Maryland free press., 1867-03-21
The Poor Painter.

in spite of his age and poverty, for Sam
ucl was almost forty, and had no other
means of livelihood than that of painting
signs and house decorations, kind of or :
namentation common in Germany. UD-
dcrsized, hunchbacked extremely ugly, and
moreover, suffering so badly as not TO be
able to pronounce two sylables,' consecu-
lively, it may easily be supposed that he
was the butt of his fellow pupils, and that,
whenever any practical joke was to be
played in the studio it was always levelled
at Samuel. Jeered at by his companions
tormented by his masters wife, who could
not forgive his being admitted into the
studio gratis. and having nothing for his
meals but black bread, ,s(and sometimes
not even that the poor fellow had no rest
or comfort but on the days when he could
escape into the country, to paint some of
the numerous views in the neighborhood
of Nuremburg. Then he was not like the
same man. His downcast melancholy
look passed entirely away as he sat upon
the grass, his portfolio upon his knees,
trying to catch some of those admirable eff
fects of light which he excellcd in produ-
cling. After spending the day in the man.
ner, he returned to Nuremburg, but did
not mention in the stu.io his excursion OF
the day before, still less did he show the
sketches he had made.
Except on these rare occasions OF his
visit to the country, Samuel arrived at the
studio every day at dawn, and remained
there until nightfall. He then returned
to his garret, and reproduced on canvass
the views he had sketched in the country.
To procure himself brushes and colors, he
imposed upon himself the hardest priva-
tisns.
Three years went on this way without
Samuel having bctterd his condition in the
smallest degree, or either his master Or
his fellow pupils being aware of the night
labors which he had been pursuing. How
he succeeded in preserving himself from
death considering the privations he had
to endure, is mystory.
One day, however, he fell i'll; violent
fever seized his withered frame, and for
nearly a week he remained lying on his
pallet, without any one coming to take
compassion on his suicrings. With burn
ing brain, and feeling that he was dying,
abandoned BY all, he took desperate res
olution; he rose took under his arm the
last picture he had painted, and stage sered
toward the shop of a broker, in the hope
of selling it at any price. 1t 81 happened
that he had to pass in front of / ouse
where a great numbof or persons we're as
semblcd. He found that sale by auction
was proceeding, the property consisting Of
arts collected by oonmoiSSeW with endless
trouble during thirty years, and as usually
happens, sold and disposed of without re-
morse by the inheritors of his wealth after
death.
Samuel went to one of the auctioneer' S
men and after great entrcaty, succeeded
in persuading him to slow the picture
which he carried under his arm to be ru
up for sale with the other works of art
One auctcneer estimated its value at three
thalers.
Good" said Samuel to himself, "that
will buy ne food for at least a weck--ii
I am fortunate enough to get a purchaser
"Three thalers going for three thalers
Will nobody make en- advance on three
thalers?"
Nobody answered.
'O," murmured poor Samuel, "nobod,
will buy it! What is to become of me
And yet" he added, "it is my best worl
l have never never done better. The al
passes through my foliage of my trees, an,
one who may see that the trees move, rus
, tie and murmur. The water, is limpid j
is the Pregneitz, beautiful, pure and clear
There is life in the animals coming dowr
to qucnch their thirst in it. And in th
background what an admirable view
: The Abbey of Ncwbourgh whence th
monks have been driven out, and which
fear me much, will be demolished by it
new proprietor; for what will the good Lu
thern do with an Abbey and belfry?'
, "Twrnty-fve thalcrs," said a weak, DIR,
voice, which made Samuel, start, and stu
} piied him with joy.
He raised himself upon the tips of hi
toes, to see if possible who had pronor nee
t thrice blessed words. Surprise! 1t wa
the broker towards whose house Samnc
was making his way, when. his good ange
had inspired him with the idea of gettin
his picture put UP at auction.
Fifty thalers," cried loud voice.
| Samuel would willingly have embrace
the big man dressed in black, who utterc
, these two words. ....
"A hundred thalcrs," coughed til
ready little voice of the broker
: "rwo hundred"
> "Three hundred"
I -Four hundred"
ga thousand thalcrsn'
A long silence followed among the per
sons present, who stood facing each other
| like two combatants Samuel though
e himself dreaming, and uttered confuse
, excamations.
Two thousand thalers," said the broke
: with short forced laugh.
r '"Ten thousand" cried the big man, hi
face getting purple with rage.
" Twenty thousand" cried the broker
, pale and feycrish, clcnching his hands
ard swaying himself with a couynlsig
movement
The big man sweating and putting, bel