The herald., 1895-12-01
HARD TO GET THE
PAPOOSES TO POSE


And you want to know how ] get In
dian babies to pose for me, do yon?"
Mis-. Grace Hudson, the young Califor.
MIA artist VINO has made herself famous
by painting papooses. wiped her brushes
and dropped into a chair IN the ivy-oov
cred veranda of her studio at Ukiah.
Now, I'll tell you all you want TO
know. and more too, perhaps. l have
much to contend against. but, with the
exercise OF a little ingenuity and a great
deal of perseverance, 1 am able to catch q
snapshot OF an Indian baby in some in
teresting attitude or occupaion. There's
the little fellow lying on his back trying
TO get his little brown foot into his
mouth" said the lady, pointing to one
OF her pictures. THAT baby looks as if
he never did anything but laugh, but l
hac to give him gumdrops to get the lit
tie rascal to look pleasant. That gave
me the expression. The p Sc and color
ing mad to be done without the model.
when | sea baby that want to paint
period by telling its parents it is the
sweetest thing on earth. 1 have to kid
nap it first, and then overcome the nat
except what is most desired.
There is a popular superstition am Jng
the Indians that neither arguments nor
I brites will shake. tnat to be sketched or
photographed is sure to bring some
terrible calamity down on the head of the
subject. II it is not n speedy death it is
Disagreement for life, ur. at the very
least, blindness. As all Digger Indians
become blind in their old age from sit
I ting all their lives over the smoke of their
| camp fires, their superstition never lacks
confirmation. Why, if these Indians here
| painted their babies | would be regarded
| as a murderess, and my studio would be
| stunned as chamber of horrors. / once
I induced Captain John, very old Indian,
whom | had known from my birth. to
sit for me. He was so aged and infirm
| that he could not earn livelihood, and
was in imminent danger OF starvation.
"Ater great deal of moaning and
groaning he finally accepted the bride of
bread and boiled beef, but he insisted on
| eating it first, for fear he would not live
| to enjoy it. When he had devoured the
| last crumb he took his seat and sat for
hours staring at me stoically and await
| ing his impending fate like stole.
| Great beads of Precipitation stood out on
his face, ana every few moments he
| would draw long breath and brace him
sely for another effort. He must have
| ouicItu uhboiu oBoHr III Ouo lCW houio
| he sat for me for no bride that could
offer would induce HIM to pass through
| the ordeal again. lie declares he would
sooner starve. | have tried to induce him
| to bring his grandchildren to me, but he
| only shakes his head and mutters: No
bueno Muchacho. Nothing will induce
| him to imperl their lives. for he is posi-
| tive that he escaped death only because
he was SO old and tough.
but about the babies. When l want
a subject l first have to find a squaw
with a papoose. If the child's face suits
me, ! enter into negotiations with the
| mother to do some work, usually scrub.
bing or window cleaning. She leaves the
baby strapped up in his basket and
braced against the side OF the house,
where 1t will be under her eyes. The
next maneuver is to get possessi n Of
that papoose. l must make it cry, SO
that | may have some reasonable excuse
for taking an interest in it. There is
where Mascot does his turn, as the the
atrical people say. Here, Mascot,
speak"
An orange and white st. Bernard,