The Portland daily press., 1894-10-19

WAS dunlLteu TO MS presence.
l was so full of my object, SO eager about
it, that without any preparation / at once
made my request. Nature evidently never
intended me to be diplomat 1t is not i'm
possible that Gen. Jackson, looked upon
me as an impostor. AT any rate he an
swered, curtly:
Cant sit, sir: can't sit''
but, General, the King of France, who
hassent me all this way on purpose 10 paint
you, will be greatly disappointed
Cant sit, sir--not for all the Kings in
Christendom''
Through the influence OF his adopted
sons wife Mr.. Hea1y finally secured the
sittings. Mrs. jackson told him afterwards
that at her first words the dying hero ex-
claimed:
Cant sit, child. Let me die in peace"
She Insisted, used her best arguments
all in vain. Finally she said:
Father, should SO like you to sit''
He hesitated, much moved by her earnest-
ness, and, with tears in his eyes. answered !:
MY child, will sit.''
And he was as good as his word. 1t was
only Snort time after the picture was
painted that.
GEN. JACKSON DIED.
And MIR. Healy was present at his death
bed:
About in the evening went to the door
of the sick-rCom for news. George, the
Generals black servant, said that his mas
ter was very low. ! turned to go, when
young MI. jackson, his face bedewed with
tears, came to me. Come in" said he
father is dying" AS hesitated to disturb
them in their grief, he continued:
ssPlease come in. wish it,
Ten or twelve persons were already in
the room, and all were weeping. The GEN
eral was propped up in bed, his head sus-
tanned by his great friend, Maj Lewis.
Mrs. jackson was kneeling by the bedside,
holding his hand; on the other side of the
bedy the faithful negro servant stood.
The General seemed, unconscious. but
suddenly he rallied and looked about him.
He said very distinctly: "Why do you weep
for me? l am in the hands of the Lord.
who is about to release me. You should re-
Joice that my sufferings are at an end"
These were his last words.
CLAY AND WEBSTER.
From the Hermitage Mr.. Healy passed on
to Ashland to paint Henry Clay:
The contrast was gr eat in every respect.
instead of tears. of suffe ring, of death.
found happiness, luxury, and Joyous life.
Clay. though he had been poor boy and
a struggling young man, was at that time
one of the most popular and successful
orators and politicians of the United
States. He was very fascinating in man
ner. and his friends took to heart his de-
feat whan ba araT, for r he mr.
as much as he did himself.
On one occasion he said to me: Mr..
Healy, you are capital portrait painter,
and you are the first who has ever done
justice to my mouth, and it is well pleased
to express its gratitude" Clay's mouth was
a very peculiar one, thin-lpped an extending
almost from ear to ear. "But,'' he added
'you are Indifferent courtier though
you come to us from the French Kings
presence, you have not once spoken to me
of my livestock. Don't you know that am
prouder of
MY COWS AND SHEEP
than of my best speechesy''
Mr.. Healy painted Webster not only once
but several times, the last being at Marsh
field in 184S:
there made small picture of our great
orator in his hunting gear: Mrs. Webster,
his second wife, is seen in the dist ance in
the doorway. This lady had no children,
and as at that time my wife was with me
and had small baby Mrs. Webster declared
that she would go barefooted from Washing
ton to Boston to have such white, soft,
pretty baby of her own. Her husband was
very fond of holding the little creature in
his arms and of playing with it after a
solemn fashion.
Life at Mr.. Webster's was very simple
and pleasant; his children by his first wife,
friends, and relatives made large home
circle. One of these relatives on one oc-
casion had Webster as his partner at whist,
and it seems that one can be a powerful
speaker without knowing the rules of that
noble game. Being much absorbed by
thoughts quite foreign to the cards, Wek-
ster forgot to return his partners lead
whereon this gentleman exclaimed: Mr..
Webster, you play like tho DEVILS rag
baby!'
Mr.. Healy was commissioned by the late
Mr.. Washburne to paint Prince Bismarck,
and he went to Berlin for that purpose:
lived with him and his family, ate at
their table. heard their familiar talk. 1t
seemed hard to imagine that this excellent
husband and father, this man who seemed
cut out to be country gentleman, to hunt
and live jolly. careless life. should be the
Bismarck whose name evoked such bloody
and cruel memories. 'sAhl Mr.. Healy,"
said he on one occas ion, Il was born with
kind heart, well disposed towards othe RS ;
but men have made me hard.' In the
course of convers alton the Prince spoke
not only with consideration, but with ad-
miration of Theirs. Abiding to the For
tress of Belfort, which, by dint of energy
and excellent diplomacy, Theirs had saved
for France. Bismarck said: ''He is good
patriot
On my return to Paris called on Theirs
and had great pleasure in repeating to him
what the great Geman had said.
Mr.. Healy painted Gambetta. Of this
famous FrenCaman he says:
Personally,
GAMBETTA WAS MUCH COURTED,
and his friends loved him dearly. He had
that rare gift of personal magnetism. And
yet he was full of faults; he never could
rid himself of certain rough habits, con-