Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-23
A GEORGIA MERCHANTS d.
LErfMa.
His Hospitality Barred by Picture
of the Fraudulent President.
From ne Ne,r YORK sun

CIN1h me Heh loFh N""'
ATLANTA, GA. Nov. 20.-A curious
story is circulating here about Mr.. Hayes,
OF Ohio, aud his late visit TO Atlanta. Mr..
NJ. G. Kiser, wealthy merchant, who
has palace on Peachtree street had
large space on his drawing room walls,
which he was anxious to fill with PFC
lures. About year ago ne employed
Mr.. }. II. Moser, local artist, to paint
him pictures of the Presidents of the
| United States. > be heads were about
) by 10 inches each, inclosed IN gilt
panels about II by Is. The artist pro-
ceeded with his work without Interrupt
| ton until he had finished painting Pre~i-
| dent Grants portrait. Then a struggle
| began between the partisan and the art
lst. Mr.. klser insisted on having like
ness OF Mr.. Hayes. of Ohio, painted in the
adjoining panel of such small size as
would express his thorough contempt for
the usurper. in the next panel he wanted
a painting of Mr.. Tilden fully one-third
| larger than any other head on the board.
The artist demurred, but the partisan
/ persisted. Three separate times was
| the painted head of the unhappy Mr..
| Hayes OF Ohio, rubbed out and reduced in
size, until it was hardly larger than
hickory nut. MIR. Kiser, with growing
exultation, then had Mr.. Tilden's picture
painted abnormally large. The faces OF
Garfield, Arthur and Cleveland were
next painted regulation size. The artist
was discharged, the painting put up, and
an artistic triumph scored for Atlanta.
| These pictures attracted so much atten-
ton that church festival was held one
night In the house, and ten cents admis-
| sion was charged to see the pictures of
the Presidents. The hickory nut fac
smile OF Mr.. Hayes OF Ohio, was derided
/ by the passing parishiOnerS.
W lille Mr.. Hayes, of OHIO was here, at
tending the Prison Congress, Mr.. Kiser.
being leading citizen, was thrown
much in his company. Mr.. Hayes, of
Ohio, talked in Kiser's Sunday school,
and Mr.. Kiser became enamored of the
| fraudulent President. Being a most hos
| pltable man, he was deslrous of inviting
Mr.. Hayes, of Ohio, to his home, when
ne was suddenly confronted by the men,
| DRY OF the partisan picture. To force the
crisis, Mr.. Hayes, OF Ohio, expressed
desire to visit his new-made friend at
his home. Mr.. Kiser went into a perfect
perspiration. Friends were consulted as
to what was best to be done. One gentle
man suggested that Mr.. Kiser secure the
services ofMr. Mauk, a well-knOwn house
painter, who wieids an active bru-h. and
have Mr.. Hayes d minutive head enlarged
| INTO respectable proportions. The o0jec
ton TO this WAS that perhaps Mir. Hayes,
of Ohio, might pat his own picture with
his finger and discover that the paint
was still wet. This plan involved, too,
the pairing down of Mr.. Tilden's head,
which in aggressive size looked uuwink-
| ingly at the little head Of his rival. Some
one else suggested that a magnifYing
| glass might be put in front OF Mr.. Hayes
| picture, so that it would appear to be even
larger than MIR. Tilden's; but as no con-
cave magnifying glass could be found,
| this plan was )andoned.
The desire OF Mr.. Hayes to see the in
terror OF Kiser's home was not gratified.
Mr.. Kiser's pressing and abundant hos
pitality on the streets, in the Sunday
schools, rest aurants and hotels, must have
| caused Mr.. Hayes, of Ohio, to wonder that
| it did not extend to his own house. He
was frequently driven past it, and saw
| that it was one OF the handsomest houses
in The city. Not until be reads this &C
count will he understand why he was not
invited to put his distinguished legs I'M
der Mr.. Kiser's table.