Wichita eagle., 1888-03-25
THE FATAL "CLICK.r

j. Angelo Smith was an artist. might
Say, sis an artist" for J. A. is as much an
artist now as he ever was, but be doesn't
cultivate artistic appearances as he used
to, and as my story relates to a time when
he affected all the little eccentricities which
are supposed to indicate great artistic
genius, will use the past tense. j. An
gelo Smith, therefore, was an artist. He
was long haired, sad eyed artist He
wore cloak, instead Of civilized over
coat, and he was never without a soft
SLOUGH hat. His hair was not only long,
but it was studiously unkempt. The hair
was naturally very straight and orderly,
and it cost him not a little care to IN
kemp it every morning and keep it so all
day. But j. A. had an object in all this.
He knew well enough that he couldn't
paint any better for his appearance, but
he also knew that plenty of people take a
good deal of stock in books. Among
these people he knew was Kitty, the
only daughter of rich jeweler.
His leading ambition was to gain
the hand Of Kitty, while hers was to
marry great artist. Thus it
became necessary for J. Angelo Smith
not only to appear like a great painter,
but to also accomplish some actual work
in that direction. He was not at all averse
to belong in the field of art, for he was
rather fond of it, even aside from his love
affair, and he made fair progress. His
chief failing, however, was in figure work,
where SO many ambitious youngster come
to grief. His peasants, or sailors, his
L., IL l-s~
maids, all persisted in assuming attitudes
like figures in a wax work show, and
many hard days work he put in i'm
proving their bad manners. In his efforts
to correct this failing he fell into the use
of photography and made rapid strides in
the direction Of success. The detective
camera was a great comfort to him, but
his heart beat high and visions of success
foated before his eyes when one day he
noticed the following in an advertisement:
''Ihe vest camera is designed for those
who wish to portray the interesting events
of everyday life. 1t is carried on the body
in position for use, and all that is seen of
it is large button on the artists vest,
which contains the lens"
What could be more complete? Every
man, woman and child on the street would
now be his models Their positions would
be the most natural possible, for they
would pose for him without knowing it.
The finest lady in the city or the ragged
est bootblack, the clergyman or the prize
fighter, none could escape him, none de-
cline to occupy position on his canvas.
To rush into store, purchase a camera
and adjust it properly was, in the Ian
guage of the novelist, the work of mo-
ment, although to stick to fact it took him
considerably longer, and to rush out into
the street and photograph everybody he
met was the work Of the whole following
afternoon. Then followed several days
of diEgent labor on his great painting. In
his eagerness to finish his masterpiece, he
almost forgot the real object for which he
worked-his own, his only Kitty When
he thought of this he felt grieved, and re-
solved to call on her that very afternoon.
To load his camera with lightning plates,
to jump Oh a street car and ride to
her dwelling, and to ring the door bell,
was the work of another of those novel
etc moments. Kitty was at first in
clined to huff little and consider herself
i'll used and neglected. She accused him
of being so taken up with his art that he
forgot his friends, and she made very
pretty pouting picture as she scolded him
in rather soft accents for not having
called for whole week. After he had
assured her that she had not been for
gotten, J. Angelo explained his new
with which she was delighted.
After that Kitty played the piano, and the
afternoon was passed in the usual fashion
Of lovers. Before. the hour for parting
had I AnUn1n hiS mind
that the time for him to speak had ar
rived. 1t is useless to go into the details
Of the proposal It was done in the usual
downward, her beautiful brown eyelashes
shading her lustrous Orbs. Her heart
beat wildly. and a modest flush spread its
mantle over her handsome cheeks. His
right arm sought her waist, and, after
two or three struggles with lump in his
throat, he made, with faltering accents,
MS declaration. A dead silence followed.
Slowly she raised her eyes to meet his,
md in another moment the little word
'yesn would have frightened his whole
,urure, but for some unexplained reason,
the wild beating of his heart,
here sounded through the room sharp
click" The spring of that camera had |
ct go. In an instant her face was trans
ormed.
Monster" she shrieked, twisting her
'elf from his embrace ''Villain! Pre- |
ending TO love me only to photograph me
n the act of accepting You. Wretch! |
low could you be SO cruel Gaining my
affections only to promote your art"
And then sobbing as if her heart would |
Freak she rushed from the room j. |
Angelo Smith endeavored to detain her |
md explain; but it was useless. And he I
vas forced to quit the house rejected, |
corned, hated. To reach his lonely gar
eft was the work of fully half an hour, for |
re hadn't nickel 10 pay his street car |
are. His first impulse was to dance sew
raj hornpipes on the mangled remains of |
lis camera, but On second sober thought |
lie developed the picture. 4 few months
fterward he saw the notice of the mar
iage of Kitty with the son of wealthy /
OF musical instruments.
'he had thrown herself away on mil
Free Press.
Ouida and the American.
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