ther a
story, illustrated it herself, and duly presented it on his birthday.
"Buzzy," for that is her pet name, is retained as a model at a modest
honorarium per sitting. Should she be indisposed, she must find a
substitute! Then there is Frank, the eldest, home for his holidays just
now from Cheltenham; young Lawrence, who also draws capitally; and
little Guy, the youngest, who creeps into the pictures occasionally. Guy
is a very fidgety model. "I have drawn him in twenty different moves,
when trying to bribe him with a penny to sit!" said Mr. Furniss. And it
seemed to me--and one had an excellent opportunity of judging during a
too-quickly-passed day spent at Regent's Park--that not a small amount
of Mr. Furniss's humour was caught from the children. He has brought
them up to live a laughing life, he ignores the standing-in-the-corner
theory, and believes that a penny discreetly bestowed on a youngster
during a troubled moment will teach him a better lesson than a
shilling's-worth of stick. It is also evident that the brightness and
jollity of the children are inherited, not only from father, but mother
as well; and it was easy to discern, from the remarks that fell from the
subject of my interview, that the touches of artistic taste to be seen
about the place were due to the "best of wives and mothers"--immaculate
housewife and capital hostess--Mrs. Furniss. And, as Mr. Furniss himself
acknowledges, half the battle of life is overcome for a hard-worked
professional man by the possession of a sympathetic and careful wife.

[Illustration]

Just run through this budget of letters from father to children. When I
arrived at Regent's Park--ten minutes before my time, by-the-bye--Mr.
Furniss was out riding, a very favourite exercise with him. "Buzzy" and
Frank and Lawrence and Guy brought out their treasured missives. When
"Lika Joko" gets a pen or pencil in his hand he can't help caricaturing.
These juvenile missives were decorated with sketches in every corner.
Here is a particularly merry one. Frank writes from Cheltenham for some
fret-work patterns. Patterns are sent by return of post--the whole
family is sent in fret-work. Mr. Furniss goes away to Hastings,
suffering from overwork. He has to diet himself. Then comes a letter
illustrated at the top with a certain gentleman greatly reduced in face
and figure through following Dr. Robson Roose's admirable advice. There
are scores of them--all neatly and carefully kept wi