Page 13 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW Special Edition 3

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 1 3

This was August Le Gras

The life history of August Le Gras, as it is
written in the articles about him, by his

bequeathed works of art and stories, but
especially through the description of his
two daughters, is incredibly fascinating.

A versatile, extremely gifted man, who did
not let a hard and poor childhood take him
off the boil. Who was adventurous in

nature, had a very warm heart for others
and did not care about the whole world.

August was a true Bohemian. His daughters
remember their father as a big, dark man

with a dangerous moustache, usually
dressed in a brown Manchester suit – his August Le Gras in his killer suit with flambard
killer suit he called it – and outside with a (family album).
dark flambard on the head. He wanted to They divided the good gifts among the
be neat, then he completed his clothes with youth present and followed the Good Holy
loose cuffs and a loose collar. Man on his journey through the church,
where the poor families could also enjoy
A man who was always optimistic, talked his benefits.

and gesticulated a lot, and who did not care
the least about earthly goods and It wasn't too much for August Le Gras
possessions. An antisocial person in today's either to provide his services as a lay
view, but typically shaped in the image we veterinarian. He was often taken out of
imagine of the real artist. bed at night to help a sick or distressed

dog. A necessity, because the then
He was a good person, also very humane veterinarians hardly cared about the small
and he committed himself to the poor and pets.
needy. Every year he performed as Saint
Nicholas, collected the gifts for young and As a family man, of course, he was a figure
old in advance and rode, on the highlight of in his own right. While his wife arranged
the party, on a white steed* into the great the internal service, and each child was

hall of the old Hamdorff (see end note). His given his own task and had to fulfill it
entourage consisted of a Spanish nobleman punctually, father strictly ensured that
dressed up friend and countless helpers, they all took his drawing lessons in the
dressed in Burnous. evening.