River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-12-25

friend who was journalist. but that
my ideas about art and artists wero not
very we'll defined.
''Perhaps / can assist you. ! have
had considerable experience as an art
critic said the stranger.
Il need not tell you how glad / was
20 be helped out of my dilemma. lie
knew all the technical terms and seemed
to be perfectly at home in the art gall
lery. | found that some of the pictures
which l supposed to be works of art
were very poor and rice UersI.
"'Now this one said the stranger.
pausing in front of the picture of
young lady. is perfect daub, and how
it got in here can't imagine The title
of the picture was Happy Thoughts.
On the other hand, this picture con-
tinued the stranger. = the gem of the
exhibition Il represented partially
draped female figure, apparently wash
iu, her feet while the faces of two
elderly gentlemen. wreathed with scorn
and Indignation. were looking over the
top of a screen. The title IF the picture
was 'Susannah IL the Bath.
II made notes Of the comments of the
stranger, and about ten o'clock handed
in the copy 70 the foreman of Scribbler's
paper.
Il afterward met some friends at the
club. and consequently did not retire
until about two O'clock in the morning.
II was eleven o'clock on Sunday morn
ing when I awole. Some one was
knocking. j arose opened the door and,
admitting nv old lend, Fritz BummeI,
returned 70 bed.
s''Well," said Fritz. taking a chair
and putting leisur 'ly at his cigar, 4 did
not expect to fiji you in When ara
you going 10 lea ?
= Going to X eg / asked. somewhat
"'If Twas rplace I'd change my
name, tOO.'S-
''What do you mean?'
Don't act that way. Everybody
knows you wrote it
What are you driving at?'
MY dear boy, you certainly don't
expect TO keep on living in this town
after that article in this mornings pa
per-
whats the matter with that arti-
cle?' l demanded, Indignantly.
Nothing, except that you have
made an awful fool of yourself You
advise one of the most celebrated paint
ers in Germany to go to whitewashing
fences, and you pronounce his master
piece. Happy Thoughts, for which he
has refused ten thousand thalers, a
daub. On the other hand, you declare
that a wretched daub, entitled Susan
nah in the Bath TO be the gem of the
exhibition. Susannah has feet as big
as canal boats and her arms are all
twisted out of shape. The artist is a
wretched inebriate, and his picture was
only admitted out of compassion, be-
cause he threatens TO commit suicide il
it is not placed on exhibition
Il felt very bad about how things had
gone. and learned that was the victim
of a practical joker named Reinecke,
who took advantage of my ignorance.
Whenever | went in the coffee
house. club, theater, and even in church,
/ excited merriment | was guyed un.
mercifully. But worse was in store for
me. y disreputable-looking character
hurled himself upon me, Rugged me and
even kissed me with his whisky-laden
breath. He said l was his benefactor.
lie insisted on me accompanying him to
dinner. lie was the painter of susan
nah.
"'YOu must come with me and eat
dinner he said. dragging me along. 4
want to introduce you to my daughter
She is splendid girl. Confidentially.
she u Susannah. She was my model.
She is dying to make your acquaint-
ance.'
Il had to go to his house, and verify
believe if l had gone a second time
Susan nah would have married me in
spite of all I could have done to the
contrary. Not only that but whenever
her artist father saw me on the street
he insisted on embracing me publicly.
and calling me his benefactor, etc,
until became such an object of popu-
lar derision that packed up my things
and came to New York. where | would
never hear or see any thing more of
Susannah and her grateful pa. Now
you know how became an American
ALEX T. SWEET