The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-25
VERY HARD TO GET LITTLE INDIAN
BABIES TO POSE.

"a CniftornIa w oman Artist DeBCrlbeD Hor
nIethod-First sho Catches tho Bnby,
Then Mascot Takes Part-Tho Indians
Superstitious Fear.
"And you want to know how T get In.
dian babies to pose for me, do youp''
Mrs. Grace Hudson, tho young Califor-
mia artist who has mndo herself famous by
painting pnpooses, wiped hor brushes and
dropped into chair in tho ivy covered
veranda of her studio Mt Ukiah.
Now, I'll tell you all you want to know
and moro. too, perhaps. / have much to
contend against, but with tho exercise of
littlo ingenuity and q great deal of per-
severance nm nblo to catch snnp Shot
of an Indian baby in somo interesting ut
titude or occupation. There's tho little
follow lying on his back, trying to get his
little brown foot into his mouth" said tho
lady, pointing to ono Of her pictures.
Tint baby looks rs If ho never did any
thing but laugh, but I had to giyo him
gumdrops to get tho little rascal to look
pleasant. That gave mo tho expression.
Tho pose and coloring had to DO dono with
out tho model.
"Whcn 1 SEQ baby that I want to
paint, cannot borrow IL for an indefinite
period by telling its parents it's tho sweet
est thing on earth. Kavo to kidnap it
first and then overcome tho natural in
clination Of baby to do everything except
what is most desired.
"Thcro is n popular superstition among
tho Indians, that neither arguments nor
brides will shake, that to DO skctchcd or
photographed Is suro to bring somo terri
bio calamity down on tho head of the sub
jcct. If it is not - speedy DEATH it is dis
tiCurcmcnt for life, or at tho very least
blindness. AS all Digger Indians become
blind iii their old ago from sitting all their
lives over tho smoke of their campfrcs,
their superstition never lacks conlirma-
zion. Why, If these Indians hero in Ukiah
Knew that 1 Photographed and painted
Shcir babies, would bo regarded as u
murdcrcss and my studio would DO shun
ned as chamber of horrors once in
duccd Captain John, u very old Indian
whom had known from my birth, to sit
tor mo Ho WAS SO aged and infirm that
10 could not earn u livelihood and was in
Imminent danger OF starvation.
After u great deal OF moaning and
grooming no finally accepted bribo CT
bread and boiled beef, but no insisted on
eating it first for fear no would not live
TO enjoy it. When ho had dcyourod the
last crumb, lie took his seat and sat for
hours staring ut mo stoically and awaiting
his impending fate like stole. Great
beads of pcrspiration stood out on his
face, and every few moments he would
draw long breath and brace himself for
another effort. IIo must havo suffered
untold agony in tho few hours no sat for
mo, for no bribo that could offer would
Induce him to pass through tho ordeal
again He declares he would sooner starvc.
/ lave tried to induce him TO bring his
grandchildren to me, but he only shakes
his head and muttcrs, No, bucno Much
~, Ne l.
peril ;hcir lives. for no is positive that ho
escaped death only becauso ho was so old
ana tough.
But about Tho babies When want q
subject, ] first have to find . squnw with
Z p3yocsc. II thc child's face suits me,
I cutcr into negotiations with tho mother
20 do some work, usually scrubbing o.
window cleaning. She leaves tho baby
strapped up in his basket and bracod
ngair,'t tho side OF the house, whcro it will
DO under her eye. Tho next vancouver is
TO set possession of that papoosc must
make it cry, so that ! may have eor,r
reasonable excuse for taking an interest
in it. There is where Mascot does his
turn, as tho theatrical people say. Here,
Mascot, speak"
An Grange and whito ST. Bernard. al
most as big rs a Shetland pony, bounced
up out Of tho cool ivy and let ont ronr
that fairly shook the house.
THAT will usually make en- Indian baby
cry" explained Mrs Hudson. "If it
doesn't Brighten tho baby, it docs tho
mother, ana havo to go TO tho rescue in
any event Mascot just loves to poke lis
cold nose into . bnhy's faco when it Is
strapped up hand ard foot and perfectly
helpless. So tho mother is glad enough
to let Inc take tho parccsc inside, where ii,
1en Fn I .t..,,
of II, 10 buy it n new dress, and to give il
some beads. III a jilTy 1 have that baby
rroppcd up in tho light against tho front
door of my studio. Then comes tho tas!;
OF getting one iiecting expression OH tho
lace OF tho baby indicative of interest in
life. They aro regular littlo stoics. They
will sit and stare without blinking an eye
or moving II muscle whilo L perform tho
most grotcSquc antics in order to provoke
laugh. can occasionally interest them
by giving them something 80 cat, but
there is always something about the way
they accept food from mo that reminds mo
oI tho Gagged animal.
II worked three days on baby before /
could get smile, and only then by put
ting on Il feather hcaddrcss and dancing
around like an Apache medicine man. I
worried, tOrmentcd, bullicd and frightened
ono poor littlo fellow for two days trying
to mako him cry but when tried to pro-
pitiatc him with candy and beads he yelled
Justify, and got asplondid photograph of
him."
"Havc any Of tho babies you painted
dicdT' was asked
Yes, one. 1t WAS my namcsake too
Its mother promised to namo it after me-
but it CHANGED TO be Il boy. Had it been
girl its name would havo been Grace Hud-
son Billy-Bowlegs-tho family name Is
quito up to date, being hyphonated. Tho
h.llA. IL