The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-04-11
IT WAS A SERIOUS JOKE.
A LIFE WASTED FOR THE SAKE
OF A MOMENTS FOLLY.
The story Of an Artist and His Work
a beginning In a Liquor store aud
an Ending la u Limp Heap
ON studio Floor.


he would become an artist-sh knew
IT, So she treasured his pencil sketchea
each one better than the last. and felt
that be would make n name for him
self when he grew up.
Paurs father was Wholesale liquor
dealer. n hard-headed man, unsenti-
mental. who measured consciences
by dollars and gagged the world by
greenbacks. lie did not believe In the
soul OF nrt. lie did not know such a
thing existed. so when Paul left school
and talked OF Paris and the studios.
and art his father looked at him as IL
he thought he were crazy.
Send you TO Paris for two years9
Not much. my boy. I've heard thing
or two about Paris. and as for art -
we'll. that's as good AN excuse as any
for going To Paris"
There was where the mother came
In. She came To the defense. She
exhibited, first. the boyish sketches.
then the better drawings made by the
pencil OF the growing youth. and finally
the washy sketch OF dark corner Of
the warehouse. done in water color.
That last Bit OF realism caught the
old mans fancy. The clever concep-
ton OF sunlight streaming through
the dust-laden atmosphere. and
touching the grimy barrels with a
golden light. perhaps reminded him
OF their value In the same colored
metal. How natural the rust on the
hoops and that cobweb over the right
hand window pane looked TO him.
But what pleased him most was not
the beauty OF the coloring or the
composition. but the fact that the
boy had not omitted to suggest faint
~. the letters on one barrel. which
read: "Fine 40-year-old Kentucky
blue grass" And he staightway
offered Paul the magnificent sum OF
g.. 90 IL he would make the letters
palmer. so he could use II as an ad-
vortisement IL would look fine in
the sample room. with n touch OF
bright red or yellow in 1t and a 81. 90
gold frame. he thought And II the
firm name could be worked into that
streak OF sunlight In blue letters. how
we'll II would go!
This was the extent OF the paternal
appreciation OF the artistic efforts OF
his son, but IL was appreciation TO a
certain extent Aud the picture won
the old man over.
II was settled afterward that Paul
should go TO Paris and work under
The eyes OF the great artists.
But" said the man OF gin and
whisky in the bulk, iii you do not
pet picture hung up in the big
saloon over there after two years, you
musts't expect no more money from
mo Tor I'll give you nothing. You'll
have 20 shift for yourself. and I'll
put what I've squandered on you
dowd TO profit and loss and close
the books"
Paul sailed away with "A hopeful
heart. He studied under Benjamin
~
faithful and conscientious student.
For year he worked hard.
Next year" he thought "Only
two years TO study before offer n
picture TO the Salon. But it's got 10
be done. and I'll do it, And so the
pile OF studies In his studio grew
larger. and each one showed holder
nand and a clearer thought than It's
predecessor.
Early In the spring OF the second
fear he started for the coast OF Mala-
ga To conceive what was TO be his
masterpiece his picture for tho
l'alon. For month he worked few
Drishly until he settled down to one
subject. then the artistic fever came
strong upon him and IL was only when
he slept that his hands did not bear
the burden OF brushes and palette.
The canvass that so engrossed his
mind was picture OF the coast OF
Spain. near Malaga. which he was en-
larging and composing from faithful
sketches done on the spot The scene
was thoroughly Mediterranean.
In the foreground was a sandy dune
covered with wild laurels. cactus and
aloe. intersperssd with sIlken spears
OF burned yellow grass. The brilliant
salmon-colored sand showed In patches
here and there. while crouchcd behind
this bunch OF vegetation were three
soldiers OF the guarda costa. or coast
guard. peerlng through the leaves at
felucca whose orange colored sail
was plainly visible ef shore.
The picture was finished aud NO
brought IL 70 Paris and sent IL 10 tho
a. -.