The Elbert County tribune., 1899-06-22
ROYALTY AND TATTOO
DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE DECO
RATED WITH NEEDLE.
A. Ae'res. Wanted Other rni.i.l.--E.
"" Has Never known That ne va.
freceaed by -. v---RAnw.y omci.i.s
kemarkahie Trnin Around Isis BODY.

eies. the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia.
Is most elaborately tattooed. Prince
and Princess waldemar OF Denmark.
queen Olga OF Greece. King Oscar of
sweden. the duke OF York. the Grand
DUKE Constantine. Lady Randolph
churchill, with many others Of royal
and distinguished rank. have submitted
themselves to the tickling but painless
ana albeit pleasant sensation afforded
by the improved tattooing needle,
which Is nowadays worked on simple
plan. aided by the galvanic current the
genius OF the artist supplying the rest
OF the operation. The duke OF saxe-Co-
burg and Gothn, like his cousin, Alexis
Oh Russia, Is another elaborately tat
tooen man. Any one meeting the duke
OF Newcastle or the earl OF portarllng-
ton' or Sir Edmund Lechmere in the
street would hardly realize the fact
that these gentlemen are proud wear
ers oil tattoo marks-much so. The
present fancy for being tattooed. ac-
cording to Prof. Riiey-than whom no
artist has tattooed more distinguished
people mainly exists among mcn who
have travelled much. while ladies have
also taken strong liking to this form
or personal decoration, which. from a
woman's point OF view is about as OK
pensiye as dress. but not SO costly as
good ieweiry. In place of spending her
spare time posing In front OF the cam
era or reclining her head in the dentist
chair' or placing herself resignedly In
the hands OF her coiffeur for want OF
something better to do. or for the pur-
pose OF passing her time In the "of"
season, the lady about town now con-
sents to be pricked by the tattoo ar
tists operating needle and to have her
forearm or shoulder adorned with a
serpent holding Its tail in its mouth
a symbol representing eternity. The
skill OF the tattoo artist, to be realized
properly and fairly. must be seen In
beautiful colors On a white skin
work which is amazing. The sketches
he employs are made In various coll
ored inks. His great skill is in the
faithful reproduction OF any symbol or
picture desired by the sitter. These de-
signs vary In size from :. small fly or
bee to that OF an imm. nse Chinese
dragon occupying the whole space Of
fered by the back or chest. or n huge
snake many Inches In thickness coiling
round the body from the knees to the
shoulders Tattooing has its humor-
oiis side as well as Its serious. A lover
whose heart was once melted away In
a soft. sweet. passionate love got the
artist to imprint in indelible inks, over
the region Of his heart. a single heart
OF charming and delicate outline, coll
ored. as II should be. In all the blushing
tints, with the name OF his loved one
stamped thereon. Three years after
ward he followed the artist to London,
and. seeking him out, with face pallld,
the light Of his eye almost gone out
and looking utterly miserable and care
worn. he requested the fattnoer TO i'm
print under that same symbol. In bold.
big letters, the word "deceIvcr." A
well-known army officer had tattoosd
over his heart the simple name OF
Mary" with a lovers knot. but six
months afterward the same man had
the uncanny word "traitress" tattooed
under 1t. An English actress had a
butterfly tattooed on her fair shoulder,
the initials OF her fance. "F. w." be-
ing placed underneath. Not long after
ward she also came back and had the
''F' converted into "E" and the "v"
Into wv" the letters reading "E. W."
She eventually married &c. W." and
TO this day "E. W." thinks his initials
were the first tattooed on her arm.
colonials visiting England usually re-
turn home bearing on some part of
their body an emblem OF some national
Importance. This takes the shape of a
portrait OF the queen, or the standard,
the union Jack, also. not being de-
spised. A man may admire a favorIte
picture and desire reproduction OF 1t
tattooed on his back or upon his chest.
Prof. Riley is at the present time en-
gagged etching" on mans back
Landseer's famous picture, Dignity
and Impudence" and when finished 1t
will measure twelve by nine inches.
The same artist is also outlining on the
chest OF Scotch baron n copy Of Con-
stables famous etching. Mrs. Pei
ham," after Sir Joshua Reynolds, the
original etching OF which fetched, IN
June last. at Christie's. the record sum
OF f425. While most people are pleased
to go through the performance OF be-
Ing tattooed just for the fun OF the
thing. as 1t were. many. on the other
hand. approach the tattooer with a
serious object in view. Eschewing all
fancy designs. they choose frequently
their own name and address as an aid
10 Identification in case Of accident, or,
as has been the case recently, a wife
may induce her husband to have ner
name tattooed on his arm as guaranty
Of good faith. An official connected
with one OF our leading railways has
had tattooed around his arm. in snake
fashion, train going at full speed.
The scene is laid at night. The shades
of evening envelop the snorting loco
motive and flying carriages. while the
rays Of light proceeding from the open
I'd furnace OF the locomotive are ef-
fectIyely shown lighting up the cars.
There are lights. too. issuing from the
carriages. showing how the passengers
inside are passing away the time. Some
OF them are reading. some sleeping.
some talking. some sullenly looking out
OF the windows. A darkened portion
Of the train is passing the sIgnal-box
and the dim light therefrom family
lights up that part OF the train. The
picture is perfect ideal OF the tat
tooer's art and shows the great ad-
vance tattooing has made during recent
years. Prof. Riley has never done any
thing more striking or effective. II. per-
haps. we except the large snake he tat
tooed all around the body of a certain
popular member Of the royal family.
which Ia an extremely lifelike reptile.
There are over 100000 people in Lon