New-York tribune., 1890-04-20
BADGERS PICTURE.
THE STORY OF A GREAT WORK.

THE STORY OF A GREAT WORK.
Do you remember Badgers big picture OF a
Nhlist Conspiracy in tine 50 Academy III
was one of the pictures Of the year. by gad sli
that a picture. IT fetched everybody, ana
a Nihilist Conspiracy Then came the order
for the "Convcr.azionc al Burlington House.
and then, Of course, his fortune was made, ana
1 Badger became an l. X. \. BADGER. \. X ~,
cuts me now. used to know HIM very well
We were both members Of the Goose tIup. oi
course that isn't the ri -hi name OF our ciuD-
the real name is the Swan; but We are always
called the GOO>c Club you know, and there are
all sorts Of mysterious reasons ALLEGED Tor II.
Splitter who IS professional wit, and earns
very prccarOus living by H. and IS not member
OF the Goose Club mean the Swan-dccarcs
that its because all our members who are drama
lists invariably get the Guosc: That, in the vie
common slang Of the stage, means that their
! productions arc always Missed. have been told
10 my face, sir. by that beast Grinncr; also n
professional willing. and whom we declined to
/ elect 10 the Goose Club mean thc Swan-Dc-
/ cause he wasn't qualified, for VIC are all spon-
taneous wits AT our dear old pace-that II >
because all our geese are swans. and we swans
are all geese know the real reason. and I've
got it down in my "reminiscences. and when
die they'll be published. and you can buy copy
, and then you'll find II oui.
But 30 come back to badgers masnum opus
| ] gave him tie fip--l mean the valuable hlni
! I'm always giving people GOOD advice, ana thcN Ic
seldom, very seldom. grateful for H.
why don't You do a Tihilist picture? said
! ! 10 Badger one day: everybody nad on NlhlI-
1 ism Just now Nonvc only got io read up Step
it's bound 10 be big thing And then |
strokcd my long gray beard my beard is my
great feature, you know. Eve got rather low
forehead; bat then the anccnts admired low
! forchcad>-tcnui frontc: Horace. iIa. La.
You'd make a capital NIhilist said BADGER
! ] gave him one of my scathng glanccs and
saw that the young fellow sorry for his I'M
perincnce. And tncn the matter dropped
The next thing | heard was that BADGER vas
going 10 mmortalizc the Gon-c tlnb-ihat he had
determined to paint picture Of the thirty mos
celebrated members. BADGER became suddenly
popular.
sit
/ was dcliehtcd | only sat for the face. You
know. and was IN the very centre Of the picture
Badger selected twcnty-ninc other victims. b"
likcnesscS were wonderful. The members actually
fought for the honor OF sitting 10 Badger. ana then
he shut himself up in his studio and denied HIM
self 70 everybody, on the preicncc n putting in
the figures There wasn't one 81 rs who had the
| least doubt that the great picture Of The ''"o>'
| Club would become * cclcbraicd aS lerpuIgS
masterpiece, " The Congress of Munster. W"
| fcli-by we | mean the happy thlriy-fhat We
were already immortal: We felt that Badger would
hand rs down 10 poS'critl a~ representative nights
| Of literature. science and art. We'd have done
anything for Badger AZ that time Wei and
the other twcn,y-nnc immorrals-wcre continually
calling or badecr: but We never could get sight
| Of the picture: he was invariably not M home.
! And then dreadful rumor ran about the Ioo>e
| Club Pncwash. the sculptor. came back from
| ST PETERSBURG. where hc bad been executing
commission and he told u> that Badger hid
painted one Of rs ont and had painted him IN.
| Wei mean ;he ORIGINAL thriv-endurci wccs
of agony till the Academy private view We
couldn't get anything ont ~ Pugwash hc dc
clarcd that he was sworn - secrecy be even pre-
tended that he didn't really know which Of u>
was thc-wcll. Peri Al the gate; for he swor"
that the picture WAS covered up n' seriously with
clothes merely leaving opening in which hi,
head was inserted How All cnvicd Pugwash
He NJ least certain Of immortality.
