Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-28

| - other tribute of re-
spect from some admirer, hence was very
much elated, even after the man reminded
me that there was dollar and half express
charges on the box.
| AS / am the unfortunate victim OF the
ripe persimmon habit, parted with the dol
lar and half, and then with wild yelps OF
| Joy and a borrowed Ratchet, l proceeded to
| tamper with the upper crust Of the box.
Then / recoiled, and I will state, in the in
terest of science, that my recoil very much
exceeded my propulsive velocity. In my
anguish / used strong language, for there
were no persimmons or other dellcacles IN
the box. 1t contained an alleged oil paint
ing and letter from Satterlee Y. Jones, OF
Cottonwood, Ark. darted out Of the house
to recover the dollar and a half from the
driver, but, alas he had swum off, so to
speak, with the assets.
Mr. Jones, who is one Of the leading art
lists of Cottonwood, writes me as follows:
ALEX. z. SWEET, ESQ., New York City
Ny Dear Sir: L send you beautiful oil
painting, real gem, executed entirely by my
self. As you Will observe it is landscape.
My object in sending you this gem Is TO en-
able you to compare it with imported paint
ings on exhibition in your city. My friends
| here say that it can not be equalled by any OF
the old masters in New York.
Eyou encourage me TO do so, shall move to
New York in the spring. / am sure / would
enjoy myself very much painting little bits OF
scenery on the Hudson, rocks and trees and
the like.
WhatI want is your candid, not your candied
opinion, Mr.. Sweet.
Yours truly,
SATTERLEE v. JONES.
Immediately sat down, and Selling my
hxyf ba
Jones as follows:
Ny DEAR SIR: Many thanks for your
kindness in sending me the work Of art, on
which there was dollar and half unpaid
express charges. While am not an artist,
still l am not entirely artless, so to speak
Your little picture is undoubtedly gem,
and l congratulate you on your success as a
gemist.
A well-executed picture like the one be-
fore me is perpetual teacher of refinement
A silent influence ever goes forth from a
picture of that class. We feel it's force and
we order our lives accordingly 1t grows
into ones soul and leaves dreamIike pleas
ure which years of hardship and toll can not
obliterate. You can send back the dollar
and half by postal note or money order.
Thanking you again for the confidence
bestowed on me, and hoping to hear from
you soon, remain, yours truly,
ALEX E. SWEET.
P. 81 was just about to mail this let
ter when | received visit from my old
friend, Prof Mahlstick, of the National
Academy of Design. Besides being one Of
the greatest Of living painters, he is a
recognized critic on all matters pertaining
to art. Thinking you would like to have my
favorable criticism corroborated by such
high authority, submitted your picture to
him. He examined itcarefully, and turning g
it over looked on the back and asked:
Well, what is it?''
After telling him that the unpaid ex-
press charges alone were one dollar and
half, 1 explained that it was landscape,
but he evidently did not believe me.
He insisted that the ecru colored mount
ain in the background was dromedary, and
he called my attention to its four legs.
maintained that it was mountain, but the
professor said he had heard of the foot of
mountain, but no mountain ever had four
legs. He rather got the better of me in the
argument. Think you must have inadvert-
emily painted the legs on that mountain. l
know it placed me in very awkward posi-
ton, ard the professor even intimated that
l didn't know any more about art than you
do, which is rather tough on me. Iwlsh
you would be more careful in the future
where you put your legs.
We had another dispute about the two
trees in the foreground. He could not uD-
derstand why two men should stand on their
heads and wave their legs around. He
evidently mistook the limbs of the tree for
the legs of men standing on their heads.
He wanted to bet. but when thought of
that dollar and a half l hedged.
The professor is not quite satisfied with
the cow. She is leaning back on her tail,
and no real cow does that, hence he con-
Guided that it must be kang CARGO, although
the horns bothered him somewhat. He said
that he would compromise and take the sup
posed cow for ship, but when he observed
the absence of spars he chung TO the kan
CARGO theory, although, seen from one
stand point, it looked like the execution of
Charles l.
The professor also expected me to tell
him what was the meaning of the big red
dog on the roof of the house, and what the
mashed-raspberry wagon wheel was doing in
the sky, that is If the rag carpet in the back
ground is meant for the armament.
l told him that the red 6ogwa bird, and
the cart wheel was the setting sun. Am L
right about til Let me know about it when
you remit the dollar and half unpaid ex-
press charges.
In criticizing the picture, Prof. Mahl-
stick said something about the superfiuity
Of the inconsistent coloring within the con-
fines of the foliage on the left marring the
toot ensemble, while the chiara oscuro was
altogether too a la mods and dc trop.
Perhaps you know what he means by
st,ae brsa + ln,f%
ever came to being an artist was when
my father proposed TO apprentice me to a
painter and glazier.
When l spoke to the professor about your
coming TO New York and painting rocks
and bits of scenery on the Hudson, he
yawued and said:
"Y-a-a-s, patent medicine ads, ! sup
pose"
l asked the professor if he couldn't give
you any hints, and he told me to write you
10 get treated for color blindness, and TO
buy cheaper canvas; so you see, Satterlee,
he takes considerable interest in you. He
also said something about painting your
nose, but forgot what ii was. However,
be did say that your landscape reminded
him of "a busted vermilion factory"
also questioned professor in regard TO
your drawing. After examining once
more very critically the drawing in your
landscape, he said that he tad no doubt but
that your chances for drawing a turkey at
a rattle were as good as anybody elses. In
regard 70 what he called technique Of
your landscape, bis criticism was less favor
able. He said that you didn't know as much
about ''tecniquen as double nose pointer
knew about the refraction Of light: and he
suggested that you devote your time 70