The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-02-09
A STORY OF A PICTURE.

Samuel Duhobret was one of thegreat Germa
painters, Albert Durer's pupils, admitted into hi
stuulo out OF plty,Eand in spite of his age an
poverty for Samuel was almost forty, and ba
no other means of earning livlihood than tba
OF painting signs and house decorstion-a kin,
Oh ornamentation then common in Germany
Underslzed, huRchbacked, extremely ugly. an,
loIeo'er suffering so badly, as not to be abb
10 pronounce two sylables consecutively. If ma,
De easily supposed that he was the butt of hi
Ielow pupils, and that whey any practical iok,
was 10 De played in the studio it was alway
leVeled at Samuel. Jeered Mt by his COMPANIONS
tormented by his masters wife, who conld no
forgive his being admitted into the studio gratis
ana having nothing for his meals but black bread
anu sometimes not even that 1.-THE poor fellow
hau ~ rest or comfort but on the days when he
couiu escape into the country to paint some O.
the numerous beautiful views in the neigbbor
mood OF Nuremberg, Then he was not like the
same man. His downcast melancholy look pas
sea eniirely away, as he sat upon the grass his
port iollo open, trying to catch some of those ad
mlrable effects of light which he exceled in pro.
9uclng After spending the day in this manner
i ne returned to Nuremberg but he did not men
S'oli IN the studio his excursion of the day be-
lore, still less didshe show the sketches he had
made. .H !-- ~ aII'' = -, ~ ma"
Except on rare occasions Samuel arrived at
tne stuuio every day at dawn, and remained
there until nlghtfall He then returned to his
SaIIet' ana reproduced on canvass the views he
na u sketched in the country. To procure him
sen brushes and colors, he imposed upon himself
the hardest privations.
ihree years went on in this way without Sans
9el having bettered his position in the smallest
uegree, OF either his master or fellow pnpilx he
ing aware of the night-labors which hs had been
pursuing. How he succeeded in preserving him.
sen rom death, considering the great priyations
lie Hau TO endure, is mystery. $50.
one day, however, he fell iii a violent fever
selzed MS withered Frame and for nearly week
ne ne. renamed lying upon his pallet without anv
VIC colnlng to take compassion on his sufferngs
"l'n burning brain and feeling that he was dy-
ing, abandoned by all, he took Under his arm ~
latest picture he had painted and staggered with
II towards the shop of a broker, in the hope of
SEEMING nat any price. 1t so happened that he
nao 10 pass IN front ola house where a GREAT
number OF persons were assembled He found
That a sale by auction was proceeding, the nron.
erty consisting of art, collected by a conpoiseuq
with endless trouble during thirty years, and as
usually happens, sold and disposed without re-
morse by the inheritors of his wealth after his
death. ''''0i Ni''
Samuel went up to one of the auetioneer',
men, and after great entreaty succeeded him to
allow the picture which he carried under his arm
70 be put up for sale with other works Of art
The auctioneer estimated its value at three tha-
lers '
Good said Samuel to himself: 'that will
Ouy me food tor at least week-ifI am fortu~
nate enough to find purchaser =.
The picture was put up for sale and nassed
from hand to hand round the circle. wbiIa The
monotonous voice of the auctoneer repeated =
ihree thalers-going, for three thalers.--
van nobody make an advance on three thalers
Nobody answered. ,a +
, ION, heaven !" murmured poor Samuel: "no
body will buy it What is to become of me ?
And we" he added, sit is my best work
nave never done better. The air passes through
t .te ionase OF my trees-any one might say that
the leaves move, rustic, and murmur The wa
ter is hmpid-it is the Pregntz, beautiful pure
and clear. where is life in the animals coming
down to quench their their thirst in il. And in
the back ground, what an admirable view of the
AnOey q New bouTg with its belfry of fret work
il ~ S lace and its elegant buildings The Abbey
Oh NeWoourg whence the monks have been driy-
en- out, and which, Ifear me much, will soon he
demolished by its new proprietor; for, alas
what will the good Lutheren be able to do with
an Abbey and belfry ?" M
twenty-five thalers, said a weak, dry voice.
which made Samuel start and almost stupefei
him with joy. st-a ,..- -t- I'D -
de raised himself upon the tips of his tees TO
see II possible who had pronounced those thrice
blessed words. Surprise it was the broker
towards whose house Samuel had been making,
ms way, when his good angel Lad inspired HIM
auction. 17S.s "
Fifty thalers,' cried loud voice
samuel would willingly have embraced the
pig man dressed in black, who uttered those two
words. .s.--
"a hundred thalaers," coughed the ready lit>
tie Voice of the broker.
1t was instantly drowned by the voice of the
big man, crying
1.-TWO hundred thalcrs !"
Three hundred I" rr..
-Four hundred ~
"A thousand thaers."
A long silence followed among the persons
present, who ranged thems .lves aroundthe rival
bidders, who stood facing each other like two
combatants. Samuel thought himself dreaming.
and uttered confused EXPLANATIONS 3. -.-.
Two thousand thalers,'' said the broker, with
short forced laugh.
Ten thousand" cried the big man, his face
getting purple with rage.
Twenty thousand" cried the broker pale
and teverished cenching his hands and sway
Ing himself with a convulsive movement.
rather than cried: IN
Forty thousand thalers ~ el.
Inc broker hesitated but the insolent and
conqueTor,ike look of his adversary provoked
him, and he murmured .sr',F I'..r-,
Fifty thousand"
A profound silence succeeded for, in his turn,
the Dig man hesitated.
Dullng all this time, what had become of Sam
aei He had been endeavorinr with ali his
strength to wake himself; for he said to himself
After such dream, my misery will appear
more horrible than ever, my hunger will be more
intolerable
A hundred thousand thalers," cried the big
man.
hunderd and twenty five thousand"
Inc original for the copy; you Internal bro
ker, and may the devil seize you p cried the big
man..
The broker got up and went away in pitia-
bic condition, and the big man was victorious
carrying off the picture, when he saw coming
towards him Samuel Duhobret, hunchbacked,
lame and ragged. The big man took him for
beggar and would have passed him after having
thrown him a small piece ofmoney;but the bunch.
back said to him +? 31'i
When may enter into possession of my
aODey, my chateau and my lands l am the paint,
er of the picture
The big man. who was the Count of Dunkels-
bach and one of the richest Seigneurs in Germa-
ny was not little surprised at The announcement
made to him by Samuel but he drew portfolio
from ms docket and tore from it a leaf, on which
he Wrote a few lines, saving =
here my friend, present this and you will be
put IN possession ofyour property"
Inc poor painter was still some time before
he felt quite sure that he was not under the de-
luslve influence of dream but awakened at
length, he took possession of his chateau sold it,
and determined TO live upon his means, only
painting Tor amusement. There is something of
practical satire in the finish of his life-he died
of fit of indigestion
Did anybody ever hear the story of two bach
elor brothers, down in Tennessee, who had lived
dog and cat sort of life, to their own and their
neighborhood's discomfort, for a good many