Frostburg mining journal., 1882-01-28
Proprietors.
" HOLE NUMRFR. $40
Story OF a Poor Artist.

III uu Arblcle Oh tHo Struggle IOI 6x~
istence maintained by impecunious art.
lists in New York, the Truth Of that
city tells this story: But the hardships
of this calling were probably never bet
ter illustrated than in the case of
young Englishman who had como to
this country thinking, as many another
European has thought, that he would
find America an Ell Dorado. He was
of the lightning artist school, and i'm
mediately upon his arrival in New York
made application to several illustrated
papers for work. In every instance he
found no opening, and encountered
only refusals.
Day after day he trudged about to
the different offices OF the dailies week
lies, monthlies-everything and any
thing-his portfolio under his arm,
begging that his work might only be
inspected. But the refusals were as
persistent as his coming, and he finally
became such nuisance that he was
almost literally kicked out Of the diff
ferent offices.
Finally he sold one sketch to the ed
itor Of a weekly paper. The price was
one dollar, and he was told to come the
next day and got his money. He went
home to his young wife, who had come
all the way from England with him, and
they both rejoiced over his good for
tune. The sky looked much brighter
the next day when he went for his dol
lar, but when he was told to come again
the sunshine lost some of its warmth,
md he went home to his expectant wife
and bread and tea, feeling that somehow
or other fortune had tricked him.
He went again and again for that dol
lar, but was put off each time until he
began to think that work sold was even
worse than work to be sold. Finally
the editor paid him the paltry sum, and
as lie took it with lump swelling up
into his throat and the tears almost in
his eyes, he said:
"I-I had to pay forty cents car-fare
to collect that dollar, sirl"
"Well, what OF that; are you not
still sixty cents in ?" was the philanthro-
pic answer of this most Samaritan like
editor.
But i'll luck was not always in store for
this plucky young fellow, and one day
when he had gone down to Harper's,
expecting to be turned away as usual,
he was surprised that the man to whom
he had applied took two OF his sketches
into an inner room, and after remaining
some time, returned and stated that the
work had been accepted and at once
cave the surprised artist an order on
the cashier. Almost blinded with the
tears of joy that wellsd up from his
swelling heart he presented the order
and received the money without count
ing When he had gotten into the
street he counted it and found $16. He
could not credit his fortune, and going
back to the cashier, said:
"T think there is some mistake,
STRIP
The cashier cog.sted the money and
showed him the order for the amount
paid. He could scarcely get home fast
enough, and when he did arrive he
ordered his wife TO hold out her apron
and slowly counted the bills into il.
Her eyes were distended to their utmost
as she asked incredulously:
"Is it all yoursp"
II suppose there was much congrat-
ulation after that ?" said Truth, to whom
the artist had related this story.
"No, sir" was the quick reply,
"steakp -
In all the bohemian classes of New
York there is probably no other which
affords so rich or interesting a theme
for study as that Of the poor artists,
men and women, whose personal quail
ties certainly merit better fate than
the starving condition in which most Of
them suffer.