Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-30
From an English paper.
LUDICROUS EVENT.
lie ARTIST AND THE coUNTRYMAN

The following laughable story, though the
circumstances happened some time ago, has
not, that We know, yet got into print. 1t will
| afford some amusement to the lovers OF fun:
At The time when the disclosure of the atro-
cities Of the monsters BURKE and HARE pain
fully engrossed the public attention, an artist re.
siding in tie immediate Eeighborhood of Soho
square had occasion 10 advertise for q man ser.
want, who, in addition 10 the usual requisites,
honesty and sobrie,y," was to "be from the
| country" One morning raw country lad
presented himself as candidate for the vacant
situation, and was shown into the artists paint
ing room. Our readers, Of course, know that
,hi. apartment in an artists house is in general
very gloomy, the light being admitted only
through small portion of the upper part ol
one window, whilst all the other easements, il
there be any. are KEEP, perfectly closed Upon
being left alone in this dark room, for the ar
list, whom We shall call Mr.. w. was not pre-.
sent,) some feelings Of uneasipess began 10
ste al upon The coun,ryman's mind, whose Vague
and iusipient prrehensions were not diminish
ed by closer observation of the apartment. -
The fl object that arrested his attention was
the easel, which unluckily happened, at this
time, to have no canvass upon II TO denote lis
use, and which, 10 his excited imagination APP
investigation further, he perceived, in the corr
ner Of the room, a canvass cloth spread over an
object which, from It's form, evidently could oe
no hing but human body. This was what ar
lists call ley figure-a perfrc; representation
of the human figure, which they employ as
model when i may be inconvenien, ur unneces-
sary to procure living model II now occur.
red 10 the poor fellow thai he had been de- oy-
ed into the house for the purpose Of being
Burked" and that he canvas clotE covered
The body "f some wretched victim who bad
just been murdered and got yet removed
Filled with this horrid idea, he endeavored 10
open the door by which he had entered, and
found il fastened. He then crept softly Ia ano-
Their door, which was glazed, and covered with
cur' ain. D'awing the curtain aside he be.
held spectacle which seemed TO offer the We
rfication Of his worst fears. He saw Mr. w.
in the ane-room, holding in his hand large
knife, covered with blood, and dish full of The
vital stream standing by him. Mr.. w. was
mixing up lake, and the knife he used was
palleteknife. When the countryman recover
ed from the monetary stupor into which this
horrid spectacle had thrown him, he determin.
ed to attsmp, his escape from place which he
conceived 10 be NO better than human slaseh-
ierhouse Watching, therefore, the opportu unity
w en- Mr.. WIS back was turned, he opened the
door suddenly, rushed out, struck the arts, q
blow which brough, him 10 The ground, and
'henj passing on, by another door, made bis
way down stairs with all the speed in his pow
er. Mr.. w. who happens to be deaf as well
IS 10 labor under an impedimen, in speaking,
was not aware Of the proximity Of The eoun.
tryman, until he fel, the blow which knocked
him down. In falling, he broke the plate con-
tanning the colour, which became smeared over
his hands and clothes. Mr.. w. conceiyinp
that the man had been robbing him, pursued
him instantly down stairs, and overlook him in
The passage, where struggle ensued between
them. The coun'ryman, who supposed tina,
mis- LIE depended upon his exeriious a, tina,
moment, put forth all his energies, and, hay.
ing overcome The artist, he ran ou, ir,o the
street roaming Burke" and " murder" In
he scuffie some of the crimson from Mr.. WIS
person was communicated TO that Of the clown.
md gave some colour to the dreadful cries
which ne uttered. Of course a mob soon FOL.
owed at his heels, unul o.erpowered by terror
IND exhau ,tion, he sank down in Soho square.
Al this moment the artist ran up. and was