The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-02-07

honest labor. The second, while you are
enjoying the fruits of the present, forget
not to provide for the future, for no man
is so secure but that the day may come
when he will want the squanderings of the
past.
Turner's Queen Anne Street nouse.
Weather -staine:. and soot-grimmed
without, the Qneen Anne Street house
was still more dismal within. The gal
lery, where were stored treasures of ines
Unable worth, was dreary and dilapidat-
ed. The drugget, once red, Was gray and
threadbare; the screen was made Of the
black strips of some refuse or "remain-
der;;' the red cloth on the walls. marked
all over with tack holes, had been bought
by turner as a bargain, after having been
used at the Abbey for the Queens coro-
nation. In winter the gallery had lit
tic fire, but not enough to destroy the
dampness which crept IN at every crack
and corner. Many OF the pictures became
cracked, warped and seriously injured.
In one picture great white button of
paint, that had stood for the sun, had
dropped off. Il think some one has
picked it off intentionally" said visitor
one day.
~ think somebody has" replied Tur-
ner, unmoved. Here, in this cherries
little room, stacked against the walls,
hanging where the rain streamed down
the canvasses from the WARPED eashes and
appropriated frames Of the ill-ftting
sky.lights, were collected some Of the
noblest landscapes that were painted,
while in other parts Of the dismal house
thirty thousand proofs of magnificent en-
cravings, piles of drawings and sketches
the rudiments and first thoughts Of fin
ished works-werc stuffed in dark closets,
or laid away in portfolios and presses and
boxes, rotting and molding, uncared for
by any one but the tailless cats that hid
among them. Notes for hundreds, cheeks
for thousands, had been offered again and
again in that gallery to the. ar
fist. He always refused to part with his
pictures there. Eager and grasping to
make money, he showed a strange per-
sistency in keeping certain treasures in
his possession.
Although he left the "Building of
Carthage " to be injured in the wretched
gallery, he sternly refused it at one time
to gentleman who offered G25, 900 for it.
You cannot have it," said he; it is
willed to the nation" This picture was
originally painted for G1O0 for a gentle
man who declined to take it because the
critics were very severe on its character,
and Turner felt great delight in being Of
ferrcd such an immense sum for it after
ward. Nov they cannot have it," he
used often to say. "They she'll never
buy it for money" To certain pictures
he was deeply attached and when induced
to sell them, would go about wearing a
look of great detection. When pressed
by some friend to explain the reason OF
his trouble, he would sorrowfully exclaim,
"I've lost one Of my children this week"
Turner was always peculiar about selling
pictures.
At times he would receive a customer
with the greatest ahability, and easily
make a bargain or undertake a commits
sion; this was when he by chance was in
good humor. At one time. when offered
$1,000 apiece for few old sketch-books,
he proceeded to turn them over leaf by
leaf before the eyes Of the delighted pur-
chaser. well, would you really like to
have them?" The man, with the money
ready in his hands, was proceeding to talk
possession, when Turner, with malicious
Il dare say you would,' suddenly locked
them in drawer and turned on his heel,
leaving the would-be purchaser in indig-
nant establishment. Sometimes, by lit
tie wit and daring, of both of which Tur-
ner had large share, and which qualities
he admired in others, a purchaser would
put him in moment in a tractablc mood.
A rich manufacturer of Birmingham once
determined to obtain admission at any
price to the enchanted house in Queen
Anne Street.
Arrived at the blistercd, dirty door of
the house with the black-crusted windows.
he pulled the bell, which answered with
a queruloQs, melancholy tinkle. After a
long, inhospitable pause, an old woman
with diseased lace, having looked up
from the area, slowly assembled and tardi-
ly opened the door. She snapishly asked
the gentleman's business; and when he
told her in his blandest voice, Cant
let'e in" was the answer; after which she
slammed the door. But during the parley
he had put his foot in; and now, dec!ar-
ing further interuption,h he pushed past the
feeble, enraged janitress, and hurried up
stairs to the gallery. In moment Turn.
or was out upon him with the prompti-
tude of spider whose web has been in
vaded. The gentleman bowed, introduced
himself, and stated that he had come to
buy.
Don't want to SELL" was the answer.
"tlavc you ever seen our Birmingham
pictures, Mr.. Turner?" inquired the visitor,
with unruffled placidity. "Never card
of EN-" said Turner. The merchant now
drew from his pocket silvery bundle of
birmingham bank-notes. "Mere paper"
observed Turner evidently enjoying the
joke. 'To be bartered for mere canvas, !"
said the visitor, waving bis hand in the
direction of some beautiful paintings.
This tone of cool depreciation had hap
Py effect. Turner at once became civil,
even jovial, and the visitor soon departed
with several valuable pictures, for which
he had paid e5.ooo.-Harpers Magoztne
fer February.