But was determined 20 ascertain the truth ~
once. Directly the HANGING committee ~ I'urlrs-
ton House commenced its labors, ! called on every
Acadcmician and Associate | knew. They none
OF them could tell me anything about the Goo'r
! Club picture You see. in the ordinary courSr
Of things. Badger would have exhibited hi. great
picture on Show Sunday. month before the opcn-
! ing Of the Academy He didn't. sir: our agony
was prolonged until the very last moment
! thereby there. | mean ~ Burlington
IIousethc instant the doors opened Tor The private
view. had = ticket. tou know. ~ cHurer--l
always have. almost suafchci the rr1frifou~
catalogue with which ! was prcscnfci hi one ot
the gorgeous nflemcn IN thc sc7rlcf gowns who
resemble Lord chef Justices or Doctors Of Music
81 tho University % ONford-a' lcoei fhry ,o -
The private views. to the General public OF
ordinary occasions thcy are only common door
keepers. almost sna'cird tie catalogue. say.
and with trembling fingers turned . tie inlrN
and looked up Badger. Michael Angelo found
1t W. $50. turned u up IN The body of ihc
cat'loruc. and thrill Of anguish and dislppont.
mcnt ran through my breast tn. is what
Icad "r3g \ %,hil.St Conspiracy Michel
great Coos" Club picture had. then. been refused
Al me, The disappointment was too cruel
could have she'd tears: hui the agony felt N
that moment was nothing - what 'va. 80 follow
flung myself down on orc of thc bi, ,"if.cs a'd
tried 10 comDOsc my feelings. ms / did So "
Ahi'ophcl. 'Ac picfurc-dcalcr. catalogue ~ hand
passed ne and gave friendly rod--fhc impulcnf
hcggar usc tho word hcggar in It's asura'iyr
ecnsc. for Nr. Ahii"phcl u.s. rs Won know Dis
grSiinaly rch. And then fwcntvci4hi - m'
intimate acQuainianccs slowly pns-cd me one hv
one: each Of them looked rs if hc was aitcndira
his own furcral Poor fellows hoy fs,mpaili,od
With ihcm' suddenly ! received tnc.ncndou.
slap on tie back il was Pugwash the sculptor
II wasn't wcl-choscn moment for slapping me
on tie back; Turned gioomiy towards l,in fny
heart was too fan for words
What's the matter. old man. said Pugwash
the sculptor, airly have You had your pocket
It'll be an awful blow for BADGER. said J. in
voice that nIght have touched the heart Of "A
stone IL fearful disappointment - us
" Dont be fool, sand rugwash. dragging M
10 my feet iri 5 come and have look af II.
followed him into Room g. 1t Was ;hcrc. sir.
and in front Of II stood Mr. Ahltophcl smilius
blnndy, and twcniy-cight Of my intimate ac.
quainianccs, each with face yard and "a h,.f
long | needn't describe the picture, It's too ,cil
known. | was the central figure. I've nothins
to complain OF 10 the hscncss: tie Likeness
was perfect Ipon that dreadful canvas. sir,
the fire Of genius spaTklcd from my eyes: but
was dressed IN shccpskin coat SIR and = innddS
pair Of bulchcr-boois: in my hand | held an in
icrnal machine, the properties Of which Wa.
apparently explaining - my twenty nine fellow
conspirators. There was SIN il petroleum lamp
on little table in the centre of the picture
which lighted up the faces Of the cons ,irafors
with a sort Of dcvilish Rcmbrhnd cs lur q are
They all wore muddy boots ana shccpskin
Goals
Amt il splendid. dear boys" said Mr.. Ahito-
phel, with a sort Of circular comprehensive wink
TINT took MS all in at once
None Of us answered him.
well. anyhow. continued Ahitophcl, I've
bought IT, and paid him four figures for it, And
you'll find pate dc foic gris and Dry Mono io,c
in Suthcrand-avc. az sharp: and ] shall be de-
lighted 10 see the lot OF You.
None Of MS went TO Mr. Ahitophcl's lunch-nonc
Of rs: we were too deeply grcycd. Norc of
| mean. except Pugwash and he's fellow VINO
would lunch with King Of the Cannibal Islands
if there was plenty Of champagne
." gave him the Idea shouted Pugwash Fri
umDhantly. The accessories are delightfully."-
correct ! brought 'cm from Russia myself
Our twenty mine hearts were too fnll for words
ITS the picture OF the year said Mr.. Ahlto-
pbcl trium phantly.
And il was.
Just then Badger suddenly appeared.
OF course had 10 cOngra ulatc him. I'm
afraid We did il in rather half Hearted way