Juliana Horatia Ewing And Her Books Part 30

Or again, I wonder what Herkomer would charge for an _etching_ of the dying old Woodcutter, and his kneeling son? I believe THAT would be the thing!--But the plate must be surfaced so that _A.J.M._ mayn't exhaust all the good impressions. If Herkomer would etch that, and add a vignette of a scene I could give him with a beautiful peasant girl--or of the old sergeant and the portly and worldly "Madame," we SHOULD "do lovely!" Will you try for that, please?

No more today for

"I am exhaust I can not!"

Your devoted, J.H.E.

Remember _I_ wish for Herkomer. He will be the right man in the right place. R.C. is for dear old England, and this is French and Roman Catholic--and Keltic peasant life.

TO A.E.

January 4, 1883,

Caldecott says his difficulty over my writing is that "the force and finish" of it frightens him. It is painted already and does not need ill.u.s.tration; and he has lingered over "Jackanapes" from the conviction that he could "never satisfy me"!! This difficulty is, I hope, now vanquished. He is hard at work on a full and complete edition of "Jackanapes," of which he has now begged to take the entire control, will "submit" paper and type, etc. to me, and hopes to please. "But you are _so_ particular!"

I need hardly say I have written to place everything in his hands. I am "not such a fool as" to think I can teach _him_! (though I am insisting upon certain arrangements of types, etc., etc., to give a _literary_--not Toy Book--aspect to the volume).

Andre I _know I help_. But then only a man of real talent and mind would accept the help and be willing to be taught. The last batch of _A Soldier's Children_ that came had three pages that grated on me.

1. "They mayn't have much time for their prayers on active service, _and we ought to say them instead_." The first part of this line is splendidly done by a brush with Zulus among mealies, but the second part (as underlined) was thus. Nice old church (good idea) and the officer's wife and children at prayer. BUT--the lady was like a shop-girl, in a hat and feathers, tight-fitting jacket with skimpy fur edge (inexpressibly vulgar cheap finery style!), kneeling with a highly-developed figure backwards on to the spectator! and with her eyes up in a theatrical gaze heavenwards. Little boy _sitting_ on seat, with his hat on.

2. For "G.o.d bless the good soldiers like old father and Captain Powder and the men with good conduct medals, and please let the naughty ones be forgiven,"--he had got some men being released out of prison cells.

3. For "There are eight verses and eight Alleluias, and we can't sing very well, but we did our best.

"Only Mary would cry in the verse about 'Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest'!"-- --he had got a very poor thing of three children singing.

Now these were all highly-finished drawings. Quite complete, and I know the man is _driven_ with work (for cheap pay!). So I hesitated, and worried myself. At last I took courage and sent them back, having faith in the "thoroughness" which he so eminently works with.

For 1, I sent him a sketch! said the lady must wear a bonnet in church, and her boys must take off their hats! That she must kneel _forwards_, be dressed in a deep sealskin with heavy fox edge, and have her eyes _down_, and the children must kneel _imitating her_, and I should like an old _bra.s.s_ on the wall above them with one of those queer old kneeling families in ruffs.

For 2, I said I could not introduce child readers to the cells, and I begged for an old Chelsea Pensioner showing his good conduct medal to a little boy.

3. I suggested the tomb of a Knight Crusader, above which should fall a torn banner with the words, "In Coelo Quies."

Now if he had kicked at having three pictures to do utterly over again, one could hardly have wondered, pressed as he is. But, back they came! "I am indeed much indebted to you," the worst he had to say! The lady in No. 1 now _is_ a lady; and as to the other two, they will be two of the best pages of the book. Old Pensioner first-rate, and Crusader under torn banner just leaving "Coelo Quies," a tomb behind "of S. Ambrose of Milan" with a little dog--and a snowy-moustached old General, with bending shoulders and holding a little girl by the hand, paying _devoir_ at the Departed Warrior's tomb in a ray of rosy sunlight!!

This is the sort of way we are fighting through the Ewing-Andre books.

_Ecclesfield._ January 10, 1883.

Fancy me "learning a part" again! _That_ has a sort of sound like old times, hasn't it?

I feel half as if I were a fool, and half as if it would be very good fun! R.A. theatricals at s...o...b..ryness. The FoxStrangways have asked me. Major O'Callaghan is Stage Manager I believe. Then there is a Major Newall, said to be very good. He says he "has a fancy to play 'A Happy Pair' with me!" It is his _cheval de bataille_ I believe.

I think it is best to try and do what one is _asked_ over parts (though they were very polite in offering me a choice), so I said I would try, and am learning it. I think I shall manage it. They now want me to take "A Rough Diamond" as well, _Margery_. I doubt its being wise to attempt both. It will be rather a strain, I think.

_s...o...b..ryness._ January 25, 1883.

I am playing Mrs. Honeyton in "A Happy Pair" with Major Newall. He knows his work well, is a good coach, and very considerate and kind.

In my soul I wish that were all, but they have persuaded me also to take Margery in "A Rough Diamond," and getting THAT up in a week is "rough on" a mediocre amateur like myself!

This is a _curious_ place. Very nice, bar the east winds. I have been down on the sh.o.r.e this morning. The water sobs at your feet, and the ships and the gulls go up and down. Above, a compact little military station cl.u.s.ters together, and everywhere are Guns, Guns, Guns; old guns lying in the gra.s.s, new guns shattering the windows, and only _not_ bringing down the plaster because the rooms are ceiled with wood "for the same purpose."...

TO MRS. JELF.

Sunday, April 1883.

MY DEAREST MARNY,

I must write a line to you about your poor friends! It is THE tragedy of this war! Very terrible. I hope the bitterness of death was _short_, and to gallant spirits like theirs hope and courage probably supported them till the very last, when higher hopes helped them to undo their grasp on this life.

In the dying--they suffered far less than most of us will probably suffer in our beds--but to be at the fullest stretch of manly powers in the service of their country among the world's hopes and fears and turmoils, and to be suddenly called upon to "leave all and follow Christ"--when the "all" for them had most righteously got every force of mind and body devoted to it--must be at least one hard struggle.

And death away from home does seem so terrible!

Richard will feel it very much. That Nottingham election seems so short a time ago.

Back from Church! Great haste. We have had that grand hymn with--

"Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest."

I did not forget the poor souls.

Prayers for the dead is one of those things which always seems to me the most curiously obvious and simple of duties!

Your most loving, J.H.E.