Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-14
THE rRAnp,s xAsrrRprrcr
Most Remarkable Painting by an Amer
lean Artist

| Most Remarkable Painting by an Amer
lean Artist
from Forest and Srreaml
Yer talkin' about material pictur's, but
reckon the one once had beat ANYTHING
you ever sat eyes on, or any one else. But
lost it, and it was the worst slap I ever
had, KNOWN as l do about the price some
pictur's fetch.
In my young days was mighty fond of
hunting, and would let go the pillow tail
!. when my hounds wus yelpin' after fox,
and could set under hickory tree watch
in fur squirrel half day without COM
plainin'. One day l told Sally-that was
| my wife that believed pd shoulder old
Tom and take hunt. But the only thing
could get was rabbit after half days
tramp. When | got home who should l
see but long-haired, crazy looking coot of
a Teller settin' on the grass eatin' what
Sally had given him for his dinner. She
never turned beggar away, but / never
took any stock in tramps. As came up
he said, How de do" like gentleman,
and could tell by his way that he was
nobody's fool, if he did look crazy-like.
"That's fine hare YOU have saws he.
"and 1t wouldn't make bad picture You
had better let me paint likeness of him."
You're pictur painter, hey ?" says 1.
Yes, sir, | am an animal painter"
"Well," says |, I've got pictur' of
game in the house that don't reckon any
one can beat" and SO l went in and brought
it out.
Nonsense, neighbour" says he, that is
very inferior work. If you should see
what can do you will say l am right.
Come, now, what will you give me to paint
picture of the hare SO natural that your
dogs will bark at it ?"
Il amt got uothin' to spend on pictur's,"
says |:
"Will you give me two dollars2" says
he.
No, / won't give you dollar"
"Well,' says he, "Pll make bargain
with you. I'll paint it, and if it suits you,
you can have it for fifty cents If it don't
suit you I'll keep it."
81 agree"
He had some materials, and at it he
went. The way he drawed off that rabbit
and slashed on the paint wus Jest boys
play. He'd pick up little paint here and
little there off the board he held on his
thumb, and almost before knowed it he
had likeness of that dead rabbit hung up
by the heels as true as very natur' itself.
AS soon as he got it done I said, +" Boss,
here's your money" He pocketed it and
away he went. After awhile Squire Skies
came in. The Squire was great man for
pictur's, and when he sat eyes on it he
said, II declare where did you get that ?"
Why% says /.
"Well, sir, that's wonderful imita-
tion," says he.
What'll you give me for it, Squire ?"
says /. He studied while Squire was
sharp, he was-and finally said, "Pll give
you ten dollars"
Well, was surprised, for I thought his
offer was big one, but l didn't let on that
thought so, for knowed he was good in
bargain and wouldn't offer mor'n it was
worth, so told him would think about
it. After he left Sally and took supper
off the rabbit had shot, and then sat
down and looked at the picture till we got
tired lookin'. She said, laughin', that if
it wasn't worth SO much she might cook it
for breakfast.
Well, l went to bed, and rabbits and
dollars danced in my head all night. The
first thing in the morning sat it up and
looked at it, and couldn't hardly get off to
work. 1t was mighty hot day. When
! came home at night there was an awful
smell in the house.
"What on airth smells SO, Sally p says 1.
81 don't know" says she "Pve smelt
something all the afternoon, and have
hunted high and low. 1t must be dead
rat somewhere"
"Well," says l, "we've got to find out
what it is, fur l won't eat any supper till
we do"
So we looked and looked, but it was no
use. After while my wife says, "Maybe
something has got behind the pictur', let
me see"
So she went to it as it sat on the floor
face to the wall, and would you believe me,
it was the pictur' of that rabbit that had
spilled, and was all fly blown. But wusn't
l sick! / never heerd of any pictur'
painted SO material as to Spite in that way
Now if that painter had painted the rab-
bit settin' up as if he wus alive and not
hung him up by the heels as dead as
door nail, you wouldn't see Ben Stokes
here with his breeches patched, but walkin'
down Broadway with Jay Gould and the
Vanderbilts. Talk about your Angelus-
pshaw. it can't tech that rabbit pictur' fur
material appearance.