New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-30
THE ARTIST AND THE CHILD
LETTERS OF SIR f. BURNE-JoNEs.


this month prints some of his letter. 70 a little
girl who lived in London. Some of them were
composed at The Grange, West Kenslngton, the
Old-fashiOned brick house which richardson
| the novelist. once inhabited Others were writ
ten at Nottingham. whittier the artist went ior
rest and recuperation on one of the latter oc-
casions. after he got away from the gloomness
Of London. he lost no time in detailing 10 MS
little CORRESPONDENT the stirring events CT
perilous trip from London to Brighton.
Il got re quite safe-after dangerous
crOssing-the Thames was very rough at Gros-
venOr road but in about two minutes our tram
had crossed we came into Chaplain juno
ton not much the worse for the Journey-there
we stayed about minute ana entered the heu-
hill Tunnel punctually at ll:4J. Redhlll mas a
pop. of lJ.O0O souls, mostly Noncontormst-
it boasts a chapel of yellow brick with slate
roof and a stucco front and is remarkable Tor
the vigOur of its political opinions. 1t was
about one o'clock when we neared Nottingham
as we drove into the village as many as four
of the Inhabitants rushed To the doors TO Wiz
ness the event For the last fourteen hundred
years social life has stagnated in Nottingham
and the customs Of the folh are interesting 70
the antiquarian and repay his investigation to
a remarkable degree myself have contributed
some unusual customs.
20 but / wish you would both-you and your
mama-take train tomorrow & come here Il be
made much of do. Perhaps IL will rain to-
morrow & then you wont go on the rver-ot
course don't want you Gisappointed-but if it
were To ran-& rain is very seasonaDie now
good for turnips seeds generally-you
would not go
"Farewell-& the softest G. sweetest of times
for you BOTH am likely to be away for a long
pcriod-but it's no use coming far unless
am prepared TO rest & take advantage or the
change-at the earliest | am not likely TO be
back before about the middle of Tuesday-&
may possibly be delayed till toward the end OF
| The afternoon Yours aft ebj"
Alas. The outing evidently not a happy
one Growing cocks and bad weather played
havoc with a sensitive nature. yet could not
entirely kill a dainty humor. Thus the artist
wrote 10 his little correspondent
"Rottingdean. mr. Brighton.
80 my dear - am going back to pretty
London tomorrow-havent liked this time at all
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a nice watery gray but
cross sulky even gray-hayent like ii a bit
have improved in drawing | think-here is
portrait Of my chief enemy here-a fool of
cock 90 really shaped like this who crows K
! crows IL when doesn't he crow at lie at night
at in the mOrning-at in the afternoon-at
/ : in the eyening-at any time he likes but not
/ when Doets say he crOws-no sunrise for him
him and him and tn
him And amongst his wives he's like Herod
the Great and Henry the EiShth-he's very
wicked dear-he's like some men & hate him
The page now turns over and at the top we
are startled by the appearance OF great, sleepy
pOrker sprawling in all his afluence Of flesh on
the seashore. Jubilantly the artist writes
But this is friend Of mine & does no harm
grunts little when he's happy. but is very good
Il unpreiending. x bears his fate cheerfully for
pork pies he has to be. Fare very-well dear
J Your old friend b ]
The childish spelling adds a wonderful inter
est to these remarkable letters. From The
Grange he once wrote:
ii like your lettrs very much like frworks
am to be taken to Si1nam To see them at the
| CRYSTAL Pals am quit well wish you were in
london nobody is in london except tradspeope
and am not to play with them because am
above them in rank So there is nobody II play
with but am aloud to paint all day with callers
and like that at rotting dean there is COX
with no tail he does look silly q"
The letter ends with a small pen-drawing Of
the silly cock. and equestrian drawing of
the duke of Wellanton." in which the big nose
of the hero is prominently displayed. Evidently
! the duke was favOrite with both artist and
child. for he figures in several letters.
Perhaps the most amusing OF the pictures
which he drew are those Of himself which serve
as signatures. One letter he writes on most
gaudy paper. containing a startling red border
nearly two inches wide decorated with large
white spots. The paper is even too startling for
his sensitive aye. and he Apologies for it in the
following words
"Oh my dear - little - do think this
paper is too horrible to send even as Il joke
He then asks her to come to him. and
says:
# will give you two days notice. and this de
lissous time al Kensington is coming to an end
and when you are back at - shall never see
you-because | could never find my way know
& cant take railway tckets-and can do moth
ing but pictures-and there are some people.
- who say cant do that-would you believe
it?-Aways your aft.
Evidently the two friends were now for awhile
parted. and the little girl had gone vaca-
ton. Her leisure was lightened by the follow
ing letter:
MONDAY, The Grange. West Remington w.
my dear little 1t seems To you are
enjoying yourself very much-gettng wet 81
draggIetailed. 4 dabbling in eel pits and the
homes of nevis wish | was there too. do.
playing with messes and lolling about read
ing three lines OF a book * then tumbiing into
deep sleep. perhaps that shall be by by-but
now I am at work and mustn't leave IL.
DR. Conan Doyle. il is reported intends to
Dr. Mo- IL. ha In
turning into a playwright. He has just brought
out a play "a domestic drama called "Halves')