The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-03-22

BY MARIA X. Oakley.


and | always thought that this account
ed for my never being quite old enoug
for the world.
was alwaysat disadvantage. though
am not a stupid man. Ny wife says
am not, and she surely should know
who sees so much of me.
My very talents seemed always in tn,
way. My perception of things mad,
me always seem stupider than was
for | was oyerpowered and made silen
by all l felt. l was forever misunder
stood in those desolate days when wa.
bachelor and alone. Now Molly ex
plains me, and everybody understands
her.
But how l anticipate! | am confus.
ing you by speaking of things that came
after, before telling you what came first
Molly wouldn't do so.
Well, / will tell you what came first.
First came narrow, dirty street, and a
doorway with little black signs at the
side of it, setting forth in gold letters
the various names Of the occupants of
the various floors of the house and their
various occupations. My name was
there. Then came four long flights of
dirty stairs, and then came q door with
little black sign on it, and on the sign
some gold letters that spelled "Joseph
Burrows. Artist"
Joseph Burrows is my name. The
little sign proclaimed ME an artist. /
never could get quite used to it, and
wanted to scratch over the word artist.
art student. But that wouldn't have
looked as well, you know. And people
used to call me what the sign unblush-
ingly proclaimed.
Next came the studio inside the door,
where all sorts of odds and ends, dra.
perry, and other bric-a. brac hung about
the room in the midst Of easels and
sketches.
A huge, full-length portrait stood
half.fnished on one easel, and little
painting of wild roses on another by its
side.
One morning gentleman came into
my studio, and gave me the order to
paint the great big portrait of himself.
| had often painted full-length figure
for fancy picture, but never portrait.
You see, portrait was different, because
the original had to be pleased. | was
staggered at the thought. / had found
It quite hard enough to please man
with portrait of his own face, but to
attempt to please him with portrait of
his own legs! Really, it was too much.
couldn't, l wouldn't paint it Why
didn't l say so then? There stood |
quite silent, with the gentleman con-
me. He was very tall. What |
, long canvas he would take! My heart |
sank into my boots.
"Not very busy now?' said the gen.
.leman. / shook my head. "Begin
next week then p Ny breath left me. |
Very well, then, next week. Monday
uit you? Monday, at ten ?"
Monday" said as one in a dream.
he took check out of his pocket-book,
at down at my secretary ian old carved
'ne, ! had bought at a curiosity-shop), |
md filled up the check, saying, ~ sup
pose you'd rather Id begin SOL and left
ne standing with his check in my hand,
IS he slammed my studio door and ran
Town stairs.
/ had wild idea Of rushing after him
md stopping him, giving him back his
check, and telling him that I couldn't |
paint his picture. 1t was of no use he
lad gone. didn't even know his ad.
lress. He had come in unasked, unex.
oected, talked fast, and slammed nv
ioor; spoilt my days work, disturbed |
ny mood, and bound me over to his
will by this check held in my hand:
md, worst Of all, he probably imagined
ne mad done me favor.
Why! | ought to be glad. Here was
i've hundred dollars, to be had by walk
ng into bank and showing this scrap
If paper. But wasn't glad. WANTED |
@ paint my wild roses for a present. if |
could make up my mind to give it to
ny distant cousin Molly, the delight of
ny heart, my constant dream; only
lad never told her so.
put the check away in a drawer of
he secretary, and went out to lunch.
1t was not until was going home at
lusk that / made up my mind to 90
nto the color-man's, to order my huge
canvas. l was aware that | looked
lpologetic, and gave the order in a very
ubdued tone: "Six feet six by three
eet six"
Are you going to paint a mantel.
piece, Mr.. Burrows?" said the color
nan; and | knew he was laughing in
lis sleeve.
The next morning was at work on
ny wild-roses, forgetting my coming
roubles, when there came rap on the
ioor--a most impertinent, obvious, dis.
knock.
/ knew it was the canvas, and went |
% let it in, glancing furtively up and |
Town the entry, to see if any other
was open for the inmate to
ook out and say: "Why what's all
hat canvas going to do with Burrows?''
Again my morning was spoilt. ri
work on my roses with that
great thing in the room. nut it in INV