St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-09-16
POOR JOBINARD.

AUS ~ years since that time. / was 8
light-hearted boy then--a boy of 20.
lived in Paris. and studied Art Being
an artist, always spelled Art with q
capital A. l have other things to think
Of besides Art now. I have to think 81
painting what the public will buy. ]
have to make it eay-I have made it
pay. .
But Il is not about myself I want to
talk; it is of Orson-of Crson the Hir-
suite, Orson the Unrelenting, Orson the
Halter of Art. Of course his name WASH t
Orscn. His real name waa Jobinard,
and he lived at the ccrner of the Rue de
pAncienne Ccmedie, did this uncompro-
missing grocer, this well-to-do Esau oe
tl.e QUARTER Latin, this man who hated
Art, artists, and, ahcee all, Art students
with a peculiar ferocity.
Alcibfade Jobinard had reason &c dis
like Art students. They had nasty
way of getting into his debt, but Jobi-
nard teck the bull by the horns-he
gave no more credit.
"Ma foil" he would say, with super
cilious sneer, "Credit is dead, my good
young sir. He doesn't tive here any
longer. He is dead and buried"
And then one had to 60 'emp ty away.
It had been so handy in .ts good old
Gays just to run into Jobinard's for
whatever one wanted, and--well, "stick
1t Ne.' You see you could get an entire
meal at Jobinard's, one eft those little
sham homeless eha.nb; they've quite
enough en- them for four. Timed pro-
Visions in inexhaustible variety, wines
from IS centimes upward, liqueurs, des-
sert, even in the shape of cheeses Of all
sorts, almonds and raisins, GRAPES and
peaches. 1t was excessively convenient.
When one was bard up, one dealt with
5obinard, ehd it was put down to the
account. When one was in funds, one
dlned and breakfasted at restaurant
and left Jobinard's severely alone.
But now all was changed. Mile. AM
enaide was an uncommonly pretty girl,
and we were all desperately head over
heels in love with her. BY 1--WE" / mes.n
the Art students, but of all the Art stu
dents that were desperately in love with
Mile: Arneneide, Daburon, the sculptor,
was the most demonstrative. Jobinard
hated Daburon with deadly hatred be-
cause Daburon never expended more than
ten confines at time. 1t was the So
ciety of Mile. Amenaide that Dab,,rcn
hungered for, and he got IL because he
was entitled to it, being purchaser.
Mile. Amenafde was jobinard's cashier.
1t was large shop, and there we're several
assistants, but all moneys were paid to
Mile. A,mehaide. the cashier, who sat id
a glass box underneath the great chirAihg
clock.
Daburon, the Sculptor, would enter
the shop, nod in cavalier manner to
tobinard, as though he were the very
dust beneath his feet; then be would
look at Mile. Amenaias, raise his hat
with his right hand, place his left upon
bis heart and make her low bow: then
he would pretend to blow her a kiss
from the tips of his fingers, as though he
were circus rider; then he would take
up box of matches or some other be-
culiarly inexpensive article.
Shave the kindness to wrap that ,,p
carefully for me in paper" he would re.
mark in pasfonizing manner. Then he
would march up to Mile. Amenaide with |
he air of an Alexander-you could al |
most hear the tune of 'sSee the CONQUER
ng Hero Comes" playing as you saw
,im do it. He would pay his 10 GEN.
lines and whisper some compliment into |
he ear of Mile. Amenaide. Then he
would receive his purchase from the
land-ef- n. Jobinard in magnificent
nd condescending manner. Then he
would strike ridiculous attitude of ex-
ggerated admiration and stare at the
unhappy grocer as though he were one
# the seven wonders of the world.
"What a bustr or "What armsp' or
What muscularity!' he would say, and
hen he would heave sigh and swagger
nut of the shop
Joblnard, who was particularly ugly,
hickset, hairy little man, used at first
ather to resent these references to his
ersonal advantages. His four assist
nts and bis cashier would litter, and
obinard used to blush, but at length
nc poor fellow fell into the snare laid
Or him by the villain Daburon.
he got to believe himself the perfect
ype of manly beauty. When French
IAN has once come to this conclusion.
here is no folly of which he is not ready
} be guilty.
The fact is, Daburon had passed the
ord round. The Art students, male