The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
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Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
BY DESIGN
“The final Yuletide of the 19th century is upon us. What will the 20th hold? Perhaps we women will be allowed to vote.” Maud settled back against her pillows. “We’ll make it happen.” Light snow fell past her window. Nearby carolers sang, “Silent Night.”
Her latest illustration sat unfinished on her easel.
“Salutations, my little masterpiece.” She studied the infant in her arms. “I daresay those dark blue eyes shall turn brown. What a dear subject you’ll make, my Humphrey baby.”
“Humphrey baby indeed. Come to Papa, my son.” Maud’s husband Belmont lifted the child. “Merry Christmas, Humphrey Deforest Bogart!
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Here’s looking at you, m’lady
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Of all the prompt challenges, you walk into mine. Thank you, CE.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Humph’s mother was a suffragette?
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Yes.
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It’s easy to forget that women had to fight to vote. Much courage these women had!
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Dear Tanille,
Such a hard-fought privilege. May we never take it for granted.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sweet story on the surface with a powerful back story. Well done.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Dear Susan,
Thank you for reading between the lines.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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True inspiring tale! Things have changed and are changing.
Great way to share info, Rochelle.
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Dear Anita,
The times are always changing, aren’t they? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A wonderful little story. I’d heard that Bogie started out as a baby model but have never seen the pictures, thank you. You never know. BTW, I’m currently trying to”win” Nanowrimo and doing well so far — just over 18K words. A lot of schlock, of course, but lots of new charactization and plot points that I think I can work with, come December and January. And February and March, etc 😅 Had one like that turn into a published novel before, some years ago, so there’s hope. Just wanted to say that by the time I’m done with the day’s work, my brain can’t handle even 100 words. So hopefully I’ll be back in a few weeks.
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Dear Genia,
First, I retrieved your twice commented comment from my trash bin. Not sure it went there. At any rate, I go to look there often as a few peeps end up discarded by WP. Not sure why. It sounds like you’re quite busy. Best wishes on NaNoWriMo. Don’t know if I’ll ever try it myself. 😉 For the moment I’m in author stasis re novel writing. Wrote two within the past 3 years and waiting for the right publisher.
Thank you re my story and a belated happy birthday to you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Who knew?! You did, Rochelle. Another fascinating insight into the forgotten people behind the celebrities we do remember.
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Dear Iain,
I love it that she was such an artist. In her day she was something of a celeb herself, wasn’t she? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Just read the bio you linked to – a very interesting woman, and with her accents of purple as she did her art, I can understand why you’d like her 😉 Very sad that when she died she was called “housewife” and not artist! Well, she’ll always have Paris… Great story.
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Dear Trent,
She was ever so much more than a housewife, wasn’t she? Such a gifted artist to be remembered that way. 😦 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fascinating story and history lesson as ever. As someone who has always thought the practice of women taking men’s names is sexist and wrong, I really smiled to know about Maud’s story. I learn something new every day! Great slice of life.
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Dear Anne,
When my husband and I married in 1971, the rabbi told me I could keep my maiden name. I opted not to because Wisoff is so often misspelled and mispronounced. I used to tell Jan I married him for his name. Isn’t it ironic I took it back in hyphenated form when I started writing. Wisoff definitely sounds more Jewish than Fields. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
She was an avant-garde woman, for sure! I love how you have brought her to life with your 100 words. Thank you for the link. Fascinating woman. I’m disappointed Humphrey didn’t make sure she was more than a housewife…
Shalom and lotsa recognized love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
Apparently Humphrey’s relationship with his mother wasn’t warm and fuzzy. It is a shame he didn’t point out that she was more than a housewife. What a talent she had. Thank you for your kind words re my story.
Shalom and lotsa affirming hugs,
Rochelle
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So Humph was a Christmas baby? My children are my masterpieces, but it must be extra special to have the talent to paint them.
