The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-06-22
A Fine.Art Experience.


Into one of the large jewelry and fancy
goods stores of Boston walked, the other
day, one of those customers that the hoI-
day season sometimes brings to town. he
was hard handed, loose jointed, broad
in new suit of baggy, ready made
which, although perfectly new, was three
seasons behind the present fashion.
Sauntering up to one of the statesmen
with very obvious attempt at being at
home among the Offering splendor of
the salesroom, and a general air of " Not
to be astonished or done by you Boston
fellers," he inquired:
"Got any brunzes ~
The clerk answered in the affirmative,
and led the way to bewildering stock OF
bronze statuettes, clocks, etc. The visitor
stared at them for a moment as an in
terror African might have at the first
white man he had ever seen, and then,
setting his hat little more firmly on his
head, asked:
Which O. them figgers might be the
Venus of high low"
The trained salesman, with placid coun-
tenance, quietly replied:
81 do not remember any by that title;
are you sure that was the name?"
The patron of the fine arts drew large,
yellow silk handkerchief from his hat,
and, hopping his face uneasily, said:
1T mout ha' been ace high, but think
it was high low; Marian sed that eff /
thou't of seven-up / shouldn't forget the
name. The tact u.s." said the puzzled pur-
chaser, with sudden burst of confidence
the fact is, Cap, hev just put up new
tenment down to South Higginsboro', and
Maria lowed she'd like a brunze IN the
keepin' room, suthin' like what she seed
once in Cousin Sam Stiffner's parlor on
Beacon street. Cousin Sam he writ the
| name on a card, n praps I've gOtit now !"
and, diving into his breast pocket as if he
| was to unsheath two-handed sword he
lugged out long pocket book, from the
| depths of which he plucked card and
handed it to the salesman.
"Ahl' said the latter, " the Venus of
Milo. Yes, sir, here is a fine copy, a re-
production by Barbidienne."
The customer surveyed it earnestly for
| a moment, and then said:
Ye hain't got perfect one, hev ye,
| Cap? This ERE one has lost both her
arms and got dents all down her back
The patient salesman explained that the
statuette was copy of the original that
was found in that condition.
| "Shohv' commented the other, and
then hesitatingly, "dont any of them
have any more close n thats This 'ere
ones nightgown pears to have kind of
slipped off on her"
Again the shopman, despite his twitch-
| Tag muscles, explained to his attentive
listener that it was an imitation of an
ancient statue. He, however, cooking his
head on the side, inquired:
"Wall, now, what'll you tax fur her,
jess as she stands?" rapping his bony
knuckles on the bronze as if it were a
buzz saw.
Zone hundred and fifty dollars for that
size," said the clerk.
| "Wha-a-tr' almost shouted the aston
ished would-be patron of the arts; "a
hundred n fifty dollars fur a brunze gal
'thout any arms, and skearce a rag to her
back! Venus OF My Low! Venus of Your
High, should say. A hundred n fifty
dollars! Why, that's half the mortgage
on Brother Jim's farm. Guess Marian
must thought my name was William B.
Astor, instead of John Higgins" and,
fixing his hat little firmer, he made q
hasty exit from the store and struck a
straight line for the Eastern Railroad
Standardization Commercial Bulletin.