Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-05-15


deliberately filled large meerschaum,
and, having lighted it, dragged a large
trunk from the bed room. and began un-
tremendously pitching things into it.
The landlord was by this time com
pletely exhausted, and leaned against the
wall painting for breath, his little red eyes
the only signs of the fires within.
| inquired OF my new acquaintance If he
had engaged rooms elsewhere, and being
answered in the negative, asked where he
was going. "That's more than know,
he said whcreupon | remarked that had
more rooms tan | needed, aud would be
pleased if he would occupy one of mine
until he succ, eded in finding some to suit
him
"All right; much obliged, " he said, and
went on packing, as he called it,
And thus it happened that night found
Hobbs sitting luXuriously in my easy
chair, and looking rs happy and contented
as if | were his best beloved brother. lie
made several Intellectual attempts to get
rooms during the following week, being
considerably ham cred by his inability to
comply with certain conditions as pre-
payment
By,the time he had been with me
week | had decided to remain in Florence
six months longer. One of the win
dows OF my sttngroom fur
nished just the light he needed for his
work, so in it he placed his easel NV
evenings. dull ana proftless. were now
spent in pleasant converse with Hobbs.
whom found a most delightful compan
ion He had travelled much and seemed
to know little of every possible subject,
though when he had travelled or how he
had learned so much for he was barely
five and twenty and rarely read anything,
were equally inexpicable to me. be-
came much attached to him; indeed his
genial insouciance, his utter unselfishness,
and his bright. ever ready wit were all
cOnquering. and yet as | learned to know
him better | saw that he had many
faults Foremost of these was his utter
thriftessness He would pass whole weeks
of almost complete impecuniosity, as gay
as lark. living in hap hazard Bo.
hemian way. refusing any assistance.
finishing his dinner of crust and a glass
of water with merry dissertation upon
the folly of high living, and then, pic
ture being sold, would insist upon sup.
per at the most expensive restaurant in
the city, and on such occasions no game
was too rare, no wines too costly, and no
cigars to- good for us, | always pro
tested against such extravaganza but
argument and supplication were alike in
vain, for he brushed them both aside with
wave of his hand, and would take no
refusal And what treat were those
suppers to me! Hobbs, always entertain
ing became fairly magical under the
triple influence of meat, wine, and u filled
! purse.
Another trait that dspleased me in
Hobbs was his inconsistency lie was
very clear and positive in his opinions an
ardent advocate of the truths of Christian
ity, and of strict views of morality, yet
he never went to church, although always
intending to, occasionally drank more
wine than was good for him, and, l re,
greet to add, swore with great vigor and
duency when his pictures were rejected
He, was very irregular in his work,
out touching brush to canvas,
and then for week paint
almost necessarily. lie always seemed
perfectly satisfied with his finished
productions and never saw the
least justice in any criticisms that any
one ventured to make, and yet ne was a
shrewd critic Of others work. He was
always lamenting that he was not ia,
nous. A famous painter, he said, could
paint as he chose. | suggested that ia
nous painters chose to paint well, and
that fame was only to be attained by fol
lowing the methods Of great masters. lie
would vehemently declare that the
great masters might he hanged,
that no man was worthy the
name of artist unless he had
something to say, and was brave
enough to say it in his own way. found
it a pleasant pastime to sit and watch
Hobbs at his work lie was never so alb
| h,t hnt Ia Il s,ll,
and it was ON these occasions that began
to derive my first correct ideas on art foi
whatever Hobbs was in practice, in all
theory he was well nigh perfect. l car
see him now, pausing to turn and brand
ish his brush at me as he lays down his
ideas.
One day, upon returning from my
morning walk | found Hobbs engaged
in painting The portrait of a young woman
while an older one sat in window work
ing upon some embroidery. | recognized
the latter as u Mrs Anstein, the
wife of an old American resi-
dent, and the former was introduced
as her niece, Miss Vernon, just out from
America Miss Vernon was very beauti
full, with delicate complexion, fair hair
and dark blue eyes 1t was evident tina
Hobbs and she had already become goot
lIICLuS, anu 1 w dS lOl lOlS III Cunning "
the conclusion that, rapidly as he worked
her image was being transferred to some
thing other than his canvas with still
greater rapidity. She sat apparently al
unconscious that there was any othe
than purely business aspect to the sit
ting Hobbs talked a great deal, an'
made himself very entertaining and
thought the more so that Miss ernol
seemed all excellent listener. She SCENE,
without the least prctcnse; frank
r confessed her ignorance OF sui
: iects with which many young wome
would have feigned acquaintance, and re
ceived the delicate compliments whicI
| Hobbs ventured AS he put in an eye or
lock of hair rs if she had no doubt of hi
sincerity, but was little afraid his judg
ment was not good.
; Before the portrait was finished Hobb
/ had become frequent caller at Mrs
Ansteins, and not long after he told IN
one day of his engagement to Mis-
, Vernon. AS | had foreseen the likel
| hood of the result ! was not surprised
. and congratulated him warmly, as