The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-24
VALUABLE SIGNS.
Works by Great Artists That Hang
 Outside English Inns.

Outside English Inns.
 Washington Post.
 One would scarcely expect to find an art treasure hanging outside a public house and exposed to all the eccentricities of the elements. yet there are many such scattered about the country, some of them worth a Kings ransom.
 One of the most famous signs swings from a small public house at Wargrave, on the banks of the Thames. its value lying in the fact that 1t is the work of two master hands. Some years ago the celebrated 'academicians, 8. D. Leslie and Hodgson, were spending a holiday there. and one day they noticed that the sign was in want of repair; so, having nothing to do, they proposed to renovate 1t. Mrs. Wyatt the proprietress, giving her con- sent, MT. Leslie took down the board and painted 0 represents ton of St. George and the dragon on the one side. while on the other Mir. Hodgson pictured St. George in the act of drinking. Need 1iase to cay the advertisement gave de- cided Hilip to business at the bar for visitors came from all directions to see the famous sign.
 Many years ago a young artist walked into Vidlers Arms. at HayeA in Kent and as he had decided to spend the day there he offered to repaint the diiapidat- ed sign hanging without. Knowing noth- ing about his visitor. the publican only reluctantly consented, and the painter set to work to touch up the figure of St. George, his host afterward remarking that he thought 1t was better than 1t was before. But some years later no one was more surprised than the publican when the same artist rose to be President of the Academy and acquired worldwide R~. l. afak Aoar A. ture of Sir John Millais.
 No celebrated artist ever painted more inn signs than George Morland, which he did both for necessity and pleasure. In his early days he was only too glad to earn a few shillings by renovating sign board. while later he often did so purely out of generosity. Once, when almost starving, he entered the Black Bull. just outside Canterbury, and offered to re- paint the sign for nights lodging with a supper thrown in, an offer which was accepted. Only a decade later the pub Iican had not the slightest difnculty in selling the sign for ten guineas to col lecter of Morlands work. Another board painted by the same artist was that of the Cricketers aL Chsrtsey. Moriand was staying at the inn and one day his host chanced to remark that the sign was the worse for wear, little dreaming that his visitor would take 1t into his head to re- paint it so that he subsequently sold it for 15 pounds.
 For many years the effigy of Dryden, which swung in the wind outside tho Dry den Arms at Chestsrton. was looked upon es a very crude piece of work. It had been painted by a young artist named Beechey, but when afterwards he devel- ored into the celebrated Sir William Beechey, the despised sign board became a thing of value. and was eagerly sought after by connoisseurs, though the inn keeper stoutly refused to part with it. An other famous board. the Mule and Mule teer. by Correggio. which for many years hung outside a public house in the Mid lands and was originally painted for few shillings, is now one of the most cherished paintings in the stafford col lection.
 There is probably only one inn sign in existence which has been painted by royal artist, and that may be found at Roseneath. a small village on the Clyde, owned by the Duke of Argyll. The Duke and Duchess often stay at Roseneath Inn when in search of seeluaion. and not long ago the latter spent an idle day in paint ing a new sign which she forthwith pre- sented to the innkeeper. who. naturally, declines to accept the very tempting of- fers which have been made for it from time to time by connoisseurs.