Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-02-02
4 FRRLKN 0FI Fl0lRaTTiNE-


famous engrayer,a Albert \ Dmer, adj
mitted into the art school out of charity.
He was employed ii. painting signs AID
: the coarse 9apse tliy tllsn Used in Ger
:, many As he was about FORTY S~years of
age, small, ,uglE ana lEanfs hacked he
!, was the byitt OF i'll jokes among ahis.lfsl
low Pupils,i and .selected as a Special
object of dislike BY Madame DureT, who
Z tormented the scholars and donestics,
as we'll ss. the master, BY her aaGppicai
= temper.s.iPooB DnhObret had not. a spice
szof -n1aIieeziffs his heart, and not only
bore all his trials with patience, but eat
ing without compfsinS the scanty crusts
given, him for dinner, while his COM
panions Jared better, always showed
himself ready to assist, and serve, those
who scoff at him. His industry was
-indefatigable. He came to his studies
each morning at daybrealx, and worked
till sunset. During three years, he
plodded thus, and said nothing of the
paintings he~ produced in his lonely
chana hsr hss the Light of his lanlp.,.. HIS
p.Dod1ly energles wasted under incessan6
toll. = No -oIfe cared enough for him 70
notice the feverish color in his wrinkled
cheek, or the increasing meagreness of
his mis-shapeR Frame: No one observed
That the poor pittance set aside for bis
midday meal fehiained untouched for
several days, The poor artist made his
appearance as usuHl, and as meekly
bore the gibes af the students or the
taunts of theh1adyy working with the
same untiring assiduity, though his
hands trembled and his eyes were often
saffused with tears ~ u sssors- siss-t5ss
One morning be wits missing from the
scene. of his 1ah0Ts; ands though Jokes
were passed about his 7disapp q, no.
one thought of going to ,, his Ms. .lodgiRgS to
see if he were i'll or dead. He was in
deed prostratea ,7byT the shaE fever that
had been lurking in his veins. and slowly
sapping HIS strength. &c WAS, half de-
Hrious andmuttered Wild and incOherentS
words, fancying his bed SURROUNDED, by !
nnocking demons, taunEng him with his
inabilitys,to call a priest 10 administer
the words of comfort that might soothe
his passage to another world.
From exhausted slumbegs, he ,awpke
faint and with parched lips; it was. the
fifth day he had lain in his cell neglect
ed, Feebly he, stretched out his hands
toward the earthern pitcher, and found
that it contained not a drop of -WsteEssl
Slowly and with difficulty he arose; for
he knew that he must procure susie
nance or die of want. He had not a
kreutzer. He went to the other end of
the room, took up the picture he had
painted last, and resolved to carry It TO
a dealer, who might. give, him. for lit
enough to furnish him necessaries for "a
week longer. 10 ..i,te,,s{,,1
On, n,his way. he passed a house before
which there was greatScrowd. There
was to be sale, he learned, of many
specimens of art collected during thirty
years by an amateur, .iThe.Yearied DUG
hobret thought he might here, find q
market for his picture. He worked, his
way through the crowd, dragged himself
up the steps, and found the auctioneef,
busy man, holding a handful of papers
and inclined to be rough with the lean,
sallow hunchback who so eagerly in-'
plored his attention. .rf.i. 30 - .'...7ss :
{" What do you'oaif this pictufeg g''1s 1she
asked. ss,'..4 80 ,slos,s ~ -
iIt is view Of the ABBEY Of New
Lourg,, with the village and landscape"
replied the trembling artist.
The auctioneer looked at him, hum
med pcontemptuously and asked the
price
aFhatever you. please @whateyer IT.,
viii bring, was the anxious reply. .se1,l
Hem-p-with an sunfavorable 'criti- !
clsHL l can promise you no more than
Poor Duhobret had spent the nights
OF many months on that piece. ,But,he 1
was STARVING, and the pittance offered
would buy him bread He nodded to /
the auctioneer and retired to.a corner.
After many paintings and ,engravings
had been sold, Duhobret's exhibited.
WHO bids2 Three thalers !? Who
bldsg was the cry. The poor artist
neia ms breath !. no response was heard.
suppose 1t should not find purchaser
He dared not look up; he thought
everybody was'kaughingi at the folly of
offering SO worthless piece at public
sale 1t is certainly my best work 2,
he muI9nured piteously to himself. He
ventured to glance at the picture as the
auctioneer held it in a favorable light,
There was certainly beautiful freshness
in the rich foliage, a transparency in
the water, a freedom and life in the ami
mails The steeple, the trees, the, whole.
landscape, showing the genius of an
artist Alasi u He feltsthe, lAstthTob of
an artists vanity The dead silence
continued, and, turning away, he buried
his face in his hands @'H v Ff7'7
"Hwenty.plse tl1alersiH avfaint, voice
called out. The stupefied painter: gave
start of joy, and looked to see who
had uttered those blessed words. 1t was
the picture dealer to whom he was first
to go.
Fifty thalers p' cried the sonorous
voice Of tall man in black.