Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-01-01
EYE PAINTING.
Account Of a Visit to a New York Artist
Who Covers Up Black Optics.

WE
Account Of a Visit to a New York Artist
Who Covers Up Black Optics.
The young man whose statement
that he obtained his black eye by
running against an open door in the
dark was received with some incredulity
was obliged to repeat this story so Often
that he decided to undergo the opera
ton known as having the eye painted,
in order that he might not perjure him
self beyond redemption. He had q
vague recollection of having seen a
sign, "Black Eyes Painted Here" while
riding on a Third Avenue street car
through the Bowery, and he ac-
cordingly mounted the front platform
Of one of these cars and rode down to
find the place. He found it without
any difficulty inthe vicinity of Chatham
Square, a location where the trade in
black eyes ought to flourish, by the
way.
The first sign, ''Black Eyes Painted
Here" pointed around a corner. Here
another sign on q photographers a S
pointed to q hallway, and On every
landing and at the foot of every flight
for four flights of stairs was the sign:
photograph Gallery. Black Eyes
Painted indicating a surprising versa
tility on the part of the artist. Up these
four flights Of stairs the youth with the
black eye toiled perspiringly, and finally
found himself in the photographers re-
ception room, where two or three young
women and one embarrassed young
man were waiting. 1t was totally un-
necessary for the young man with the
black eye to announce what he had
come for. The eye saved him the
trouble, and the young woman in charge
tend to you be out in a minute" The
other young women giggled, the en-
barrassed young man cheered up a
trifle, and the young man with the
black eye looked as dignified and un-
concerned as was possible under the
circumstances.
1t was a very superior person who, at
the expiration Of a few minutes, during
which the patient held a newspaper
before his face and affected to be in
terested in it, came out into the recep-
ton room. He did not need to be in
formed what the young man had called
for either, but babe him summarily:
Come in here!" and led him into the
photographing room under the sky
light. ''Take a seat" he said, pointing
to q chair before the camera.
Il don't want my picture taken, you
know" said the young man with the
black eye, and added feeble joke about
looking better for a photograph when
his eye got we'll.
The black.eye artist ignored the joke
and said: 81 know you don't want no
picture"
Then he proceeded to mix up a spc-
cies Of white paint upon a palette, an
occupation that required several min
utes, during which time the young man
with the black eye engaged in a hope
less effort to stare the Photographers
assistant-a dirty boy of the Bailey
type-out of countenance. It was hope
less, because the boy only stared at the
black eye and grinncd. Finally the
~black-eye artist approached with the
palette, and the young man asked:
What is that stufsP"
"That's a secret" responded the
artist.
''Well, is there any danger of it's in
luring my eye?" pursued the young
man. 8
"Naw," said the artist, briskly. ..It's
both healing and concealing. Look up
at the roof"
The young man with the black eve
gazed ~heavenward, and the artist ap-
piled the brush, w%hereupon the young
man inv%oluntarily closed his eve.
"Open that eyer said the artist
sternly, pausing with his brush uplifted.
The young man meekly did as he was
hidden, and the artist painted the face
carefully close up to the lids and for
half an inch below. When he got
through the young mans face felt as if
a heavy plaster was pasted over it. The
black-eye artist brought him a mirror,
and, as the other gazed into it, said:
"Don'tget anysoapo on that, orrub with
atowel. Fifty cents" The young man
found that the preparation was SO near
~ the color of the skin that the fact
that it had been applied was only ap-
parent upon close scrutiny. He ven
tured to ask the artist if he did much
business. II paint about two men
every day." the artist, who was a
youth OF very few words, said. s'There's
always two or three fights a night
around here, and 1 can fix a man up so
v his wife won't know he's been
hurt. You see a black eye is always
worse the second and third days, and I
have to paint it at first so that the dis
coloration spreads underneath. Yes.
1t requires skill to paint a mans eye"
And the young man with the painted
eye passed out into the street, and was
saluted by the young lady in the recep-
ton room with the remark: CHOW Won
look like a white man agin. Next time
you git into a fight you know where to
come.'-N Y. Sun.
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