
's%|EjTH%W}NSSN nique is scarcely
q " " w ~ rigid enough anl
its claims to be considered an art art
vlIlated by the mcrcenary element thai
qualities It's triumphs. On the whole
1t seems to be most Justly ranked as
sport, sport for which no rules are
nt present formulated, and of which
the prizes are distributed i'll an ex-
tremely informal manner. Ii was this
lniormaiity Of burglary that led to the
regrettabie extinction of two promis-
ing beginners at Hammcrpond Park
Ihe stakes offered in this affair CON
sisted CHIEFLY of diamonds and other
personal bric-a-brac belonging to the
ne"ly-married Lady Aveling Lady
Avelinr, MS the reader will remember.
was the only daughter of Mrs. Mon
taSue fangs, the well-known hostess.
Her marriage to Lord Ayeling was ex-
tenslVely advertised in the papers, the
quantity and quality of her wedding
presents AMI the fact that the honey
moon was to be spent at Hammer
pond. The announcement of these
valuable prizes created considerable
sensation in the small circle in which
MI. Teddy Watkins was theundisputed
leader, and 1T was decided that, ac-
companied by n duly qualified assist
ant, heshouId visit the village of Ham
merpond in his professional capacity.
Being man of naturally retiring
and modest disposition, Mr. Watkins
determined to make this visit incor..
ana, after due consideration of the
conditions of his enterprise, he Sc
lected the role of n landscape artist
and una2suming surname of Smith.
lie preceded his assistant, who, it was
decided, should join him only on the
last afternoon of his stay at Hammer
pond. Now, the village of Hammer
pond is perhaps one of the prettiest
little corners III Sussex; many thatched
houses still survive, the hintbuilt
church with its tall spire nesting un-
der the down is one of the finest and
least restored in the country, and the
bcech-woods and bracken iungles
through which the road runs to the
great house are singularly rich in what
the vulgar artist and photographer
call "bits
So that Mr.. Watkins, on his arrival
with two virgin canvases, brand. new
easel, n paint box, portmanteau, an
ingenious little ladder made in sec
tions latter the pattern of that la
mented master, Charles Peace, crow
bar and wire coils, found himself vel
coined with effusion and some curiosity
by half dozen other brethren of the
brush. 1t rendered the disguise he
had chosen unexpectedly plausible,
but 1t inflicted upon him consider
able amount of aesthetic conversation
for which he was very imperfectly pre-.
pared.
Have you exhibited very much ?"
said young Person in the bar. parlor
of the coach and Horses" where
Mr.. Watkins was skilfully accumuat.
ing local information on the night of
his arrival
"Very little" said Mr.. Watkins;
JISt II SluCh UtIG anu Iuett.
Academy"
"In course. And at the Crystal
Palace"
"Did they hang you well?" said
Person.
Don't rot, said Mr.. Watkins; 81
don't like it,. "
81 mean did they put you in a good
placc?'
"Whadyer mean?" said Mr.. Wat
kins susplciously. Zone nd think
you were trying to make out Id been
put away
forson was a gentiemanly young
man, even for an artist, and lie dill
not know what being put away"
meant, but he thought it best TO ex-
PLAIN that he intended nothing of the
sort. AS the question OF hanging
seemed sore point with Mr.. Wat
kins, he tried to divert the conversa-
tion a little.
'Do you do figure work at all?'
''No, never had IL head for figures, :"
said Mr.. Watkins. "My miss-Mrs.
Smith, l mean, does all that. -
"She paints tool" said Person.
"That's rather jolly
Very" said Mr.. Watkins, though
he really did not think SO, and, feel
ing the conversation was drifting n
little beyond his grasp, added, 81
came down here to paint Hammer
pond House by moonlight.
Really" said Porson. ''That
rather novel idea"
'Yes, said Mr.. Watkins, &c
thought it rather good notion whel
it occurred to me. l expect to begil
tomorrow night"
"What you don't mean to paint il
the open, by night?"
81 do, though"
'But how will you see your canvas ?
"Have bloomin' cops" bega
Mr.. Watkins, rising too quickly t
the question, and then realizing this