The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-11-30
The Pen-Maker and the Painter.

amassed a great fortune by them. When
he had acquired wealth, DESTROYS of
possessing those objects of art which
denote the possession of refinement as
well as money, he went up to London
to ask his banker what q rich man
should do to furnish a grand house,
which he had just built, best in accord
ance with good taste. Sitting with his
legs under his bankers mahogany, he
said, "Now, what do you advise me to
doe'
"Pictures, statuary and other objects
of Uirtu, together with library" sug-
gested his host.
"But don't know any thing about
these matters; l wish you would tell me
how 1 am to go about it. Now, forpic-
lures, for example, what's up in the
marketp"
"Ah! to what clever artists ] can rec
ommend you! Well, there are Null
ready, Elite and Leslie, for figure pieces,
and some of the Royal Academicians
besides, well enough in that depart
ment; but, if you prefer landscape, l
should advise you to try and secure
some of Turner's works. l think him
superior to Claude himself even"
"Well, well, 1 can try them both.
VIII you please to give me their adj
dress?"
"I can give you the address of Tur-
ner, but Claude Lorraine's address lies
beyond the grave"
ooh! l shan't try him; but give me
t'other fellows whereabouts, and I'll
90 to him to-morrow-him and any
other picture-maker you can counsel
me to employ"
The pen-maker had large deposit
with his banker, who smiled graciously
at his rough customers want of re-
fnement, and wrote down Turner's
address and the usual number of Royal
Academicians. The next morning Gil
lott went off in search of England's
landscape-painter. He found the house,
on the upper story of which the artist
had his studio. A female servant was
sweeping down the stairs when the
square-built, podgy little man present
ed himself, and asked if the painter
man was at home.
EYES," said Peggy, "but he don't
want to see nobody, and I'm not to
allow any one to goup-them's his very
words"
"Stand out of the way, young wom-
an, - said elliott. "Stand out of the
way!" and, pushing her aside, stumped
defantly up stairs.
Finding the painting-rOom door at
the top, he knocked with vigOr, but got
no reply; he then pushed it open, and
walked into the sanctum. There sat
the great painter, wholly absorbed up
on a small sketch in water-colOr, ig-
noring the presence of his visitor and
his blunt SHOW do you do, sir?" Wait
ing a moment to see if the artist would
notice him, and meeting with no recOg-
milton, he walked about the studio, turn
ing the pictures (Which had their faces
to the walD around, and putting them
in shocking bad lights, enough to drive
a painter frantic. After examining them
for some time, he once more tried to
attract the artists attention.
81 say, Turner-that believes your
name-what's the figure for this pic
ture?" Cunning it as if it were dried
Goldfish toward him).
The painter raised his head an in
slant from his board, and said, very
carelessly, "Four thousand guineas."
"And this other to the right" pur-
sued elliott, 'what's the price Of
that?"
"Three thousand pounds" was the
answer.
"And this one on the left?"
Fifteen hundred guines."
"I'll take the three" said elliott.
Then Turner rose and laid down his
pencils.
"Who the devil are you," he said,
s'who takes the liberty to intrude into
my studio against my orders? You
must be a queer sort of beggar,
fancy"
"You're another queer beggar, :" was
the reply; 81 am elliott, the pen-maker.
My banker tells me that you are clever
in your business, and recommends you,
and l have come here to buy some OF
your pictures"
"By George! you are drOll fellow,
l must say"
"You're another, 1 must say"
"But," pursued Turner, "rOugh-and'
ready though you are, rather like you
Do you really want to purchase the can
vases you selected?"
eyes; in course do, or l would not
have climbed your blessed stairs thi:
morning"
"Well, Mr.. elliott, must be frank
with you; when l noticed you in my
, studio without permission, thought i
a piece of impertinence, and, when yor
asked the prices, l thought you did 81
as many vulgar people do, for mere
curiosity, having no intention of buy
ing, wishing only to know what valua
ton put upon my works, and l gave
you price which suited my humor
Two of the pictures are already dis
posed of; the other, the first one yor
spoke of, is at your acceptance for ;
thousand pounds"
81 will take it," said the princel.
elliott; "and 1 want you to make M
three or four others at your own price.
. Thus the pen-maker and the eccentri'
artist became friends, and warm friend
too.
I How a Mans Finger Dropped