The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-05-19
TllEODOsIA BURR.
ursronIo PORTRAIT.


During the Senatorial term of Aa
i ron Burr--1791 and 1797--he wa
one day driving q lonely country roat
in Ulster county, New York, whs,
his horse cast q shoe, and he stopped
at q blacksmith shop to have it re
placed. While waiting the compile
ton Of the operation he happened t.
glance at the door Of the rude build
ing, and saw there vigorous ant
truthful drawing Of his vehicle and
team done in charcoal, which mus
have been executed in very few
minutes. He inquired for the artist
and half-grown boy, dressed in
coarse garments, stepped forward
and said: II did it sir" Burr en-.
tered into conversation with the lad
and soon ascertainsd that, though
wholly uneducated; he was yet unu-
sually bright and Intelligent; that he
was born and reared Id the neighbor-
hood, and had hired himself TO the
blacksmith for six months.
Writing Il few lines on a slip Of pa
per, Burr handed It to him, and re-
marked: my boy, you aru too smart
q fellow 10 stay here all your life.
II you ever want to change your en-
ployment and see something Of the
world. put 4 clean shirtin your pock.
ct, go to New York, and cone
straight TO that address" His innu-
merable schomes and duties of polit-
cal life soon drove the incident from
the Senator's mind, and he was sur
prised one morning some nibnths la
ter, while sitting at breakfast at his
residence Mt Richmond Hill, when q
servant entered and delivered him q
small bundle which had been brought
by boy, who was waiting outside.
Opening the package he found with
IN q clumsily made clean shirt.
Thinking there must be mistake,
he ordered the boy shown up, and in
o moment there entered the black
smiths apprentice, with the slip OF
paper given him as o guide and in
PRODUCTION. Burr gave him hearty
welcome, took him into his family,
directed his education, procured him
instruction in the primary principles
Of drawing and coloring. and finally
assisted him to 60 TO Europe, where
he spent Ave years. When misfor-
tune aud misdeeds had driven the
patron friendless, penniless exilo
across the sea. the protege was ex-
hibiting his pictures at the Louvre
and gaining compliments and gold
medal from Napoleon.
He did all he could TO aid his ben
efactor when they met in Paris, but
though Vanderiyn had won fame,
money was almost as scarce with him
al, with Burr. He came back to
America, painted the Landing of
columbus.p now in the rotunda of
the Capitol at Washington; the por-
trait of Jackson in the City Hall. New
York; and several other well known
work., and died not long since near
the spot where he received his first
encouragement 10 study the art his
achievements had adorned.
Previous to his tour abroad, Van
derlyn painted the portraits Of Burr
and HIS daughter, which have been
made familiar to all through the
lives of the former, written by Matth-
ew L. Davis and James Parton.
This portrait OF Theodosia, next to
the idolized original, Burr priced
more than all else the world contain
ed It hung in his drswing-room ut
Richmond Hill, and whenever Theo-
dosia's birthday came round, after
her marriage to Governor Aston and
removal to South Carolina, il was al
ways brought out for the admirationi
and toasts Of the assembled guests.
When he went to Europe he carri-
ed it with him. and whether visiting
the house Of distinguished gncts in
England or hiding away in Partisan
garrets. the sweet face looking out
from the dumb canvas was over nigh
to brighten and TO bless. He
brought it back to New York, and it
was at his bedside when he died.
From the death-chamber the portrait
was transferred to the keeping of
Miss Theodisia Provost, daughter of
j. B. Provost, Burr's step-son.
There it remained for some time,
and was then carried to South
America by another member of the
family. g ta ~. a&Is sass -
Returning from thence it found
Judgement in the house
hold of Rev. DIR. William L. -Breck-
in ridge, of Pleasant Hill, Missouri,
whose wife was also the daughter of:
John B. Provost. A few weeks since
it passed into the possession of Mrs.
Lucy Breckinridge, of Alton, Illinois,
and is now in the studio of j. r.
Stuart, corner OF Fifth and Olive
st. Louis. The historic pic
ture is on canvas, rather under the
ordinary size for. half length, and
still has the same wooden frame,
painted black and parnished, which
it probably wore seventy years ago.
It shows evidence of age and trav-
ell, but the accurate drawing and
careful coloring for which Vanderlyn
was noted areyet plainly perceptible.
and the soft brown hair, hazel eyes,
clear cut nose and lips, cheeks blush
ing with the palest tint of the rose.
and exqnisitely nodded neck and
bust, recall in life-like reality the
fhce and form of her over whose un-l
known grave the ocean rolls. and
whose story is one Of the saddest
and the nobelst recorded in American
annals.
AN irritable man who was disap-
pointed in his boots, threatened to eat
up ,he shoemaker, but compromised by
drinking . eobbler. S.