St. Landry democrat., 1894-02-10
The TUBE OF ClUujQY DROWN,
BY E. J. APPLETON.

Richardson picked up the SOFT little
cylinder and looked at it again.
"What did you call lt2' 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?"
I'm 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 it is made
of pulverized Egyptian mummics. and
it is one of the best colors we have"
Richardson put the tube back upon
the much Uttered studio table, and
whistled softly.
SWELL" said he, "you may count me
out if ever l become painter, when it
comes to using dead mems bodies TO
make pictures with. I'd be afraid they
would come back again!'
Nonsense" said kuowlton, laughing ;
'thcy IRE entirely too dead for anything
OF that sort, you may 10 sure, and il
they are sensitive to feelings, they never
show it. Observe how l am using this
tube, for instance, upon this French
mans coat; do you suppose any well
meaning Egyptian wouls, like to have
himself clothing a foreigner in any such
manner, if he knew itl'
mo, | suppose not. x The
coloriug is rich, toe" marked Rich
ardson, thrusting his hands deep into his
pockets and surveying his friends work
with the eye Of IN uncducated 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.
81 had au idea his face was something
like mine," he answered.; but as that
Is common trick of ours, | have not
given 1t second thought. What l AIN
striving for is a good picture, not por
traits, and | must realize som ching
from it, too. BY heavens, Richardson,
it has come to be a case Of dire nece -sity,
and that's all there is to it!'
"Rent not paid?" asked his friend.
'That's too bad-I've been there myself,
and then it is very uncomfortable thing
to have hanging over one. AS l"n.g as
one can climb up aud down the water
pipe, and thus avoid mceti & tho land
lady on the stairs, life is made endura-
bic, but with you, suprosc-'
There isn't wa'er-pipe within
twenty feet of my window. No, must
sell, or get out, so-the mummv- brown
again, if you please"
Richardson handed the paint TO him
once more, somewhat singeriy. II
can't help feeling I'm dealing with a
piece of 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 traus-
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, say" As he spoke he touched
the paint with the tip of one finger, and
shiver, at the same time, passed over
him, leaving him strangely pale and
shaken.
eyes, but-hello, what's vrong?" ex-
claimed Richardson, noticing the change
in his friends face.
'Nothing-I don't know-a touch of
xlofSo Il tha Srtn
confusedly; 'I--what were you say
ing2"
'Only that if your supposition were
so, the contact of the two bodies-the
new and the old-would make itself felt
in the new"
"Yes2" said Knowlton, smiling again
and returning to his work; "but | do
not believe in transmigration to that ex-
tent, my dear fellow. There is line,
you know, that even we fanatics have to
draw, and I rather imagine it is some
where near that point in this case. But
to change the subject, will you be at the
Idler tonight as usuala If Mrs. Nc
Gwiginn should happen to take it into
her good old head to ask me to pay or
skip out, I'll have to realize on some of
my personal property, and as I don't
know the best places in town, I want
you to steer me around. Won't object.
will you?"
''Not in the least. My services are al
ways at your disposal, and I'll be at the
club at half-after seven Or eight. And
now must tear myself away; so, until
then and the end of the sentence
was lost in tho slight slam of the dor as
he went out. The artist listened until
the echo of his friends retreating foot
steps had died into the murmurous