The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-10-07
LUDICROuS EVENT.
THE ARTIST AND THE. CoUNTRYM

ARTIST AN u Ihb. CCO MINI M A M
The following laughable story, though
the circumstance happened some time ago.
has not. that we know, got into print. 1t
will afford some amusement to the lovers Of
fun At the time when the disclosure of
the atrocities of the monsters Burk and
Hare painfully engrossed the public atten-
ton, an artist residing in the immediate
nelghborhood of Soho-square, had occasion
to advertise for man servent, who, in adj
ditlon to the usual requisites, Z" honesty and
sobriety," was to be " from the country.'
One morning raw country lad presented
himself as a candidate for the vacant situa-
alton, and was shown into the artists
pantingroom. Our readers of course
know that this in an artists house, is. in
general, very gloomy. the light being adj
United only through a small portion of the
upper part of one window, whilst all the
other easements, if there be any, are kept
perfectly closed. Upon being left alone in
this dark room, (for the artist, whom we
shall call Mr.. w. was not present) some
feelings of uneasiness began to steal upon
the countryman's mind, whose vague and
incipient apprehensions were not diminish
ed by closer observation of the apartment.
The first object that arrested his attention
was the easel, which unluckily happened
at this time to have no canvass upon it
to denote its use, and which to his excited
imagination appeared an instrument
of torture. Carrying his investigation
further, he perceived in corner of the
room a canvass cloth spread over an object
which from its form evidently could be
nothing but human body. This was what
artists call a lay figure-a perfect represen-
tation of the human figure, which they en-
ploy as model when it may be inconven-
lent or unnecessary to procure living mod
ell 1t now had occurred to the poor fellow
that he had been decoyed into the house
for the purpose of being Burked," and
that the canvass cloth covered the body of
some wretched victim who had just been
murdered and not yet removed. Filled
with this horrid idea, he endeavored to
open the door by which he entered, but
! found it fastened. He then crept softly to
another door, which was glazed, and cover
ed with a curtain. Drawing the curtain
aside he beheld spectacle which seemed
to offer the verihcation Of his worst fears.
! He saw Mr.. w. in the paint-room, holding
in his hands large knife, covered with
blood, and a dish full of the vital stream
standing by him. Mr.. w. was mixing up
/ lakes and the knife he used was a palette
knife. When the countryman recovered
/ from the documentary stupor into which
I this horrid spectacle had thrown him, he
determined to attempt his escape from a
place which he conceived to be no better
than human slaughter house. Watching,
1 therefore, the opportunity when Mr.. WIS
back was turned he opened the door sud-
denly, rushed out, struck the artist a blow
which brought him to the ground, and then,
| passing out by another door, made his way
down stairs with all the speed in his power.
Mr.. W., who happens to be deaf as well as
to labor under an impediment in speaking,
was not aware Of the proximity of the coun-
| tryman, until he felt the blow which knock
ed him down. In falling, he broke the
( plate containing the color, which became
smeared over his hands and clothes. Mr..
W., conceiving that the man had been rob-
blng him, pursued him instantly down stairs,
and overlook him in the passage, where u
struggle ensued between them. The coun-
/ tryman, who supposed that his life depend
ed upon his eXertions at that moment, put
forth all his energies, and having overcome
J the artist, he ran out into the street scream
ing burke" and murder" In the scuf-
tie, some of the crimson from Mr.. WIS per-
son was communicated to that of the clown,
and gave some color to the dreadful cries
which he uttered. OF course mob soon
followed at his heels, until, overpowered by
terror and exhaustion, he sank down il
Shakespeare. At this moment the arts
ran up, and was about to seize him. The
| -
| "A dark red paint