The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-12-27
PAINTING PAPOOSES.
VERY HARD TO GET LITTLE INDIAN
GAClES TO POSE.

And you want TO know how got In
dian babies TO pose for me, do your
Mrs Grace Hudson, tho young Califor-
mia artist who has ,nndc herself famous by
painting papooscs, wiped her brushes and
dropped into chair in tho ivy covered
vcranda of her studio ut Ukiah.
Nov, I'll tell you all you want to know
and moro, too, perhaps. 1 havo much to
contend against, but with the exercise Of
littlc ingenuity and II great deal of per-
severance am able to catch snap shot
OF an Indian baby in some interesting ut
titude or occupation. There's the little
fellow lying on his back, trying to get his
little brown foot Into his mouth" said tho
lady, pointing to ono of hcr pictures.
That baby looks as II no never did any
thing but laugh, but had to give him
gumdrops to get tho little rascal to look
pleasant. That gave mo the expression.
Tho pose and coloring had to BIO done with
out the model.
when 1 SEQ n baby that I want to
paint cannot borrow it for on indefinite
period by telling its parents it's tho sweet
est thing on earth. 1 have to kidnap it
first and then overcome tho natural in
clinntion of baby to do everything except
what Is most desired.
There is n popular superstition among
tho Indians, that neither arguments nor
brides will shake, that to be skotchod or
photographed Is suro to bring some terri
bic calamity down on tho head of tho sub
jcct If it Is not n speedy death, it is dis
figurcmcnt for lifc or Mt tho very lcast
blindness. AS all Digger Indians become
blind in their old ago from sitting oil their
lives over tho smoke of their campflres
their superstition never lacks conflrma-
ton. Why, II these Indians here In Ukiah
knew that l photographed and painted
their babies, would be regarded rs
murdorcss and my studio would DO shun-
ned ms n chamber of horrors once in
duced Captain John, n very old Indian
whom I had known from my birth, to sit
for me. He was SO aged md inflrm that
he could not earn n livelihood and was in
imminent danger of starvation.
After Il great deal of moaning and
grooming he finally accepted bribe OF
broad and boiled beef, but no insisted on
eating 1t first, for fear he would not 1.-Two
to enjoy 1t. When ho had devourcd tho
last crumb, he took his scat and sat for
hours staring mt mo stoically and awaiting
his impending fate like q stoic. Great
beads Of pcrspiration stood out on his
face, and every fow moments no would
draw long breath and brace himself for
another effort. He must have suffered
untold ngony in tho few hours he sat for
me, for no bride that could offer would
induce him to pass through tho ordeal
again. He declares he would sooner starye
have tried to induce him to bring his
grandchildren to Inc, but he only shakes
his head and muttcrs, No, bueno Much
acho.' Nothing will induce him to i'm
peril their lives, for no is positive that he
escaped death only because he was SO old
and tough
But about tho babies. When want q
subject, first have to find squaw with
papoosc. If tho child's face suits me-
enter into negotiations with the mother
to do some work, usually scrnbbinR or
window cleaning. She leaves tho bnby
strapped up In his basket and braccd
nga1rs;t tho side of tho house, where it will
DO under her eye. Tho next vancouver Is
to get possession Of that papoosc must
make 1t cry, so TINT 1 may have some
reasonable excuse for taking IN interest
III 1t. There is where Mascot docs his
turn, rs tho theatrical people say Hero,
Mascot, speak,
An orange and white st. Bernard, nj
most MS big ms q Shetland pony, bounced
UP out of tho cool ivy and let out IL roar
that fairly shook the house.
That will usually make an Indian baby
cry" explained Mrs. Hudson. "If it
doesn't brighten tho baby, it does the
mother and have to go TO tho rescue in
any event. Mascot Just loves to poko his
cold nose into n bahy's face when it is
strapped up hand and foot and perfectly
helpless. So the mother Is glad enough
to let me take tho papoosc inside, where it
VIII no safe. promise to take good care
OF IT, to buy 1t new dress, and to give it
some beads. In n jiffy I have that baby
propped up In the light against tho front
door OF my studio. Then comes tho task
OF getting one ilccting expression on the
lace OF the baby Indicative Of interest in
life. They arc regular little stoics Thcy
VIII sit and stare without blinking an eve
or moving muscle while 1 perform tho
most grotcsquo mites in order to provoke
laugh. L cnn occasionally interest them
by giving them something to eat, but
there is always something about the way
they accept food from mo TINT reminds me
of the Gagged animal
worked thrco days on a baby before
could get smile, and only then by put-
ting on n feather hcaddrcss and dancing
around like mn Apache medicine man. |
worried, tormcnted, bullicd and frightened
ono poor little fellow for two DAYS irving
to make him Cry, but when tried to pro-
pitiatc him with candy and beads he yelled |
Justify and got u splendid photograph of |
him.
~"Havc any Of tho babies YOU painted |
dlcd!" WAS asked.
Yes, one. 1t was my namcsake too.
Its mother promised to name it after me.
but 1t CHANGED to be boy. Had it been a |
girl its name would have been Grace Hu(- |
son Billy Bowlcgs-thc family name is |
quite up to date, being hyphenated The |
poor baby struggled along under the name |
OF DIR. Hudson Billy Bowlcgs for about |
year and then died. If its mother knew
that had ever painted and photographed |
1t, she would hold me responsible for its |
death. San Francisco Call