The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-07
A STORY FROM PARIS.
AN INTERESTING ROMANCE OF. A
THOUGHTLESS PAINTER.
Tho Widow Who Came to Dispossess the
Negligent Artist Staid to Accept Eis
Love, and Later Els Hand aud Hear.
4 Little Child Led Them.

There is friend of mine, painter
, who has all the talents and no talent Of
his own. He would copy or initiate e
Greuze or Vatican to perfection. a
Diaz by him only wants the signature
which an INSCRIPTIONS dealer does not
hesitate to forge. My friend, whom we
will call Durand, is an excellent man,
industrious and clever, but too negligent
to take the initiative in anything, even
in painting. Well, he had given notice
to quit his apartment in July, on the
fifteenth day Of the month, at noon, ac-
cording to the customs of the country.
He had. however, been so absorbed in
his painting that he had forgotten to re-
tain wagon to take away his furniture.
and when he did at last concern himself
about the matter he only succeeded in
securing one for the end of the day. But
at noon precisely, Just as he was putting
the finishing touches to a copy OF
Greuze's famous "Cruche-Cassee," there
came an imperious knock at the door.
1t was the new tenant, escorted by her
furniture. She was furious to find that
Durand was ''dawdling over his paint
brushes" while all her furniture was
out in the street exposed to the gaze of
indiscreet passersby. She even threat
ened to send for the police in order to
bring Durand to sense of his duties as
an outgoing tenant
Durand, like many painters, thought
the sea more charming than ever when
agitated by a storm, and concluded that
his fair visitor was rendered more beau
tiful by her anger. She was about
twenty-five years Of age. She had dark
hair and blue eyes, a fine, supple figure,
! and her pretty nostrils were slightly
dilated by her emotion. She was &C
companied by little girl of six years
of age-a little golden haired fairy.
What" continued the irate lady, "you
are not going away until o'clock? 1t
is absurd! What am l to do with my
furniture? Where is the proprietor?
must see the proprietor" 1t was i'm
possible to crafty her last wish. The
concierge alone was available, but the
newcomer was so terrible, so aggressive
and so threatening that Cerberus was
tanned and ran away, leaving his broom
behind him.
INFLUENCE OF CHILD.
Durand ought, according to his sys-
tenn Of imitation, to have become wrath
full, too, but his adversary was a pretty
woman, so he sought an ally. The lit
tie girl was playing with a shepherdess
in porcelain de SAKE that adorned one
end of the chimney piece. "Should you
like it," "Oh, yes; it is so prettyi'
Take it" Jeanne" said the mother,
81 forbid you to accept anything" eff
it were only to please her," replied
Durand, 81 could understand your pro-
hibition, but it is an economy for me.
shall have SO much less to move"
Women are ready laughers. The lady |
fixed her eyes on the wall in order to |
keep her countenance. "Your name is
Jeanne!" said the painter. eyes," an
swered the child. "And your papa
where is he?" HE died two years ago"
"And mamma is widow" Eyes, mon
sieur."
Then turning to the lady, Durand |
apologized for his sins, told her that he |
had cleared one room and that he would |
go and help her get her furniture in.
Soon the furniture began to find its
place-the wardrobe, the mirror, the
bookcase. ooh, madame, without know
ing you, as l look at these books can
read your mind. Balzac, Hugo, Lamar
tine "Ta, ia, ta," cried the irate
lady, you would have done better to
clear out before noon than to be trying
to study my character" 81 am work
ing all the time, madame. Look! |
have put that console therefore the
statue Of the Virgin-this little mirror
opposite the window" "Oh, it is no
use; you cannot make peace with me"
WRATH TURNED TO LOVE-
There was an interval of twenty min
utes, during which the lady stood at the
window. Durand had remained in his
room with the child. care they com
ing today or tomorrow-your MEM" she
asked angrily as she came back into the
room: but she stopped in the middle.
Jeanne, m0tionless and smiling, was
seated on a chair and Durand was paint
ing her portrait. Mamma" said the
little one suddenly. 81 am hungry. You
have some wine and pate in the big
basket" Come, then, and breakfast on
the balcony" murmured the mother.
Durand was left alone to finish his
sketch. There was a silence OF ten min
utes. Then the child returned timidly.
Mamma has something to ask you"
''What?' ''She does not dare" ''She
wants to turn me out?" "No." "What
then" Mamma would like to know if
you-if you would like piece of pate"
This happened on July 10, and when
the concierge arrived, all trembling, to
that the men had at last come
TO remove Durands furniture. he found
him sitting on the balcony at table with
the mother and handling the child on
his knees.
Mlstortunes, however, never come
alone. The wagon was too small. 1t
would not hold all Durand's things at
once. Leave your palette, your easel
and your pictures" said Jeanne; Il will
lake care of them, and then YOU will
be obliged to come back again and
finish my picture" He left them. He
only came into possession of them on
Jan. 10, when he brought all his fur
nlture back into his own room. This
time, however, there was no difficulty
about the outgoing tenant, for she had
meanwhile become Durand's wife, and ! |
me two households were merged into !
One--Paris Cor. Philadelphia Bulletin.