, 1873-12-07
CuLTIVATING THE FINE ARTS,

Tho latost development Of taHtc for tho f1nt
erts has occurred within low weeks in Chicago
Madiuon street has becn solicited ~ tho field
though the wonderful succesa that haa 40 ia,
been obtained will probably carry tho buBnost
into all parts Of tho city. Several largo storos
hitherto tcnantless havo within ton days bcou
ronted; and congpicuoualy displayed in tho win.
dows by day are yaBt pilos Of silver coin bright
and fresh from tho mint. Inside these stores
the cultivation OF taste In fine arts is progress.
ing from early morn until midnight. Tho pro.
ceodines in the stores-nt loast in the QUO wo
visitea-1nay bo thus dsso:ihod: On ono s;do of
tho building is orcctod d platform, about four
feet above tho toor. On thin platform arc seated
ut con yonicut distances thros or four cashiers,
each having bofore him G. pilo OF silver hnlf-iol-
lars. In addition to thoBo aro six or eight stal-
wart young mon, each holding long stick like
ablliard-cuo; behind this platform and againet tho
wall are large racks containing great variety OF
prints from photographs, or carla Of tho ordinary
carte uisi!e size. Those pictures represent evory
thing known to pafnting, sculpture, engraving,
and photography. They o.ubraco tho portraita OF
oil The groat good bad aud notorious people, mon
and women, from Cain and Abol, down to Lydia
Thompson and Wilbur +. Storey; thoy furnish
picturon OF laulscapos. from the frosty Caucasuu
mud tue Yosemite Valley to tho Plains Of Abra-
ham md tho Pyramids Of Egypt. Those cards
caa bo bought ut any Of tho Blrect-atauts ut tho
rate Of thrco for dime, aul by wholesale can 10
bought for t;5 q thousand These cards ato ar-
ranged along tho sile OF tno building. III trout
of tho platform, and foucod off from it by u
stout rail, Ia largo spaco for tho visitors.
Tho price Of thoHo cards ia 80 conts
each, and the purchaser, upon dopoaiting
Ills currency to that amount, ia handol QUO of
tho loug tticls, with which ho doslguatos uu the
@all tho particular picture 10 losiros. This plc-
ture Ii then haude1 to him, faco downward. mud
iso is entitled to demand a,.d receive in silver
coin whatever aum may DO douguatod on tho
bacl1 of tho card.
Whom re wore III tho establishment there wero
perhaps sono alxty pcrsous, beslda those OIL
engaged III selling tho pctureB. Tho salo was
brisk Tho half-dellara went over the couutor
Into tho bank quito bllulsly, aud occasiou-
ally 1t was proclaimed that 4 lud
drawn a9, or that D lad got e5, and
We naw ono man who got twonty l4alf-dolIara.-
GU being tllo highest prcmium pail by tho ba uh
Tho bona Jlde character of this el0-nrizo yuu
strongly questioned by the majority Of tho
crowd, though soyeral w4o insisted TINT tho
lucky purchaser WAS one Of tho nanagors
promptly invested thoir own money in yaiu Of
forts to win d lllo aam. In tho ilftooa mnutes
during which wo woro present Ut tho salo tloro
were perhaps fifty pictures sold, aud, excluding
tho $40 oporation mentioned, tho cash paid out
In prizos amounted to GO. All day long the busi-
noss goea ou, mud far into tho night crowds Of
mon and boys wero thoro paying tl,oir mouoy,
t;otting plclureu, aud occasionally dollar or twu
III coin. Wo Lavc described only tho proceed
Ings Which wo Witnessed. va understand thorc
nro ha|f.a-dozon other establishments IN Which
tho sa,ne buslnoss, moro or loss modified il,
form, in i'll full blast. Next week, tho number
will probably bo fifty.
II this business were dono IN Buffalo or Mi.
,aaukae. we mlaAt he apt to call it gambling ant1