The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-08-18
MINNESOTA, AUGUST 1S, 1892.

advice and information to assist them
into an insight of their vices as we'll as
their virtues, have invariably obliged
and aided them to arrive at the truth.
As an artist l have never had an equal
in the hundred years 1 have been en-
gagged in the business Ihave had some
pretty heavy competitors, but never
any very successful ones. / do not re-
member of ever having made failure
in the exact reproduction of my models.
AS portrait painter and photographer
/ have done work for hundreds of peO-
pie and never made mistake or failed
to give an exact picture of their face
and form true to life; of course 1 have
in some instances been unable to give
satisfaction to persons who thought
they were better looking than they real
ly were, and in number of cases [
have been compelled to do my work
over and over again to please and graft
fly them. But the first production was
always as good as the last, and as good
aSlthe original in every instance. l re-
member young lady who once came
tome for a picture of herself. She was
very beautiful, so beautiful that, in
fact, | was compelled to tell her so on
several occasions when she came to me
quietly and cOnfidentially asked for
my opinion. BY the way, she seemed
to be very much pleased with my opin-
ion and would come every day and many
times during the day, always asking me
the same question. Well, ON the Ger
tain occasion l speak of she was dressed
in the prettieSt dress / ever saw her
wear, for she was to attend grand en-
tertainment given in honor of the gov
ernOr of the state and as she expected
to meet her Prince Lover there, intend
ing to present him with her picture in
all it's loveliness, she came to me to
have the picture taken. She was in a
hurry, so took it by the instantane-
Gus process by the way, | see photo
graphers claim this as new invention,
which is not true, for | have used it
with success for over century in my
business. Well, she was not satisfied
with the first one l took, and came back
and took another and another until 1
had taken by actual count rs pictures
of her in as many minutes each time
re-arranging some parts of her dress or
head gear. / finally suggested that if
she would stop re-arranging her dress
and curls l thought sheS would be en-
tirely satisfied with the last picture.
She acted on the suggestion and went
to the entertainment satisfied that had
made an exact reproduction of her love-
ly self each time. Ladies are my hard
est customers to please, but as they are
also my best ones / always try to please
them. The next best customer l have,
and who is also very hard to satisfy, is
young man just trying to raise his
first muStache. TO tell the truth, 1
have never been able to satisfy him.
Another class of customers with whom
l have had some trouble, are the
'dudes,' not by failure to satisfy them
with their pictures or even to have a
puffed up vanity for my work; but, be-
cause | have never been able to have
their pictures appreciated by the public
as they themselves appreciate them,
and because l have never yet been able
to catch one who had a cent of money
to pay for his work. / have been COM
PEELED to turn pawnbrOker, and now
have in my possession as unredeemed
pledges, several hundred Lake George
diamonds canes, eyeglasses, and bot
ties of milk | notice that in late years
l seem to give the ladies the best salts
faction with my work by taking their
pretty faces looking back over their
shoulder, though they do not pose in
this manner for other artists. If only
had the art of photographing character
to my customers as clearly as do their
faces and forms, 1 should have better
world of this
Here the Mirror ceased speaking and
giving me suggestive wink with it's
eye, the lights went out, and silence
reigned. Some moments later [ heard
it softly repeating these words:
"Oh wad some POw'r the giftie gle us
To see OurSelS as others see us!''
BOB n. ROUND.