The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-03
FUNcHER r.


FUNcHER.
Poor FuncherI Every blast that nips
me brings reminiscence Of him.
He was the artist we read about. In
the first place he was as poor as rat in
black vault.
Not unlike him either, for he lived In
golden realm, half the time without
bread and butter, and nearly all the
time forgetting the want of 1t. Certainly
all the time Disgusting the want of 1t
with ingenuity OF creative mind that
could make everything at will except
food.
Well, of course, he was genius.
Even Di Vinei Vert who plodded on to
fortune In the next studi0-and was
only saved from hating him openly by
the providential fact that Funcher's
genius would not sell his pictures-ac-
knowledged that much.
l think his cup of happiness would
have run over ii there had been nobody
to buy pictures. The only real, biting
misery OF his life was the necessity
which his art imposed, and perhaps the
difficulty which his method presented,O ,Oi
parting with his work tor money.
l remember they hung his first picture
in the corridor OF the Academy, between
barn-yard photograph and mono-
chrome Venus. The crowdslswept past
it disdainfully. 1t elected every form
of pititul contempt from the idlers. But
now and then it fastened on the memory
of visitor and haunted him afterWard.
1t went back to his studio, and stood
| there in the glory of its gold frame, sur
rounded by all its pfemonitions OF
study, fixed revelation-ior Funoher.
He had cut the press notices out and
pasted them in q strip beside it, because,
ne said, they were accurate reflections
OF public opinion. The authoriLiYe con-
demnations never moved him.
Isuppose that Academy picture hung
there year. 1t got to be as familiar to
| US as the pinched fellow himself in his
dabbled yelveteen jacket and absurd
Chinese slippers. SOmerville managed
now and then to work OF a color and
in tobacco and tube-colors. He had
painted clever imitation of wood
ire upon a piece Of canvas, and that,
lifted into the CRATE, did lllusory service
like Colonel Sellers candle. The door
Of his studio was generally kept locked,
and was never opened but in obedience
to two soft raps, followed by loud one.
Thus it was mat he kept out the cus-
tOmary and curious visitors who go
through the studios when other means oil
enjoy ment fail. But it spraDg promptly
open Tor those of us vino knew him. A
little wire affixed to the bolt rang along
the wall and DOWN 10 his easel, and he
invariably pulled it without getting OF
MS three-legged stool.
1t was On4y a month ago that Scott and
1, alter eating hearty dinner at Del
monlco's, and, il l am not mistaken,
drinking a bottle OF Burgundy, Went
| chatterlng loudly and loosely up the
| dark stualo stairs and gave the signal.
There was Funcher ON his stool. He
shouted to us to come in. l recall now
with pang the greedy look he gave us,
as ii our unwonted hilarity would soften
the chill OF his atmosphere. and l con-
Tess with q blush that we rattled OH
about our dinner, without once noticing
The piece OF crumDled soda-biscuit lying
there with his few tube-colors anu to-
bacco, OF knowing that it was breakfast
or dinner to him. Not even the blue
ingers working on Leroically in the
cold-no, nor the extra strain Of gayety
In the thin starved face.
"a curious thing" said he. "Listen
pve got t0 change my signal. Somebody
mas betrayed me. A week ago-rap, rap,
rap! Gomez beloved, and in sails
| well, what DO you thinkp
| s'fertidy and poverty 1.-The landlord p
cried Scott.
..Pusillanimity and painp 1 added.
ga criticW
"Worse," said Funcher, breathing on
his palette to warm has color. "a
| buyerl'
''Imfanousw sang Scott.
| unprecedented lmpudence," I shout
ed, 'syou threw him out Of the window
of courseV
"No," said Funcher, 81 couldn't
throw him out, because it was she."
| "SheT we both CALCULATED with ex.
| cellent horror. "She-e-el"
"Yes, sad as it may appear, she stood
there in black velvet and 1urs with 8
niger behind her, when l pulled the
latch. Betrayed by jingo, said, as
saw the door filled up with this specta.
Gle; and then remembering that some
thing was due to the customs of lile,
l begged her pardon and asked her tt
come in. or course upset my oils anC
trod on my tube Of ultramarine anl
dropped my pipe on newly-laid palette
before l could get the three-legged stoO
out ior her; and the nigger snickered 9
little, which only made me mad, and she
took in everything Sertdtim, as if she
wanted to get Richards 10 make q copy
of it. Then she spread herself in front
of the picture there, and sat looking a
it as mum as a m0nollth for fifteen min
utes."
4 iWho was she?
lWho was sne?
i "pve got her card, hold on"
r Funcher then began to search in ,
china bowl of corks and nut shells ant
toll and buttons and brush handles for
card, and finally pulled it out OF hi
trowser pocket, doubled up and dirty
j. with no less than three memoranda
marked on it with charcoal and pencil