Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-14
THANKS.


The humorist of the house, the tall, raw
boned Billy Nash, calker from the navy
ward, was standing in the rear of the crowd.
In the midst of the pathetic silence that
was now brooding over the place and NOV
ing some few hearts there toward compass
sion, he began to whimper, then he put his
handkerchief to his ewes and buried his face
in the neck of the bashfulest young fellow
in the company, navy yard blacksmith,
and shrieked: 'Oh, pappy, how could you,"
and began to bawl like teething baby, if
one may imagine baby with the energy
and the devastating voice of a jackass.
So perfect was the imitation of a child's
ary, and so vast the scale of it, and so ridic-
ulous the aspect of the performer, that all
gravity was swept from the place as if by
hurricane, and almost everybody there
Joined in the crash of laughter provoked by
the exhibition. Then the small mob began
to take its revenge-revenge for the discom-
fort and apprehension it had brought upon
itself by its own too rash freshness of a lit
tie while before. 1t guyed its poor victim,
baited him, worried him, as dogs do with q
cornered cat. The victim answered back
with defiances and challenges which in
cluded everybody, and which gave the sport
new spirit and variety; but when he changed
his tactics and began to single out individ-
its funniness, and the interest Of the show
died out along with the noise.
Finally Marsh was about to take an In
ming, but Barrow said:
'tNeyer mind now-leave him alone.
You've no account with him but a money
account I'll take care of that myself"
When he had finished his breakfast, Bar
row took him to his room, furnished him q
pipe, and said cheerily:
'tNo-not yet. That would be giving up
the ship. Well not give up the ship yet
I'm going to amuse you; L sent Brady out
for the wherewithal before you finished
breakfast. %
'You did? What is it?"
"Come, this is a good sign-cuhosity.
Oh, there's hope for you yet"
Brady arrived with box and departed,
after saying:
They're finishing one up, but they'll be
along as soon as it's done"
Barrow took frameless oil portrait
foot square from the box, set it I'D in q good
light without comment and reached for
another, taking q furtive glance at Tracy
meantime. The stony solemnity in Tracy's
face remained as it WAS and gave out no
sign of interest. Barrow placed the second
portrai. beside the first and stole another
glance while reaching for third. The
stone image softened shade. No. 3 forced
the ghost of smile, No. swept the indif-
ference wholly away, and No. started a,
laugh which was still in good and hearty
condition when No IA took its place in the
row.
"Oh, you're all right, yet," said Barrow.
"You see you're not past amusement"
The pictures were fearful as to color and
atrocious as to drawing and expression; but
the feature which squelched animosity and
made them funny was feature which
could not achieve its full force in single
picture, but required the woodworking
assistance of repetition. One loudly dressed
mechanic in stately attitude, with his hand
on a cannon ashore, and q ship riding at
anchor in the othng-thls is merely odd;
but when one sees the same cannon and the
same ship in IA pictures in row, and dif-
ferent mechanic standing watch in each, the
thing gets to be funny.
Explain, explain these alterations,
said Tracy.
"Well, they are not the achievement off
single intellect, single talent-it takes
two to do these miracles. They are col
laborations; the one artist does the figure,
the other the accessories. The fgure-artist
is German shoemaker with an untaught
passion for art, the other is q very simple
hearted old Yankee sailorman, whose possi-
bilities are strictly limited to his ship, his
cannon and his patch of petrihed sea. They
work these things up from 25-cent tin types;
they get Sc piece tor them, and they can
grind out a couple a day when they strike
what they call boosU-that is, an inspira-
tion."
"This is q most extraordinary form of rob-
berry. 1 never have heard of anything like
it. It's interesting"
"Yes, and SO are the artists They are
perfectly honest men and sincere. Aud the
old sailor-man is full of sound religion, and
is as devoted student of the Bible and mis-
quoter of it as you can find anywhere. I
don't know better man or kinder-hearted
old soul than Saltmarsh, although he does
swear a little sometimes
she seems to be perfect. want to know
him, Barrow"
You'll have the chance. guess hear
them coming now. Well draw them out on
their art, if you like"
To be Continued Nezt Sundoy.l
FURNITURE upholstered and repaired