as
greatly encouraged the art, and has been repeatedly painted in
miniature. She frequently gives these miniatures of herself away as
special presents.

Miss Carlisle painted one of the Queen with which she was very pleased.
She gave it to the Prince of Wales, who said that it was the best of his
mother which had been painted for many years.

[Illustration: MISS PAMELA PLOWDEN. _By Winifred Hope Thomson._]

To deal in detail with the miniatures on these pages. Mr. Alyn Williams
is the painter of the charming portrait of a lady in the Gainsborough
style.

Miss Kuessner, who is represented by a miniature of Lady Dudley, has
already painted an enormous number of ivories. She arrived in New York
in 1893 an unknown girl, with a letter of introduction to a lady of
social influence, but "very exclusive."

[Illustration: THE PRIDE OF ENGLAND. _By Esme Collings_]

In much fear and trembling the letter was presented. The lady was too
unwell to see the artist, but she sent word down that she would see the
miniature she had with her.

"This was almost more than she could bear, and she sat waiting the
maid's return in sadness that was near despair. But when she did come,
how the little miniaturist's sinking heart leaped; for the maid brought
an invitation--the lady would see her in her own room." So a friend
tells the tale.

Since then Miss Kuessner has pained many of the English aristocracy, and
gets L100 a miniature.

This is how Miss Kuessner works. First comes the study of her sitter, and
perhaps one entire sitting will be devoted to this. Then follows the
sketching of the face on the ivory--a transcript of the form and spirit.
Lastly comes the actual painting, with infinitesimally small brushes,
each stroke made under a powerful magnifying glass.

Lady Dudley's marriage was quite a romance. She was the daughter of Mr.
Gurney, of Norfolk, whose business reverses caused him to resign his
partnership in the well-known Gurney Bank and surrender his possessions
for the benefit of his creditors.

His wife came to London and opened a milliner's shop, and in this her
two daughters served. But it was not a success, and so the daughters
entered the employ of a well-known West End _modiste_. But the Duchess
of Bedford and Lady Henry Somerset became interested in them; and it was
as the adopted daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Bedford that Rachel
Gurney married Lord Dudley.

Miss Winifred Hope Thomson, whose miniature of