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Dear Liz,
I, too, felt my children were my best works of art. Still do.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
You’ve done it again with your huge ability to magic a little snapshot of a star in the making, while making a pertinent point with regard to the prevaling attitudes of the time. And I did so love Humphrey Bogart.
Excellent.
All best wishes,
Sarah
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Dear Sarah,
So good to see you on my purple page as it was to see you face to face for a chinwag yesterday. 😀 I so enjoy those. Thank you for a magically affirming comment. I loved Bogie, too. Often imitated but irreplaceable.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice to see all the unknown details about the famous
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Dear Larry,
I love to snuff out the backstories. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another delightful story, Rochelle. Watched a lot of Humphrey Bogart movies as a kid.
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Dear Lisa,
Only one Bogie. Often imitated. Never replaced. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, you are welcome.
Shalom,
Lisa
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How times have changed. Bogart’s charm, however, never diminished.
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Dear Linda,
There was only one Bogie. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a fascinating woman she must have been, such a mixture of the sentimental and the determined. Thank you for including the photographs. Interesting to compare Humphrey with his mom; the takes after her, doesn’t he?
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Dear Penny,
She was indeed a talented lady. Her depiction of children was magical and sweet. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Same here. Humphrey Bogart was a perennial favourite. What a delightful throwback to those memorable times. Very well written, Rochelle.
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Dear Neel,
There was only one Bogie. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
It’s only too easy to forget that “tough guys” had mothers who doted on them too! A snapshot of history you’re only too good at capturing, my friend, looking at Bogey through a mother’s eyes “Here’s looking at you kid!”
Shalom,
Dora
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Dear Dora,
I love putting a human face on history. I’m glad others like yourself appreciate and understand this passion of mine. Play it once, Sam. For old time’s sake. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love this tidbit of history!
Very sweet and very palpable. Now wanna pick up and cuddle that Humphrey baby!
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Tidbits of history. That’s what I do. 😉 That’s what I love. I’d love to cuddle that baby, too. Thank you, my friend.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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🙂 Yep, that’s what you do and you do it very well! 🙂
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Fascinating. I had always heard Humphrey Bogart got his start in a baby food advertisement, but never knew about his talented mother.
Thank you so much for the story, the info and for being in charge of this creative group.
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Dear Mary,
I’d always heard that he was the original Gerber baby and his mother did the portrait. That part wasn’t true. But she did use him as a model and she was a gifted illustrator.
Thank you for your kind words. It’s so nice to see part of the original fictioneers back in the FFFold. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fascinating snippets, how I enjoy them…Thank you Rochelle
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Thank you, Michael.
Shalom,
Rochelle 😀
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Great stuff, Rochelle. I wonder if, while growing up, Humphrey ever had to explain missing strawberries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KekChFdIe00
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Dear Eric,
He was magnificent in that scene. I hope he never really had to explain missing strawberries. 😉 Thank you.
Here’s more info on him that you might enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVs4-91xduY
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Humphrey Bogart had parents? Who knew? I love Humphrey Bogart movies, especially the ones with Lauren Bacall, but I know little about his personal life and nothing about his parents. It’s a travesty that the publishers owned Maud’s artwork and “unceremoniously destroyed” it.
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Dear Nobbin,
The publishing world is brutal, isn’t it? Bogart was a fascinating man. It’s fun to find pieces of childhood and family of origin of such a legend. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another good history tidbit!
Shalom,
Ronda
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Many thanks, Ronda. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Late getting out. Woke sick… Hope it just cold. Love your story. Humphrey rocks! 😻💖
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Dear Bear,
I hope this reply finds you feeling better. Thank you re my story. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, a wee bit.
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Rear Rochelle,
Thanks for the background. I didn’t know that his mother was a suffragette. Bogart was truly an original. He was one of my father’s favorites. I read about his kindness to Gene Tierney who suffered from mental illness when they were co-starred in a movie. He was truly one of the silver-screen’s greatest talents.
