The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-09-04

tered, "Hc will never do it again." The
spark few when the flint and steel hap
pencd to be, once in that mans whole
life, in exact juxtaposition, and that d.
vine flame will never flash any more.
"Confound it! I am out hundred francs!
l don't complain. 1t was speculation.
I must in the future beware pf spurts. l
do not regret having pai1 to see that bust.
It IS all impression, which, brocantcur
though he, did me good
The third bust was q miserable fail
ure, on par with Mucca plaster Paris
cat. a fourth was never asked for The
artist Who had made one 'schef d Guvrc,"
went in time to the mad house, came out
cured, lapsed again into vice, and after
that no record of him was ever kept, the
vampire still retained, $50 the story VENT
the impression he received. You might
have met him at salon twenty years
afterward, and If you had referred any
choice piece of statuary to him, he would
have replied: Yes, it is good; quite the
knack but once 1 saw, in garnet, on a
stained, threc-lcgged rickcty washstand
not worth four sous, the divlnest work
human hands ever produced. Though it
cost me good deal to sec it 100 francs,
and don't regret ii. Sapriste! but she
was finc.'
4 very distinguished parsonage was
having his portrait taken, though he ap-
peared utterly Indifferent to the trouble
the artist was taken about him. This non.
chalant manner, this consciousness of real
majesty, think is inherent in creatures
who are physically gifted. 1t might,
though, have been natural modesty or an
underlined dread of notoricty which had
80 far. perhaps, prevented his noble traits
from having that publicity given them
which they deserved. Still, as highly
popular character, innumcrablc men, and
women, children and nurses, in New
York all knew him at sight. He could
not have walked the streets without at
tracing the most marked attention. The
model, l am sorry to state, did not lend
himself to the situation. 1fanything, he
was too stolid. Perhaps he looked all
the better in his rigid pose, for it was in
keeping with his natural dignity. It
might have been triviality on his part,
but he seemed to direct all his attention
to fly which was buzzing near him. If
he did look at the artist, it was with Il
side glance, as of askance, in which was
mingled the slightest trace Of disdain. the
barcst shade Of contempt. Now, do not
suppose for an instant that the portrait
which was being taken was forced one,
intended to grace that pitiful series. Of
heads, moro terrible than Holbeins
"Dancc of dcath,'' called the Rogues'
Gallery; still it must be confessed that
just then the parsonage whose features
where to he handed down to postcrity
had really no exact volition of his own.
Like some right regal character, though
he might have been king and wise in
statecraft, it was quite certain that he had
never thought it worth his while to pay
the same attention to aesthetics as did
once a Bavarian monarch.
1t was Mr.. Conklin who put the whole
matter straight before me. "For the last
eight years." SAID the courteous director
of the geological department in Central
park, ''that old man has been making a
portrait Of Lincoln practice must
have made him perfect was suggested;
''but do you not think that the attention
Of the sitter might be excited, some pecu-
liar fitting facial expression intensified,
by the introduction-say-ot a knuckle
of veal, or ten pounds Of porter house
steakE every possibly. it might. l
shall be glad to introduce you to the
artist Mr.. Conklin pointed out an old
man of fully seventy, who was gazing
in rapt admiration at the lion in his
cage.
A presentation in form immediately
followed, and Icraved IN inspection Of the
old man $ art work. The artist seemed
Aattercd, for drawing it out from the
waistband Of his trousers Tin which kind
Of handy, elastic portfolio, between his
neither garment and his shirt, he kept his
studics.) he presented his work. On the
backs Of small business cards, Oh little
scraps Of paper, on the margins Of news
papers, his drawings of lions IN many
positions had been made, some OF them
quantity colored. If they were achaic
in feeling, they were at least truth
full. II will get it by and by" said
the old man, chccrtully. at only wants
time and patience. When first began
l could not do it ut all. You sec that
line isn't right, it is out Of proportion.
The lion was not still. Don't consider
that line as belonging to the picture at
all. Follow out the other ono. Lovely
brute is he not? Splendid! Yes, have
been at it a long, very long time. When
l get the lion all right, I am going to
work on the tiger. am sure tn succeed
some day-certain. 1t is such pleasant
occupation and capital chance for study.
Yes, have quito quantity Of drawings
of this lion home. / don't try to draw
anything else. Let IL man keep on max
ing portrait of lion, and it is work
enough. never made pictures when I
was young and am sorry l did not put
my hand to it sooner. l might have sue
ceeded." Then, with pleasant, hopeful
smile, his honest eyes beaming over the
rim Of his iron bound spectaclcs, in Or
der to get better view of the king of
beasts, the old fellow with the artistic
tendency was lost, mingling with the
crowd which surged around the animal
cages.
l do not know exactly whether there
any more to this latter story. It is the
old thing of mcn missing their oppor-
>uoAeASo, oufHOoC' NA"4y VI 10 pAunOOA
through life, and make whole series Of
miserable failures because we have not
found the profession we were adapted to.
That narrowing process of stopping up
round wholes with square pegs must ever
be going on. God only knows if that
chirpy old man, who now, at seventy, is
making drawings of the lion, might not
have had IN him once, many years ago,
all the elements Of a Snyder Or Land
seer. He might have been the master
artist of the century.
Ragout Picklc.-To two gallons OF
chopped cabbage and green tomatoes
mixed put five tablespoonful of made
mustard three gllls OF mustard seed,
two tablespoonfuls of cloves, one gill of
salt, one pound Of chopped onions, one
pound Of brown sugar, celery seed to your