The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-07
AN ARTIST OF THE WAR.
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH
MIR. MORTIMER MENPES.
Battles Are "PIayed Out'-GoOd
Stories About Rhodes, "BOs1s." Hec-
tor Macdonald, Rudyard kiPIinE,
and Others.


tor Macdonald, Rudyard INipIing,
and Others.
From the London News.
With the instinct for actually which is
supposed to be possessed by the journal
list alone Mr.. Menpes. the well-known
painter. started for the battlefelds of
South Africa on a portrait painting expe-
dition. He arrived at the front in the
nick of time. The fortunes of war had
Just begun to incline our way. He was at
Paardeberg and Poplars Grove; he en-
tered Kimberley on the heels of French;
accompanied Pole-Carew and the Guards
Brigade on Lord Roberts famous march
to BIoemfontein; saw lots of lighting
went round to have look at Ladysmith,
and got sittings from Sir Alfred Miner,
the busiest man in Africa" on his way
home Here he is. in his wonderful ia
panese house in Cadogan Gardens, with
hundreds of sketches OF all sorts in his
studio. upon which he is now al work for
an autumn exhibition which should draw
the town What strikes one in listening
to this enterprising artists stories of his
adventures is the agreeable complaisance
Of his distinguished sitters, and the time
the thunderings of the battefelds.
Well what Is a battle like Mr.. Men
pes?' ! asked the painter. "Disappoint-
ing; one man and a puff of smoke. The
pictures ia London of shells bursting and
nand-to-hand fighting are very fine; but
well, never mind, from the painters point
Of view the battle is played out" The
painter. nevertheless, gave me most ex-
citing verbal picture of the rear-guard
action which the flying Beers fought at
Poplars Grove. After the affair a Paard-
eberg. French, with the cavalry. pursued
the flying Beers, and was almost success
full in catching Kruger and Steyn. The
action was watched on the top of a high
kopje by Lord Roberts. Lord Kitchener
Sir Hector Macdonald, with the staff. Our
painter had also secured a good place
and hence got some fine impressions. He
says it was one of the prettiest sights
Imaginable, to see first French circling
around the Beers. and then the Beers
clrcing around French The finest
thing / ever saw" said that fine soldier
Macdonald The Beers are splendid"
Then he described how "Bobs' was the
coolest man on the kopie the only sign
of excitement he showed being the
scratching of the quick OF one finger with
the tip OF another. Lord Kitchener had a
cigarette in his mouth, which he chewed
nervously between his clenched teeth, but
never smoked, for ii was out. An the time
the telegraph was kicking. men were
dashing hither and thither. and the naval
"a was banging away at the foot of the
kopje. How the time sped they knew by
the sounding OF the bell which the blue
jackets had improvised on a tripod OF
boughs. In the middle Of the kopje was
the splendid telescope which the Lord
Mayor sent to the front. 1t was in requi-
stion every moment by some one. and
gave a fine view of friend and enemy.
'sBobs" and His Portrait.
At the front they all call it a ''one-man
show" 'Bobs'h is the man. Nevertheless.
he gave Mr.. Menpes several sittings II
must apologize for my intrusion when the
whole world is looking al you, my lord"
said the painter when he was marched
into the Commander-!n-C Chiefs room at
'oemfonte in-Mr. Steyn's cid apartment
and was confronted with the little man
-"all steel, 1.-THE, every nerve palpitating
with life. at his ager' mot at ALL" re-
piled "Bobs;'' Its a privilege you're con-
ferrtng' What a kindly gentleman he
must be, this man of war. Kindly, court
eous. considerate. While the painter was
at work they chatted about various
things The talk got back to Paardeberg,
ard Mr.. Menpes happened to say that he
had painted Cronte. And Mrs. Cronje?"
asked Lord Rober >, simply NO no.
answered the painter, smiling; Mrs.
Cronje did not lend herself to decorative
treatment" "Ah," returned Roberts; L
don't think the prettiest woman in the
world would after three days in those
trenchesr The comedy of war is well IL
Illustrated by this little aside. In the mid
de of the sitting Lord Kitchener came in
with scout, ho'. covered with dust and
dirt. and almost painting for breath.
Kitchener took Roberts aside and while
they were tslking in low hurried tones.
the scout stood at attention by the side
Of a marble Venus on a pedestal. Despite
the awful pres nee of the two great men,
the lady fascinated him, and even while
Roberts was herring his very important
rews. 90 what he would the corner of
the eye nearest Venus would turn that
way. However. Lord Roberts was too en-
crossed to notice it. or goodness knows
what the consequences would have been.
Mr.. Rhodes Likes Warts and All.
When the artist besged Mr. Rhodes to
sit 10 him (Long Tom had only just given
in-the city had only just been relieved)
he said: oh. l don't mind, but full face
full face. No profiles, | am a pan,
blunt man. and like to look people full
in the face. That man Fi-des.' (such Is
fame. Fancy pronouncing the distinguish
ed Academician's name as a dissyllable,)
NOW. began portrait OF me in profile
wanted to show one side of my face Das-
tardly, / call it, l say that no honest
man ever sat for a side face Whether
this bears hardly on the proiles in exist
ence I am unaware. All I can say is thet
Mr.. Rhodes. Ike the other strong man,
wants warts and ALL and like him for It,
AS for Fildes' portrait presume it was
never finished
Mr.. Mfnpes was a little frightened by
this outburst, but he soon got on fairly
easy terms with the dictator, who asked
his Opinion of his face from a painters
point of view. Mr. Menpes had already
made Up his mind what the note was,
and said at once: Il am surprised ly its
boyi shness " "Ah, that's IT," returned Mr..
Rhodes. Boyishness-dreamer Yes, yes,
that's what | ana Decentralization
tive, romantic" Then some thought
crossed his brain. he touched the bell, and,
like a streak of lightning, a secretary ap-
peare1 :"So-and-So, when will those ten
thousand trees be deivered?" In six
weeks time, MIR. Rhodes" They must
be here in two weeks. Put two thousand
more men on the job at once" So d,d
Monte Cristo talk TO his people Thee
you have Mr.. Rhodes full face-the DIRE am
er and the shrewd man of action in one,
and each in profile.
Mr. Menures is fun of stories he hon ri