The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-10-08

the eXpen5es-so that it was hoped that
the really valuable furniture, including
not a few rare antiques, NIGH. not, all
of it, be scattered TO the winds.
The auctioneer commenced business
at twelve clock. By this time most
OF the rooms were quite full. There
were present-strange etfrontery the
landlord of the villa, who smiled his
welcome to many a visitor who did not
love him; aud also The distinguished
pIcture-fancier, Monsieur Grafton, of
whom mention has been made Just
above. The landlord and picture-1an-
cier shook hands. Why not? Hands
meet in this world when hearts are far
apart, just rs heads arc often uncover
ed by reluctant hands. Language
was given to conceal our thoughts, 4"
and politeness was given us--well,
to conceal the degree of disrespect
which we may interiorly entertain for
those we greet. The landlord and the
picture-fancier lived in the same neigh
than to be candid.
Yet some versions smiled when they
saw the amiable picture-faucier ex-
changing normal, polite greetings with
the landlord. 1t had been whispered
about that Monsieur Grafton, the
great picture-fancier, had tried TO settle
this affair out Of court" and had made
oyertures to the landlord-which had
not been accepted-for the pacific set
tlement Of the debt without sale. Be
this as it might, there was no sign of
pacitication in the fact that the auc-
tioneer had arrived; nor in the handing
about of printed catalogues of the sale;
nor in the marked Lots" which
stared everybody in the face. Still,
Monsieur Grafton looked blandly on
the landlord. And there was, perhaps,
more than q touch of irony in the voice
of Monsieur Gratton-who was a cult
ured gentleman as well as a Judge of
pictures-when, saluting the hard land
lord, he said, in his suavest tones,
Monsieur, je vous souhaite le bon
jour-
And now the picture-fancier moved
about the room-the room in which
the sale was to take place. Naturally,
being picture-fancier. he would look
at the pictures; and he did look at
them, with 4 lazy indifference. From
one picture to another picture he
passed somewhat quickly, with that
sort of unattractcdness which, if ex-
pressed in honest language, might be
summed up in the comment, What
rubbishr' He had moved nearly round
the room, with an air of calm con-
tempt, casting glance on this water
color, on that oil-painting, when sud
denly his eye became arrested by some
object which seemed to claim Just his
momentary attentions; and, standing
opposite a small picture, he felt for his
eye-glass, and then put it ostentatious-
ly into his eye. In another minute he
had taken the picture off its stand; he
had seated himself leisurely IN an arm
chair; he was caressing the picture
with an obvious artistic interest; and
-l~ rr'l.el room-ali who were present
-Wera Ohce-rinS, him
The auctloneer commenced business
as follows: Gentlemen, in the order
of the catalogue, the pictures stand
first for your competition. These pic
lures are not, perhaps, by great artists
names-but you will see that they are,
all OF them, good pictures. Now, here
we have Lot One. (Mensieur Achilie,
please turn that picture to the light,
and Just draw the curtains back from
the windows; thank you) Here we
have Lot One, a really capital water
color by that rising young artist, Henri
Durart. What shall we say, gentle
men, for this very pretty picture?''
And the picture was knocked down
for twenty francs.
lot Iwo," proceeded the auction
eer. swiftly, sis really q fine oil-paint-
inc. by / ecroiX-a grand picture! Shall
we say two hundred francs, to begin
with?"
But sixty francs was all that ''the
GRAND picture could be fiattered into
bringing into the treasury.
Lot Three" now SAID the auction
eer, after a short pause, and apparent
ly looking about the room to discover
it. "Ah! / see that Monsieur Grafton
is admiring it! Monsieur Grafton, "
said the now pleased auctioneer, you
have Lot Three in your lap, and are
caressing it! You will tell us, sir, what
YOU think of this picture?"
And Monsieur Grafton woke up, as
from reverie. He seemed to have
been unconscious of the auctioneer. he
Immediately handed Lot Three, to
one of the assistants, and then relapsed
into calm state OF Indifference, as
though he had forgotten what had in
tcrested him.
This Is small picture by-Ah! the
name is not given" continued the auc-
tioneer, as though inquiringly. Per
haps Monsieur Grafton can oblige us
by telling us who was the painter OF
this picture?'
But Monsieur Grafton simply shook
his head, negatively, signifying that he
neither knew nor cared. The auc-
tioneer therefore proceeded with the
sale.
The title of this picture is 'The
First Streak of Dawn What shall we
say for this clever picture?"
And no one making Il bid, Monsieur
Grafton, the p.cture-fancier. in lazy
tones. Fifty francs. :"
Fifty lr;tucs!' echoed the busy auc.
tioneer. Any advance, gentlemen, Oh
the small sum of fifty francs?"
Aud the landlord of the villa, who
had been watching Monsieur Grafton,
and had seen that he had been greatly
struck with this little picture, stepped
forward and examined it with care
Whether fred by admiration, or by
emulation, or by greed, he decided thai
be would himself make a bid. So, rs
no one else spoke, he looked at the
auctioneer, and said. somewhat bash.
fully ssSiXtv francs.
Monsieur Grafton looked at him quite
surprised. What on earth could h,
know about picture? After yer,
brief pause, and after one look at tht
landlord, he said, with calm confidence
..One hundred francs"
A smile then lit the countenances O
many present. And the smile becam,
broadened into a kind of chuckle wher
the landlord, as though inspired will
fine envy, boldly broke out into
Two hundred francs"
Monsieur Grafton looked annoyed
and not good tempered. but very quick
| " responded with. Three hundred.
-Four" said the landlord, almos
Immediately.