Butte record., 1854-05-06

wretchod aspect, prevailed on him to al
low the piece to be offered at auction.
The price at which be estimated its worth
was three thalers. ''Let it 60" said the
artist to himself; ''the money will pro-
cure me bread for a week-if purchas-
er can be found.''
The picture was examined and criti
cised by many persons. The exhausted
and anxious artist stood apart. At last
it was sut up for sale. The monotonious
voice of the auctioncer repeated Sat
three thalers-who will buy it At
three thalers ~ There was no response.
The stricken Samuel groaned, and bur-
led his face in his hands. 1t was his
best work The salesman called atten-
ton to its beauties. "Does it not seem,'
he said, ''that the wind is really stirring
the foliage OF those trees, and that the
leaves bend as they glitter in the sun =
How pure ard crystalline is the water
what life breathes in the animals that
come to drink at the stream; and the
Abbey Of Newbourg, with its fine build
ings, and the village in the distance," sc.
" twenty-five thalers,n said a dry
weak voice, and the sound startled Du-
hobret from the stupor of despair. He
raised himself on his feet to see whose
lips uttered the blessed words 1t was
the picture vendcr to whom he had first
thought Of offering his work.
Fifty thalers !" cried another sono-
rious voice. The speaker was large
man, dressed in black.
GA hundred !" responded the picture
dealer, evidently in a considerable vcxa-
ton. His adversary was equally prompt
"Two hundred thalers -
"Three hundred -
"Four hundred ~
GA thousand ;"
There was silence among the spccta-
tors, and the crowd PRESSED eagerly
around the opposing bidders, who, like
two combatants stood in the centre.
The countenance Of the picture dealer
showed his agitation, i'll spite of his forced
calmness. After d moments hesitation
he cried, "Two thousand thalcrs ~
"Ten thousand. - responded the tall
man, quickly, while his face glowed with
anger.
"Twenty thousand :" The picture
dealer grew pale as death, and clenched
his hands violently. The tall man, in
increased excitement, bid forty thou
sand. The look of triumph cast upon
his adversary was too much for the pic
ture dealer and, his eyes flashing with
rage, he bid fifty thousand.
How was it meanwhile with poor Sam
uel He thought all that passed a
dream, and strove to awaken himself,
rubbing his eyes and pressing his hand
to his forehead, while the contest for his
picture went on
"Onc hundred thousand !" sounded
voice in accents Of desperation.
Gone hundred and twenty thousand
and the devil take thee, dor of picture
dealer"
The discomGtted bidder disappeared
in the crowd and the tall man who had
proved victorious, was bearing away the
the prize, when a lean, crooked, enact
ated, squalid being, presented himself
before him. Taking him for begger,
the purchaser offered him small piece
| of money.
"If it please you," faltercd Samuel,
II am the painter of that picture.'' -
The tall man was Count Dundalsbach,
one of the richest nobIeman in Germany
He tore out a leaf from his pocket-book,
wrote on it a few lines, and handed it to
the artist.
s'Here, friend" he said, 'tis the order
for the sum, which thou mayest receive
at once Adieu" And he passed on.
Samuel finally persuaded himself that
all was not dream. He became the
owner of an estate, and laid many plans
for living at his case and cultivaling his
favorite art as a pass time, when an in
digestion ended his days The pictute
that had brought fortune in so singular
a manner remained long in the possess
ion of Count Dundalsbach, and is now in
the collection Of the King of Bavaria.
fFe5- X iccinr nratt,- ~; RI 81 orrn .ou4h y