The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-12-02
THE TUBE OF nUmmY BROWN
by k. j. APPLETON.

Richardson picked up the soft little
cylinder and looked at it again.
"What did you call iti' he asked.
Mummy brown" replied knowlton,
taking brush from between his lips TO
speak, and touching the canvas before
him with it,
"Brown it undoubtedly is" remarked
his friend, "but where does the mummy
come in?"
"In the tube, my boy" returned the
painter, half closing his eyes and putting
bis head on one side TO observe the effect
of his last stroke; "because 1t is made
of pulverzed Egyptian lhummies, and
il is one of the best colors we have"
Richardson put the tube back upon
the much Uttered studio table, and
whistled softly.
"Well," said he, "you may count me
out if ever i become painter, when 1t
comes to using dead mems bodies to
make pictures with. I'd be afraid they
would come back again.
Nonsense" said knowlton, laughing !;
'they are entirely too dead for anything
OF that sort, you may DO sure, and II
they are sensitive to feelings, they never
show it. Observe how ! am using this
tube, for instance, upon this French
mans coat; do you suppose any we'll
meaning Egyptian would like to have
himself clothing foreigner in any such
manner, IL he knew itg"
'No, / suppose not. The
coloring is rich, too" remarked Rich
ardson, thrusting his hands deep into his
pockets and surveying his friends work
with the eye of an uneducated critic,
Though the same can't be said Of the
models, Judging from appearances. And
by the powers that be, Francis" he
added, suddenly, you've made that tall
fellow a very good likeness of you! Did
you know it,"
Knowlton shrugged his shoulders.
IL had an idea his face was something
like NINE" he answered; "but as that
is a common trick of ours, have not
given it second thought. What am
striving for is Il good picture, not por
traits, and ! must realize something
from it, too. BY heavens, Richardson,
it has come to be case of dire necessity,
and that's all there is to it,"
"Rent not paidl" asked his friend
"That's too bad-Ive been there myself,
and then it is a very uncomfortable thing
TO have hanging over one. AS long as
pipe, and thus avoid meeting the land
lady on the stairs, life is made endura-
ble, but with you, suppose"
There isn't a water-pipe within
twenty feet of my window. No, must
sell, or get out, so-the mummy brown
again, if you pleasew
Richardson handed the paint to him
once more, somewhat gingery. 81
can't help feeling I'm dealing with a
piece of a dead body" he said, coloring
at Knowlton's plying look; land
should think you would do the same,
believing, as you say you do, in trans
migration and re-incarnation, and all that
sort of stuff Suppose, for instance, that
you were painting this picture with a
piece of your own fathers body when he
was an Egyptian, ten thousand years
ago"
"Or, better still, returned Knowlton,
squeezing fresh supply of the paint
out upon his palette, "my own old time
body, sayw AS he spoke he touched
the paint with the tip of one finger, and
a shiver, at the same time passed over
him, leaving him strangely pale and
shaken.
eyes, but-hello, what's wrongl" ex-
claimed Richardson, noticing the change
in his friends face
''Nothing-I don't know-a touch of
vertigo, that's ALL" returned the painter.
confusedly; 'I--what were you say
ing"
''Only that IL your supposition were
SO, the contact OF the two bodies-the
new and the old-would make itself fel,
iu the new"
"Yesl" said Knowlton, smiling again
and returning to his work; "but dc
not believe in transmigration TO that OK
tent, my dear fellow. There is a line
you know, that even We fanatics have I,
draw, and / rather imagine 1, is some