Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-12-27
LAUGHED AT DEATH.
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE IA
NOUS GAlNSBOROuGH.

His Portrait OF the Beautiful Duchess Of
Decentralization He Catered to His
Love For Music-The Request of sheri.
dan and the Artists Peculiar Death.
One OF the most eminent names in Brit
lsh art is that of Thomas Gainsborough,
Ho was born in suffolk, England, in 1877,
and died In London Aug. =, 1888, in his
sixty-frst year. He had handsome face
and easy, persuasive manners He painted
portraits, but was most Distinguishing as
landscape painter. says critic; Nature
sat TO him in all her attractive attributes
of beauty, and his pencil traced with pecul-
lar and matchless facility her finest and
most delicate lincamcn;S, whether 10 was
the sturdy oak tho twisted eglantine the
mower whetting his sCvtho, the whistling
plowboy or the shepherd under the haw-
thorn in the dale-all came forth equally
chaste from his inimtable and fanciful
pencil.
He painted a portrait Of the beautiful
Duchess of Dcvonshirc but it was so little
10 his satisfaction that he refused TO send
81 to Chatsworth Her dazzling beauty
and gay conversation took away, for the
time, the readiness Of his hand and the
hastv happinesS of his touch. Drawing
| his wet pencil across the mouth, which all
| who saw it thought eXquisitely lovely, he
said. Her grace is too hard for me. Tho
portrait is supposed TO have been destroyed.
A certain lord once came TO sit for a
portrait He had put on new suit OF
| clothes, with we'll powdered wig He
took his seat with II practiccd look OF such
importance and prettincsS that Gainsbor-
ough began to laugh and was heard TO
| i. do
"Now, sir, said the lord. Il beg you
will not overlook the dimple on my chin. "
"Confound the dmplc on your chin, p" re-
piled the artist II shall neither paint the
one nor the other " He at once laid down
his brushes and refused to resume them.
He was net natterer with either his
tongue or his pencil.
He had love for music; but, while he
possessed ear, tasto and genius, he did not
have application enough To learn his notes.
! He filled his house with all kinds of mu
steal instruments Having noticed Their
DO in n painting he determined 10 possess
one. He assembled to the garrett of II Ger
man professor, who was found dining on
roasted apples and smoking his pipe Will
his thcrbo beside him. Il am come, said
Gainsborough, ITO buy your lutte. Name
your price and here's your money.
Il can t sell my Lutte, - replied the pro
fessor NO, not for guinea or twoI Bu
you must sell it, tell you" Ny luto Il
worth much money-it is worth 10 gum
cas-. " AYE, that it is. See; here's thu
money"
SO saving Gainsborough took up TIM
instrument, laid down the price and wen
half way down tho stairs and then 10
turned. II have done but half my GRAND,
he said "What is your lutte worth if
have not your book "What book, Mas
ter Gainsborough?' "Why. the book o
, airs YOU have composed for the Lutte
, "Ah, sir, | can never part with my book.
"Pooh, YOU can make another at an,
time This il the book | mean. There
, 10 guincas for it, 80 once more good day.
Ho.wcnt down few steps, when he re
, turned again. What is the use of you
] book to me if / don't understand II, b
asked "and your lutcy You may take
again If you won teach me to play on II
Come homo with me and give me the frs
lesson
: II will come tomorrow.
'Nou must come now
Il must dress myself. y
." For what? You are the best figure
!, have seen today.
I Il must shave, sir.
r 81 honor your beard.
4 81 must, however, put on my wig. v
g, OH your wig. Your cap and bear
y become YOU DO you think if Nandykc wa
e TO paint You he'd let you be shaved
f In this eccentric fashion he carried O.
J. the poor German professor To teach hii
q tho Lutte. He admitted To his table profes
k ors of all kinds of instruments except bas
8 pipes
!, Once when gentleman played Yer
q finely, Gainsborough cxcitedly exclaimed
s AGO on, and will give you the picture {
Tho Boy at the Stlc, which you so ofte
wished to purchase of me" The gentl
y man proceeded, while the painter stood
?. specchlcss admiration, with tears of RAJ
;, ture on his checks. At the end of the mus
the gentleman called - coach and carrie
}. away the picture.
|. Sir George Beaumont Sheridan an
Gainsborough were 10 dine together on
r. certain occasion, says another Fht
y met. but cloud had descended upon II
Il spirit Of Gainsborough, and he sat silon
. with a look Of fixed melancholy which l
- wit could dissipatc. At length he toe
20 sheridan by the hand, led him out of Il
u room and said: "NOw, don't you laug
Y but listen. | shall die soon | know /
| | nave less lllllt W 1.-Two llltiu my HUNS ~
20 fer but for this care not. What Cypress
- my mind is this-I have many acquain
"a anccs and few friends, and ] wish to ha'
ono worthy man To accompany me TO Il
10 grave am DESTROYS of bespcaking yo
= Will YOU comc-ayc or nor Sheridan cou
= scarcely repress n smile as he made the I
IL quircd promise. The looks of Gainsbo
Ie ougi chccred up like the sunshine in OF
~ Of his own landscapes Throughout &
oI rest of tho evening his wit flowed and Il
humor ran over, and the minutes, ill
T. those of the poet, mingled their way wi
III pleasure.
Oh In view of this incident IL was singul
e, that about year later Gainsborough we
en- TO hear the impeachment of Warren Has
lu ings in which sheridan took such an II
~ portant part, when he suddenly felt |
es culiar sensation i'm his neck This prov
Id the cancer of which he died. He prepar
lie himself for death with cheerfulness al
es composure. He remarked to Sir Josh
- Reynolds, "Wo are all going TO hcave
Ii and Nandyke is of the company n