The weekly Butte record., 1863-05-02

his right haud. This Is rather az awkward
job, for the hero Ct the li,hography has already
sword BY bis side; however. to ohlige Gus
toner. it must be managed. A knife e-ases
the hiit over the scab5a7d. and a drawn sword
Is represented in the hero's hand. When this
is done, the man certainly generally looks as If
he were violating all the laws of war, and Of
fering bis sword for sale. lie seems to say to
the spectator, IT is yours for twopence." An
other man not approving Of the scarlet tint Of
his trousers, suggests that they should be paint
ed pink another, that his coat should be
changed from dark olive to a bright emerald
green, or from Prassian blue to utra-marine
In all cases the artist is most amiable; and if
he gets but his twenty sous, offers his custom
ers choice of all the cOlors of the rainbow.
Actually, then, these pictures, If they do not
give the physical proportions of each subject,
generally represent some idiosyncrasy which
marks the original. Grosjean, desiring to be
handsomely painted, rugged himself out in gala
dress, twisted his monstache into wiry 'crocs, -
and wended his way through Versailles to an
artists studio. II, as he ascended the grand
staircase of polished oak, be had any doubts
whether a painter living in such manson
would do him portrait for franc, the fact of
nv having given him the address would have
sufficed to reassure him for, TO good French
soldier, his captain is inf,lible. The captain
of a troop serves to his soldiers in lieu Of 4
father, mother, banker, friend, and often spir-
itnal adviser If the captain says thing is so
or so, that settles it.
Grosjean pulled the bell-rope on the first
landing, and with patronzing air, asked a
gentleman who opened the door, for ". Horace
Vernet?
Yes, my friend, it is here" is he at
home ?" Yes, l am he" Oh. do you
make picturs?" Sometimes, my friend -
How much do you ask for portrait ?" a
portrait? What do you want with a portrait,
my friend ?" "That's my affair." I'll pay for
it" Oh who recommended you to me p
Why, have heard of your talents, and-I
thought you might as well do it as anybody
else" Thank you" Come in mon ami
Do you know my charges-or thereabouts %
" Yes. l suppose fifteen or twenty sous-that
is, with lots of gold ornament, twenty sous,
eh? Hum ~
Vernet, with a good-natured smile on his
face, showed the dragoon into his studio, where
was his grand picture of the Taking of the
Smaha of Add Ell Kader, finished on an easel.
Twenty sous? that's very little, my friendl'
The usual price, believe" Not with lots
of gold ornament 2" oh yes, I've seen some
you've done for other fellows" " Have you
now?" "Yes; now, monsieur, don't like
bargaining I see by this picture that you
paint well. VIII you do it for twenty sous,
gold and all ?" Z" Make it twenty fve." No,
twenty" How do you want it done -
Full dress, as l am "Wth the helmet
on?" "Qf course" 'Then its impossible :
Not under twenty-fve.r Why p Why {?
just think, mon ami. that red horse hair tail on
your helmet would take at least five sous
worth Of vermion-aud vermilion has risen
in price" Well, don't care 50 much about
the helmet; but you'll do the spurs in gold ~
' Yes the spurs" Aud a gold bilt to the
sword ?" Also" Very we'll, monsieur.
consider it as an order shall | pay you any
thing in advance?' "Oh by no means. See
whether you like your picture first, and if you
don't I'll do you another" Oh, very well ;
but forgot to tell you, don't put me in the
same position as all the other fellows. Draw
me something like this! As if l were leading
on to an attack" 8 But that will cost more -
" Why?" Because there is more work, and
it will take more paint. You see, when your
sword is in its scabbard, it is only one thing
to paint-only the ht and the sheath but
when you draw your sword, must paint the
hilt, the scabbard, and the blade" q Well
there's something in that; but look here.
never mind that, I'll give you twenty two
sous Therel" ITS a bargain. then" said
Vernet come the day after tomorrow =
+" Why not do me now ?" oh. for twenty
two sous l want TO do YOU somewhat stylish
and l must get some new colors.' Very
well don't do it like that chasseur d Antique
in the big picture here the colOrs are SO dull.
There's 10 brilliancy in them-there is some
thing wanting" " Yes, yes no doubt; that's
cheap picture I've done for the Museum
here.
Horace Vernet, relating this part of the ad-
venture, says be never enjoyed an order so
much in his life. not even his first one; the
little pa.ronizing air Of the trooper, and bis
would-be connoisseur-lke remarks about the
big picture, amused him immensely He had
careful look at the particular chasseur DAT
rique whom Grosjean had pointed out; and
indeed be was going 10 add little brillaney,
when he suddenly reflected that the man repre-