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come now, Kitey, don’t tike it so to ’eart — I wasn’t laughin’ at you — I was — was — only so amoosed like at — at--
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K .: Don’t trouble to repeat it, Miss — you’ve passed the remark before. Fur better empl’y yer time in a-wipin’ yer biby’s nose — ’e wants it, pore little sowl.
M. (good-humouredly): Now, Kite, don’t be wicious. If yer biby has seving teeth, let me feel ’um’,that’s all I ask,and then I’ll believe yer.
K. (backing into the road): Jest yer l’y one finger on me biby, Miss, and fur two pins--
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M. (beginning to lose her temper): Why, yer silly little idjut, ef she ’as got seving teeth why d’yer mind me seem’ ’um?
K .: Oh, wul — I don’t want ’er to ketch cole in ’er gums; and, ’sides (with pleasure), yer’ve got sich black ’ands as isn’t fit to touch a decent biby!
M. (contemptuously): Callin’ nimes ain’t no argyment, Kite McTaggart, and I’ll jest tell yer stright to yer fice that I don’t b'lieve yer biby ’as more’n one tooth in ’er ’ead! Now thin!
K. (shrilly): And W many ’as yer biby, Miss? Dirty little sniv’ling--
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M. (quietly): My biby ’as four teeth, and is reckoned very forward. No nimes, I beg.
K. (more shrilly): Four teef! ’im! Reely I shall drop me biby laughin’! Why, the pore little weazened--
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M. (with great calm, to young sister): ’Guster, will yer ’ole ’Oward fur me one minute? I won't be long.
K. (with gleaming eyes): Percy George, sit down on that step and ketch ’ole of Lilay Franchess fur me while I ’as a word with this lidy.
Big POLICEMAN (who has been listening to the latter part of this conversation with tolerant enjoyment): Now thin, now thin, no ’air pullin’ yere, you young spitfires! (To K.) Off with yer, Mary Ann, and count yer biby’s teeth in the park, and wash ’is fice when yer think of it; and (to M.) you jest tike yer little squarker fur an airin’ up the King’s Road. Now thin — march!
(The little girls glower at each other, but dare not disobey, and slouch off in different directions, murmuring defiance against the law, and finally venting their feelings by slapping their families all round)
Kensington
Leighton House. — Under the patronage of H. M. Queen Alexandra, the second annual series of chamber concerts which take place in Lord Leighton’s studio commenced last Thursday, June 27th, at nine o’clock. Our Queen, it may be remembered, expressed her appreciation of the late President of the Royal Academy in the lines which were attached in Her Majesty’s own handwriting to the wreath which, now more than five years ago, lay on his grave in the Crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral: — “
Life’s race well run;
Life’s work well done;
Life’s crown well won;
Now comes rest”.
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Dr. Joachim and other artists have expressed the opinion that Lord Leighton’s studio, owing to its proportions and excellent acoustic properties, is, of all rooms in London, the one in which chamber music can best be heard. This being so, certainly no audience could wish for more perfect conditions, the artistic surroundings and the absolute quiet (not the most distant sound of wheels ever intruding) making this studio ideal for the performance of chamber music. The first series of ten concerts — in 1900 and the spring of 1901 — carried out successfully the view which led the committee to start these concerts, namely, that in this perfect and peaceful shrine of art the best music should be worthily performed, so that the music-loving inhabitants of Kensington need not toil back into the noisy centre of the town after their day’s work, but find at their doors a satisfying feast. Under the kind help of Dr. Joachim, Sir Walter Parratt, Sir Hubert Parry, Professor Stanford, Mr. Otto Goldschmidt, Mr. Dannreuther, and Mr. Arthur Somervell, the concerts are now, it is to be hoped, a permanent institution in Kensington.
