The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1873-02-22

great taleht, ana without introduction, my
friend, you may as well roll up your pic
lures and burn them in your stove to save
charcoal You know thatY
Rene indeed knew-none better. Lii
turned on the Old man her sweet, frank
Breton eyes, smiling their radisn, graft
tude through tenderest tears.
The saints will reward YOU, monsieur,
in better world than this. che murmur-
Ell softly.
The old man took snuff little nervous
ly. There is one condition ! must make,
he said with triilng hesitation-"one
only"
ASK Of my gratitude what you will"
answered Rene quickly, while he dre~ a
breath Of relief and freedon-the breath OF
one who casts to the ground the weight Of
"a deadly burden.
'ltis, that you will bind yourself only to
paint Tor me"
Certainly Rene gave the assent with
eagerness. Poor fellow it was novelty
so exquisite to have any one save the rats
to paint for. 1t never uawned upon his
thoughts that when lie stretched his hands
out with such passionate desire to touch
the hem of the garment OF Fortune and
catch gieam ofthe laurels of Fame he
might be in truth only holding rem out
to fresh letters
Very well, said the old man quietly,
an l. sol
Renes face, and uniolied his views for the
artists future.
lie used many words, and was slow and
suave in their atterance, and paused often
and long to take ont his heavy gold box
but he spoke we'll Little toy little his mean.
ing CLEANED out from the folds of YER
biage in which he skilliully ehwrapped
it,
1t was this.
The little valuelcss drawings on the PEG
pies sweetmeat boxes of gllded cardboard
had Il grace, a color, and beauty in them
which had caught, at a iair-booth in the
village OF St Cloud, the ever watchful ewes
Of the great dea'er lie had bought hall
dozen OF the boxes for couple o. france
lie had said, Here is what | want -
Wanted Tor what? Briefly, TO produce Pc.
titot euamels and Fragonard cabinets
genuine eighteenth work There
was a rage for it. Rene would unler-
stand?
Rene's dark southern eyes lost little OF
their new luslre OF happiness, aud grew
troubled with a sort OF cloud OF perplexity.
lie did not seem to understand
The old man took more snuff, and used
phrases clearer still.
There were great collectors-dilettant
OF houses imperial a"d royal a"j rrinc-ly
and noble OF all the grades of greatness
who would give any sum Tor bonbonni-
eres and tabatieres Of eighteenth-century
work 10y any one of the lew famous mas
tiers of that time \ genuine, ircontestable
sweetmeat box from the ateliers the Lon.
is XIV, or Louis XIV, period would fetch
almost fabulous sum. Then he again
paused, doubtully.
Rene bowed, and his wondering glance
said without words, II know this But
nave no eightechth-century work to sell
YOU if had, should we starve in an
atuc2'
His patron coughed little, looked at
Lii, aud then proceeded to explain yet tar
ther.
In Rene talent he had discerred the
hues, the grace, the delicacy yet brilIiaucy,
the voluptuou-n.ss and the desinroh,,rc Of
the best eighteenth-century work Rene
doubtless DID other and higher things
which pleased himself far more than these
airy trines We'll, let him pursue the grea.
ter line oil art ii he chose; but he, the old
man who spoke, could assure him that no.
thing would he ~ lucrative TO bun as those
players gorgs an rant dancing
in a bed Of ,ioicts, and beautiful marqu-r-
powdered aud jewelci, looking over their
fans, which he had painted for those poor
little two sous boxes Of the populace, and
the like of which. exqui-itrly finished on
enamel or ivory, set in gold and tortoise
.he.led trimmed with pearls and turbuoise
or opais and diamonds. would deceive tine
finest couuois-cur o. Europe into receiving
them a--whate,cr they might be signed
aud dated
IT. Rene would do one or two Of these at
dlctauon in a year. mot more-morc would