The Republican journal., 1902-01-16


to suppress our amusement, we were
confident that, from lowest to highest,
the retainers of Bertini's Restaurant
would devout]y pray that they be sub
jected to no more American invasions.
A few steps in the direction of Nelson's
Monument brought us very near the en-
trance to the National Gallery, and
such an exceptional opportunity was not
to be lost. So, mounting the flight of
stone steps, we found ourselves inside
this building, rich in the works of artists
of all schools. "a man who cannot spare
time" wrote Charles Kingsley, 'for a
daily country walk, may we'll step into
the National Gallery or other collection
of pictures. That garden flowers as
gaily in winter as in summer. Those
noble faces on the wall are never dis
figured by grief or passion. There, in
the space of a single room, the towns
man may take walk beneath mountain
peaks, through green meadows, and by
rushing brooks, where he fingers till he
almost seems to hear the ripple of the
stream and to see the fishes leap
We wandered through the rooms at
our leisure, recognizing many old
friends in the masterpieces on the
walls. Who would not feel pleasant
sensation to be greeted suddenly by a
Rosa Bonheur's "Horse Fair or her
lions, or to have Landseers Dignity
and Impudence" calmly regarding one
from the corner The originals of
many family favorites, however, were
not the only pictures to claim our atten-
ton, and many new friends were made.
Some time was spent in the Turner
room, where we particularly admired
two little Flemish scenes, but as to
some of the larger canvasses we could
readily see how Mark Twain's descrip-
ton of ''The Slave Ship would be APP
plicabe. This picture. which by the
way, is not included in the collection in
the National Gallery, was described by
our American humorist as resembling
"a tortoise shell eat having a fit in a
platter of tomatoes" But the majority
OF the pictures were not nearly SO
''iurid' as we had been led to believe,
and some of the coloring was superb.
In the Dutch school, the Rembrandts,
OF which there are a number, particu-
larly attracted us, and we devoted a
good deal of time to them. Among
the familiar names represented in the
various rooms We're Gainsborougb Ho-
garth, Landseer, Reynolds, Bellini,
Botticelli, Correggio, Lely, Titan,
Michael Angelo, Murillo, Vandyck,
Raphael, Rubens and countless others
of equal or less note. When all the
rooms had been visited and we had de-
Scended to return to the Russell we as
sembled on the steps, and Mr.. Elwell
counted noses to find that the party
was minus JOY. Scouting parties were
sent out to discover his whereabouts.
ouu Ill Vail, ttiItt w t Ntl6 OUllSpu 10 re-
turn to the Russell, Joy-less and for
lorn.
Nat Goodwin and Maxine Elliott
whom Rockland proudly claims as
daughter, were playing "When We
Were Twenty one' in one of the large
London theatres, and few of us re-
solved, if possible, to attend the play
that evening. While the remainder of
the party rested, two or three of the
tireless people started out to see about
tickets for the evening. They returned
with the unwelcome news that the
best seats were all taken, and the few
remaining inferior ones were los. Cd,
OF about sop. This was rather dis
couraging, anti it was decided to give
up the idea of going out that evening,
as we We're all tired and we were to
see Gillette in sherlock Holmes" the
following evening. NJ. D. p.