Shalom,
Adele
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Dear Adele,
He was truly one of the greats IMHO. I didn’t know that about Gene Tierny. Thank you for sharing that. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re welcome, Rochelle 🙂
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A wonderful historical piece. Lots in here I didn’t know!
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Dear Joshua,
I’m always happy to share. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’ve done it again! We sometimes forget that the stars we admire started as somebody’s little baby.
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Dear Keith,
I don’t know of anyone who didn’t start out as a baby. Even the worst criminals and tyrants came into the world in the usual way. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a Lady. An artist, suffragette, Mom and much more. Thanks for the education. Bogey had good DNA.
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Dear Jan,
She was a tour d ‘force for certain. 😉 Thanks for braving WP to comment.
.
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A very talented lady. All those companies who used her work! And her son was no slouch either… 🙂
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Dear Ali,
Talent ran through the bloodlines, didn’t it? Thanks for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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i read that he was a real ladies’s man having dated over 1,000 women during his lifetime. but i guess that’s beside the point. 🙂
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I didn’t know that, Plaridel. But it was Hollywood after all. And no, not what my story’s about.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a wonderfully warm story that illustrates how much love bestowed on a new born child is rewarded with a successful life.
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Thank you for your affirming comments, James. They mean a lot.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another inspiring story about a fascinating woman who was ahead of her time. I loved it!
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Thank you so much, Brenda. You made me smile. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Certainly an inspiring woman. Thank you for introducing her in your story.
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Thank you for reading, Bernadette. Glad you found it inspiring and took the time to say so.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Brilliant 🌟
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Thank you, Cathryn. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Querida Rochelle,
Salutations to those who’ve come before us to pave the way for the privileges we, as women, can boast we have. I was never a fan of Boggie. YIKES … kill me not. I enjoyed reading about him though. Good job, mi amiga.
Have a super safe weekend.
Isadora 😎
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Querida Isadora,
Gasp! Not a Bogey fan? No podemos ser amigas. 😉 Chiste. We all have different tastes, don’t we. I don’t know who half (over half) the stars are today. Gracias.
Shalom y abrazos,
Rochelle
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Querida Rochelle,
I never watched t v or went to movies or listened to music as a child. My parents didn’t allow it. HUH … YUP – so, I missed out on knowing stars and singers. I really, really wanted to be a hippie. I am now … I don’t wear a bra since the pandemic. LOLOL GOTCHA !!!! que bueno es sonreir.
Que pases los dias contenta con su enamorado. Abrazos y Carino,
Isadora 😎 💜 🌈
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A sweet scene with Maud and baby Humphrey and fascinating backstory about Maud’s life and achievements. Thanks Rochelle for shining a light on such a talented woman.
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Dear Francine,
I’m glad you enjoyed my story. Thank you for such shining comments. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another little enlightenment for us, amazing. thanks Rochelle.
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Thank you, Michael. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re like a history teacher, Rochelle. I learn a lot through your stories. Great, as always and his mother was born in Rochester, NY, where my wife is from. My cool little fact for the day. 🙂
-David
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Dear David,
I love fun facts. I’d say I’m more of a history trivia teacher. 😉 Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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How gorgeous. Lovely connection and paintings. You and your historical tidbits 🙂
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Dear Trish,
I do love finding historical tidbits. (My that word’s been bandied about this week. 😉 ) Thank you so much.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A gorgeous moment in time. I love your snap shot history pieces Rochelle!
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Thank you, Laurie. Snapshot pieces. Nicely put. I like.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Enjoyed both versions there Rochelle and the link was a rabbit hole worth travelling down. 🙂
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Dear JWD,
Thank you on both counts. 😉 And I’m glad you followed the link as well.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Things have changed and are changing. Great way to share info. Enjoyed both versions there Rochelle and the link was a rabbit hole worth traveling down. Lovely connection and paintings. You and your historical tidbits. Another inspiring story about a fascinating woman who was ahead of her time. I loved it.
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