Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-19
THE DAILY TIMES.
THE PAINTERS BARGAIN.
BY VIM. MAKEPEACE THACKERAY.

Gambouge, and, as all the world knows, boil
father and son were astonishing clever fellows al
their profession. Solomon painted landscapes
which nobody bought; and Simon took higher
line, and painted portraits to admiration, ONLY
nobody came to sit to him.
As he was not gaining five pounds year by
his profession and had arrived at the age OF
twenty, at least, Simon deterlNned to better
himself by taking wife,-a pls8 which num-
Der of other wise men adopt, in SImilar years and
circumstances. So Simon prevailed upon a
butchers daughter Ito whom he owed considera-
BILE for cutlets) to quit the meat-shop, and follow
him. Griskinissa-such was the fair creature
name-was as lovely bit of mutton, her father
said, as ever man would wish to stick a knife
into. She had sat to the painter for all sorts Of
characters; and the curious who possess any OF
Gambouge' pictures will see her as Venus, Miner
va, Madonna, and in numberless other characters:
Portrait of a -Griskinissa; Sleeping Nymph
-Grlskinissa without rag of clothes, lying in
forest; Maternal Observation-Disclosures again,
with young Master Gambouge, who was by this
time the offspring of their affections.
The lady brought the painter handsome little
fortune of couple of hundred pounds and as
long as this sum lasted no woman could be more
lovely or loving. But want speedily came to
attack their little household; bakers bills were
unpaid; rent was due, and the reckless landlord
gave no quarter; and, to crown the whole, her
her father, unnatural butcher suddenly stopped
the supplies of mutton. chops; and swore that
that dauber, her husband, should have no
more of his ware. At first they embraced ten
derby, and, kissing and crying over their little
infant, vowed to Heaven that they would do
without; but in the course of the evening Grisk-
lnissa grew peckish, and poor Simon pawned his
best coat.
When this habit of pawning is discovered, it
appears to the poor kind of Eldorado. Gam
hnI o,IE e. II. al
III the course OF a month, made away with her
gold chain, her great warming-pan, his best
crimson plush lnexpresSibles, two wigs, wash
hand basin and ever, fre-irons, window-curtains,
crockery, and arm.chairs. Griskinissa said, that
she had found second father in her uncle,-a
base pun, which showed that her mind was cor
rupted, and that she was no longer the tender,
simple Griskinissa of other days.
am sorry to say that she had taken to drink
ing; she swallowed the warming pan in the course
of three days, and fuddled herself one whole
evening with the crimson plush breeches.
Drinking is the devil-the father, that is to
say, of all vices. Griskinissa's face and her
mind grew ugly together her good humor chang
ed to bilious, bitter discomfort; her pretty, fond
epithets, to foul abuse and swearing; her tender
blue eyes grew watery and blear, and the peach
color on her cheeks fled from its old habitaton
and crowded up into her nose, where, with
number of pimples, it stuck fast. Add to this
dirty, draggle-taied chintz; long matted hair,
wandering into her eyes, and over her lean Shout
ders, which were once so snowy, and you have
the picture of drunkenness and Mrs. Simon Gam
bouge.
Poor Simon, who had been gay, lively fell
low enough in the days of his better fortune, was
completely cast down by his present i'll luck, and
ing till night the neighbors could hear this wo-
mans tongue, and understand her doings; bel
lows Notwithstanding across the room, chairs were
dumped down on the floor, and poor Gambouges
oil and varnsh-pots went Gathering through the
windows or down the stairs. The baby roared
all day; and Simon sat pale and idle in a corner,
taking small sup al the brandy-bottle, when
Mrs. Gambouge was out of the way.
One day, as he sat disconsolately at his easel,
furnishing up picture of his wife, in the char
acter of Peace, which he had commenced year
before, he was more than ordinarily desperate,
and cursed and swore in the most pathetic man.
ner. ooh, miserable fate of genius - cried he,
''was l, a man of such commanding talents, born
fer this! to be be bullied by fiend of wife; to
have my masterpieces neglected by the world,
or sold only for a few pieces Cursed be the
love which has misled me; cursed be the art
which is unworthy of me- Let me dig or steal,
let me sell myself as soldier, or sell myself to
the devil, should not be more wretched than /
am now -
F'Quite the contrary" cried small, CHEEKY
voice.
..What % exclaimed Gambouge, trembling and
surprised. s'Whose theres-where are you?-
who are you?"
''You were just speaking of me" said the
voice.
Gambouge held, in his left hand, his palette;
in his right, a bladder of crimson lake, which he
was about to squeeze out upon the mahogany
'Where are you?" cried he again.
'S.q-u-e-e re" exclaimed the little voice.
Gambouge picked out the nail from the blad-
der, and gave squeeze; when, as sure as l am
living, little imp spirited out from the hole upon
the palette, and begun laughing in the most oily
and singular manner
When first born, he was a little bigger than a
tadpole; then he grew to be as big as mouse,
then he arrived at the size of a cat; and then he
jumped off the palette, and, turning head over
heels asked the poor painter what he wanted
with him.
The strange little animal twisted head over
heels, and fixed himself at last upon the top of
Gambouge's easel-smearing out, with his heels,
all the white and vermillion which had just been
laid on to the allegorc portrait of Mrs. Gam
bouge.
"What!" exclaimed Simon, sis it the
EXACTLY so, talk of me, you know, and [ am
always at hand besides, | am not half so black
as l am painted as you will see when yon know
me little better.''
"Upon my word" said the painter, sit is
very singular surprise which you have given me.
To tell the truth, did not believe in your exis-
tence."
The little imp put on a theatrical air, and, with
one of Mr.. Macready's best looks, said,-
"There more things in heaven and earth, Gam
bogio,
4 a,,I ~
Gambouge, being Frenchman, did not UNDER
stand the quotation, but felt somehow strangely
and singularly interested in the conversation of
his new friend.
Diabolus continued: "You are man of merit,
and want money; you will starve on your merit;