The Washington times., 1895-02-24
Tommy HtkinS'
Criticism.

He was ''sitting" for Pleyue Eyre, A. a
To be more accurate he was sitting waiting,
stoically, diseonsoately, and tapping his
boots with something a cross between a
whip and cane when I entered that huge
bare studio in search of his owner
GOOD afternoon. Atkins said, for We
had made friends before when he was posing
for Pleyne Eyre's famous picture, Tho /
Walks with Twen 'Ousemaiis Outer Chel-
sea to the Strand"-for that A. r. A. is one OF
those artists whose pictures, critics say. pal
pitate with aetuality. He would seorn to
paint mere mod i decked in theatrical uni
form. Hence Atkins frequent engage
ments"-the only ones, suspect, he had
ever seen.
"Mr Pleyne Eyre not imp said.
mo. sir. That drafted framemaker is a
hass'-them were his very words, sirf' (This
doubted; no ef ct of palpitating modernity
would make Pleyne Eyre say "dratted''J "sa
he tolted OF, sudden like and now it's gettin'
du I, I'm AFRAID he won't 'urry back
In | saw my chance. ~ my eye fell on
disrepuiable copy o; Barraek-room ballads,
kept to give local atmosphere 10 these Brit
ish army pictures Pleyne Eyre loves book
thumb'-d and tattered enough to satisfy tha
most bumptious minor poet.
Been reading Rudyard Kipling, Atki .s2''
''ka-lher," he replied. MOT but wnat I
knows i'm by art almost
do you? Well, what do you think of him
Il mean. all OF you?''
Hes blooming fine as a writer-fhat's wot
| q IS; Dut I'm - il can make out where he
got 10 know all about O.ers as ne does. Thas
llcs5 me. Els al wool and yard wide.
You know what l mean by that. srl' hs
adde'' 'nxiously, lest was strainIng my in
tee' to ollow him.
Il lL.n ( do But do your chums read
him muen? 1 have never oeen able to ind
out what the rank and file think OF him?''
! We'll, they don't read much. any way"
said Atkins, eonseientiOusIy; "but tother
I night fellow Frad out some OF his plain
tales. and you should have just seen 'ow they
al liked en-
(which was their favo,i s2''
''The Taking OF Lunstangpen, - said At
kins, instantly, without seconds eOnsidera-
tion. ''Lor'! ow they did larf. 'Foive-and-
I twenty priyits and a fesr Ov the line in re-
view ordher an lot so much as would dust a
afe betune EN- all in the way OF clothes.
I They was nakid as Yanus' That fetched n.
The boys all say e must a bin a sojer him
self; no civilian could "a got into the mems
I confidence"
Il have heard all sorts OF reopls claim
| kiplLg as a professional" / said "Iel
I me. do they like his ballads as well as his
/ stories?''
''Not all OF EN- Atkins cautiously repIied.
''Soldier, soldier. they say is all tommy-ror.
/ Catch gal awaiting. When YOU came home
/ you'd find her blcomin' well married.
Al see; they ike bis comic onrs best?"
/ Not BIT OF il. Don't get that in your ed.
/ They like that story OF 'Snarleyow, bringing
/ up the guns. and drivin right over his
/ brolhsr's blOomin' ed. But you must a been
\ 'orse artiileryman yourself 10 preciate that.
/ It's bally good. No; they don't care or
/ 'Serewguns' so much, but they likes the
/ WILDLY al Windsor. -
I This rather set my notions; like a COS
/ ter's choice Of Chevalier's uiIties il showed
that insiders have different standards to or
| diDary folks.
"Of course they like 'Mandalay' and Danny
Deever? / added.
No" said Atkins. grimIy. Danny Deever''
/ Is too bloomin' dismal and that 'Mandaiay'
gals no good. You see, lot of em ave bin
| there and ;hey know 'er. Tommy amt nuts
/ on sentiment, but when he gets real in love
e goes mad about it. But 'taint over a
/ yeler gal, you betl'
Then what the dickens does he Iike?'
! well. he likes the Young British SOjer'
and the Wildly at Windsor they touch him
/ up"
''And Belts. Belts, 1 suppose? They
I ought to touch him up still more"
mo, It don't; you see il different in the
/ II etLSy enough 70 keep StraigQE
/ IN the infantry: ali you has TO do is TO keep
| clean-th-n you're sure TO get off all right
do they like 'Bobs?'
Il should say they did - said Atkins. now
really excited. "'Bobs' is flrst-elass How he
/ picked it all ups wot puzzles and that reg
lar siaggers me. Not IN Lon ION; why, bless
/ you (confdeutialiy) here they are that
] blooming particular guardsman ain taIlowed
/ TO be seen talking TO his own sister let alone
bioomin' ton. Why, they'd run I'm in for
| that
$50 Bobs is first favorite?''
I'Yes; he's all right. Amt he, .Bobs?' I tell
/ you another Just bowls EN- over. The 3
/ company, as drink themselves into eIink by
/ sqEads-that cells. you know"
/ Him! What is Tommys favorite tipple-
/ gin?"
Not offnI Mild and bitter's is booze. R.
/ &. knows that and he knows the queer lingo
i the boys talk. It's gospel true, them queer
/ oaths; why, heard man in for cells only
/ tother night say of the fe low who got his
monkey up May Gawd throw rUbdub in is
/ eyes; ma g ave the it in is ears: may is
/ fnEerniles drop of so that Q cant scratch his
/ self-that s the sort o. think they do saw"
II see. Tommy has a pretty wit"
| Il don't know O. that; but he can sling
/ words about when you puts is back up"
How does he like the 'Gaiesy Girl Tom
my?n
/ IEOu me- L never knew n EuaFuSI0an 90
/ twice 10 see that blooming show; why. they
| make orhceFs be'ave like blooming eads-
| there Amt one OF em knows now TO walk"
Have you read The Light That Failed?'" "
| Here Atkins spirit sunk, but he owned he
'never could get through with it." and felt
a sneakins sympathy.
| just then Pleyne Eyre entered and Atkins
| froze up; but even a glimpse into Kipling's
/ standing In the army seemed worth putting
on record.-JerUme G. Jeromes To-day"