Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-31

| Tres. fC.iSS Salst nat he would soOL De4
ieissonnier on ya.ues.
Meanwhile the painter, intoxicated by
iuch sudden g )od-look, lost his head
Hitherto he hed been living shabbily
,nough, ana ne did not know how to re
strain himself in regard to luxuries.
| Abraham melted him to follow the dis
astrous path which he had already begun
to tread. He had made him large ad
vances to start with, and the painter had
rented and furnished on credit sumptu
Gus residence in which two illustrious
| artists had lived. The memory of these
| great masters seemed good luck in Ara
hams opinion. Like all those who art
| accustomed 10 dare fortune he was quite
! 5uperstitious
And in order that the painter might bs
able to meet all the expenses Of his new
installation, the merchant tripled the
brices he paid him. What did it matteri
'roixvet was an inexhaustible mine OF
wealth. At the auction rooms Of the
Hotel Drouout, the craze among the anna
| teurs had become so strong that il resem-
bied fury; they literally tore 'he young
painters pictures ont OF ca, Ia other 5
hands. All other painters Wee ignored:
at the Hotel Drouot the people asked only
for Croixyet. Hasty as it was, the paint
ers capacity for production did not equa,
the demand. Moreover he wasted goos.
deal Of time. He was enjoying his good
fortune without restraint, esery day add.
ing new obligation to his previous debts
Gold melted in his pockets. Besides his
Paris residence, he wanted a villa in the
country. He got it, and thus piled an
other heavy burden upon his shoulders.
But while Abraham has made first
rate speculation on Croixvet, his OPERA
4 tions IN regard to other painters, whose
talents he had overestimated. were far
less lucky. He had wanted TO force glory
upon them and failed
| Canvasses surreptitiously put up at auc-
tiOn and bought in at a high price by
Abraham, were left upon his hands He
lost great deal Of money upon what was
called the vanilla ice cream school n
This is the school of painters who made q
speciality Of scenes Of domestic life of the
/ eighteenth century. Their work, very
painstaking and exquisite, remark
able for excessive minuteness Of fin.
tsh, really somewhat resemble chrome
Autographs. Now art does not lis
In perfection Of detail; it lies rather in tho
harmony Of the whole composition. After
brief period Of popularity the vanilla ice
cream school passed into oblivion. Abra-
ham, who had made several binding con-
tracts and speculated heavily upon some
OF these painters, was a severe sufferer.
What could he do, There was Croixvet,
who owed him nearly 800, 900 francs. Abra-
ham proposed to him to redeem his debts
He should not have to deliver him there
after more than one out of every two
Throttled by pecuniary necessity, the
painter at first protested, refused, and
finally yielded.
| Thus left to himself the painter soon
overworked himself His pictures multi
piled. The offer became almost equal to
the demand; and a slight depreciation re-
suited. Croixvet did not perceive the dan
ger. He continued to live luxuriously;
but he had NO longer the prodigal Abra-
ham at his elbow to supply him with
money. He fell into the hands of usurers.
One Of them, who operated in partnership
with an auctioneer, made him several
large loans. The painter put his signature
to everything and anything they asked
him to sign; he was like q man with
stone tied to his feet, and thrown over
board into the sea.
Before Croixvet was drowned, however,
Abraham himself went under. The great
financial smash Of 1852 came. Most of the
picture dealers caught in that financial
tempest needed money badly. Many still
had pictures which Abraham had sold
them under contract to take them back
again ct large advance. They compelled
him to execute his contract He paid up
like an honest man, pledging the best part
Of his stock in order to redeem valueless
pictures = vanilla-ice cream school ere
ations, which had 80 deprecated in value
that nobody wanted them. He sold his
stables, his real estate. and honored his
signature. But when all was paid I'D,
Abraham found himself poorer after
his long campaign of speculation
than he had been before going into
&. Finally the sinister prediction
II the gentleman who was at
the Hotel Drouot the day that Abraham
paid q, 600 francs for q Delacroix was real
ized. The thing was really run into the
ground" the smash had come; Abraham
was too bold gamester.
| Croixvet survived the catastrophe two
years. He battled desperately with his
usurers before they succeeded in binding
him hand and foot, hard and fast. Then
they executed him. The sale Of his effects
was great disaster. Scarcely any an
nouncements were made. The auction
was almost secretly held in the courtyard
Of the painters residence. Everything
was bought in by the usurer Far, partner
Of the auctioleer, and by another thief
named Farel, q constable. After the
smash-up these men found themselves
| q possession of all the securities
| or their loans, and that at .
mere nominal cost. Having first taken
everything from the man, they then took
the man himself. An Intermediary pro-
posed to Croixvet scheme for paying all
his debts in q certain number Of years
CrOixvet to receive an annual pension OF
%, 900 francs, and to deliver all his pictures
to the agent, who should be responsible
for his debts. In desperation Croixvet ac-
cepted the proposition. He never suspected
that he thus bound himself to work for
the very men who had ruined him.
You need not, therefore, feel in the least
surprised if some constable or auctioneer
should offer one of these days to sell you
paintings by Croixvet. The auctioneer
painter as complete As the government
monopoly Oi tooocco. nc = thcr PfoPeIty.
They feed him; and he makes them rich
New Orleans sTimes-Democrat Translation
from Figaro.
Courts o. Love and Learning"
lHarper's Bazar.l
! Centuries ago. when Abelard held sway
q noted teacher of philosophy, rhetoric
and theology. taste for poetry sprang
up. and was sometimes carried to excess;
every lads eminent for rank " beauty
must needs have . poet at her feet, aud.
too. ladies had their courts of love" and
-trials of wit At these remarkable
gatherings poets were challenged to come
forth and recite their verses Then