The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-25

cratic and titled young men who were
called to duty at the front. They de-
clded that it would be but right that
they should carry with them some in
destructible token of some fair ones
affections. and so they placed them
selves in the hands of the tattooer.
Naturally they felt a desire to ex-
h1blt this specimen of a unique art to
the fair one in question, and, just as
naturally, it followed that she, too de-
clded that she would wear a similar
reminder of the brave lad who was
lighting for his country in the South
of Africa. 1t takes but a breath to
fan craze to life, and the present fad
is about as general as any that has
been seen in London for many day.
1t would be as interesting as it would
be amusing if one could know just
what inscriptions have been placed up
on the arms of certain young men and
women who are prominent in Euro
pean society, but the professional tat
tooer guards his secret well. He is
willing to talk of his art until one is
weary of listening to him, or he is will
ing to tell about inscriptions in gen.
eral but he cannot be persuaded to
inform the interviewer as to the iden-
tity of the wearer of each design.
The designs selected by the women
differ little from those chosen by the
men. There are initials and dates,
there are the two hearts Joined by the
arrow of Cupid, and there are crests
and sometimes warlilke emblems that
seem strangely out of place on the fair
! skin of those who are to wear them
| through life All this, however, testi-
| fies to the fact that the English wom-
an, whatever her station in life may
| be, loves the soldier and is willing to
go to any extreme to testify to her af-
| lection for the sweetheart who is COM
| PEELED to forego her smiles while fight
ing at the front.
The art of tattooing itself is ages old.
| For hundreds of years it has been prev
alent in Japan, India and the islands
| Of l1np 10 Tn IN irc a RI "
| became a special branch of art coun-
| tenanced and supported by all branches
| of society. In 1868 the practice was in
/ terdicted by royal DEGREES and an eff
fort was made to abolish it on the
ground that it was unworthy of the
nations advancing civilization. In
spite of this opposition, however, the
art has never died out japanese men
and women are still tattooed, although
not as conspicuously as before, and the
foreigners who have visited the coun-
| try have kept the tattooer busy
Tattooing among the cruel and bar
barrie tribes of the Pacific islands, and
| New Zealand was chiefly done upon
| those whose lives were devoted to
warfare, the idea being that in this way
they might make themselves hideous in
the eyes of their enemies. At this time
| the torture of the art was obligatory.
| A boy was tattOoed upon reaching man
! hood, a soldier upon joining the ranks,
and their heroism was measured by
the fortitude they displayed. While
tattooing is not an extremely painful
process to-day, it was then a very Sc
| riouS matter. The work was one of
long duration, and afterward many
days of sickness ensued.
The instruments that were used by
the savage tattooerS were made of bone
or ivory, with saw-like teeth, or point
ed at the ends like chisels. After the
! designs had been cut upon the skim
deep incisions were made which caused
| a free flow of blood, and then finely
| pOWdered charcoal or lamDblac11 wa q
inserted into the wounds that had been
traced along the flesh In India gun
powder was the coloring medium which
was rubbed into the burrows which the
instrument had made, but this was not
less painful than the charcoal.
The professional tattoer who is called
| upon to exercise his art in the inter-
| estS of the society girl has most mer-
ciful method of doing his work He
| begins with Medicines dose of bro
| a little stimulant to bring the fair pa
| tient up to the sticking point of bear
ing what is to come.
Then he takes a small bottle and
| from it's depths he hips a little fluid
! upon a sponge. 1t is cocaine and he
! brushes the skin with it. waits a few
moments, and then applies it again. At
last he finds that there is no feeling in
| the spot that is to be tattooed It is
the old principle of the application of
drug to alleviate pain.
Then, very quickly, the little needle
is taken up and the work of tattooing
begins. AS rapidly as possible he runs
around the outside to make the outline
of the figure which has previously been
marked out upon the skin Then he
dips his needle in. the fluids and pricks
the flesh, one prick as close to the
other as is possible, and the whole laid
together in way which, when COM
pleted, will form the perfect design.