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The second series commenced with a most attractive programme, and the appearance of a debutante) Miss Helen Henschel, who has inherited much of her father’s genius. Owing to illness, Mrs. Henschel has had to cancel all engagements, and on this account
her daughter will take her place. Mr. Henschel’s string quartette will be performed, and songs by Pergolesi, Cimarosi, Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Loewe, &c., will be sung by him and Miss Helen Henschel. Mr. Leonard Borwick and other distinguished artists will perform on future dates. All particulars can be obtained from the Hon. Curator, Leighton House, 2, Holland Park Road, Kensington, W.
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TWO ATTRACTIVE EXHIBITIONS have taken place in the small studios of the Leighton House, one illustrating the work of the principal engravers in stipple, including a few examples printed in colour, lent by Mr. Henry Percy Horne, and exhibited from April 22nd to May 31st, 1901. Mr. Horne wrote an interesting preface to the catalogue of the beautiful specimens of this art which he lent. The exquisite workmanship in most of these examples makes it difficult to realise that any instrument save the human touch can have been used. In the large engraving of Mrs. Siddons, which formed the centre of the exhibition, the modelling of the throat rivalled the workmanship of the finest miniature on ivory. An exhibition of modern paintings in tempera, open from April 15th to June 1st, showed some excellent copies by Mrs. Herringham, and likewise original work of great merit by other artists in tempera. Mr. John Batten wrote a preface to the catalogue of these works, in which he makes an interesting quotation from “The Book of the Art of Cennino Cennini”, translated from the Italian by Mrs. Herringham.
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The King is lending for exhibition in the Leighton House “Cimabue’s Madonna carried through the streets of Florence to the Church of Santa Maria Novella”, and another picture by Lord Leighton in His Majesty’s possession. These two pictures will form the nucleus of an exhibition of some dozen of Leighton’s most characteristic paintings which will be shown in his studio during the month of July. The “Cimabue Procession” was painted in Rome, and exhibited in the Royal Academy of 1855. Leighton, then twenty-five, rolled the picture up and sent it addressed to the “Royal Academy, Trafalgar Square”. It was placed on the line, and bought, before the exhibition opened, by our late Queen. It was at that time that the friendship which existed between our King and Leighton began. When the young artist received the money given by the Queen for the picture, he went the round of the studios of his less fortunate fellow artists and bought from each a picture with the proceeds from his first Academy work. From the beginning to the end of his career Leighton showed that generosity was the keynote of his character, and that in every sense he expended his gifts and possessions for the welfare of others. His house being secured for the culture and welfare of the public is therefore a singularly appropriate memorial to him.
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A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEETING of the Welsh Industries Association was held at Grosvenor House on the 6th and 7th of June. It was opened the first day by the young Duchess of Westminster, who is President of the London Branch, and on the second day by the popular Duchess of Beaufort. There were capital concerts each day, and among the performers who kindly gave their services was the ever-delightful Mr. John Thomas, who has lately been appointed Welsh Harpist to H. M. the King. Many other well-known professionals and amateurs helped to make the musical part of the entertainment a success, amongst whom we noticed Mrs. Swinton, Mrs. Helme, Mrs. Martineau, Miss Gordon, and Col. Lloyd Harris. Among the exhibits we most admired were some beautiful statuettes on the Brecon and Radnor stall, made by a local stonemason; some buttons from Aberystwith of polished pebbles, resembling amethysts and onyxes; some fine cloth and hand-quilting from Pembroke and Carnarvon; the Anglesey and Carmarthen materials; also the homespun and hand-woven cloths, poplins, &c., some of which, we believe, were made in the Hon. Sec.’s (Miss Hill) class at Llandaff; the Glamorgan Ewenny pottery; and Denbigh hand-woven carpets. The Cardigan stall was most interesting, and the children’s work exhibited by Lady Llangattock at the Monmouth stall was much admired. There were also some beautiful examples of design and workmanship from the Cardiff School of Art-Needlework, presided over by Lady Eva Wyndham Quin, who has been largely instrumental in starting the Association. An excellent tea was provided by the London Branch.
