Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-02

OF New York and Chicago. But can these
latter accommodate all that crave for
their benefits?
ALMOST A BEGGAR.
Last winter ! saw an American girl,
struggling painter. warm her
self Al a bonfire ut In one OF the public
squares, for the benefit OF the poor. | was
about to withdraw discreetly. fearing that
any interposition might hurt her feelings.
Then ] observed the polce-agent superin-
tending the distribution OF hot soup in
the neighborhood. speak 10 my country
woman. Madame" he said. noticing her
dress that still showed traces Of former
elegance Madame. il you come here
only out Of curiosity, / must beg you 10
withdraw. There are too many in want
TO whom We must attend
The American girl grew Il shade paler.
Monsieur" she said. with toneless
voice. Il am hungry
waited for the unfortunate at the
next corner. and there met her as If by
accident. Little by little she tod her
sad story. At the beginning Of the season
her money had given out; still she was
determined TO finish her studies at any
cost SO she tried to exc out an exist
ence by working for the high-class sta
tionery stores painting pretty boxes. in
vifation-cards, etc, and meanwhile selling
and pawning her belongings 10 keep body
and soul together. Her business under
taking proved a delusion and a snare.
two DAYS ago she had sold her last
petticoat-not an unusual case, | assure
you.
The fact IS. no one can estimate when
his or her studies will be finished. The
studios of all the masters are always
crowded 10 suffocation. and artistic pro-
|: sress is insunerably delayed. / know
American girls paying for tuition without
even having laid eyes on the master, save
AT a distance OF fifteen to twenty PAGES.
That is as near as they ever get to the
model. too
Not long ago the talented pupil Of one OF
the best-known portrait-painters Of Paris
was missing from his wonted place in the
studio for a week. He was a farmers
son. very poor and Industrious. With his
colleagues he had never been on intimate
footing. as he Stunned pleasures and
apparently desired acquaintance with no
one. That was the reason why at first
his absence passed unnoticed. On the
tenth day following his disappearance,
one Of the pupils accidentally ran against
Baptlste Hernan's landlord, and asked
him what had become OF his cOmrade.
"Parbleu" cried that worthy, II now
remember | haven't seen him for ever
50 long and he has got the key Of his
room. Let Us investigate" The room
WAS broken into, and on the bed was the
body Of poor Rlptste. He had starved
- death I'm the midst OF numerous empty
baskets and pots that had contained his
only nourishment during the time he
resided in the city OF pleasure-namely.
butter and eggs. the only things his poor
parents had been able 10 send him regu-
larry. az their letters proved. Six months
the moor devil lived on this queer diet
growing paler and weaker every day. No
one asked what allied him. nobody in
quired whether he was in want or not.
LIVED on SCRAPS.
4 similar case is that OF 40-year-old
female painter, who was found dead in
Il garrett a month or so ago. She had
died OF cholera-morbus, brought on by
her habit of living on the scraps which
she picked from the offal-barrels In the
street.-The only food she was able TO OBJ
tain. as the proceeds of her brush scarce
~ paid for her rent, her laundry, and The
paints she needed.
Artists, as a rule, are not bent upon
saving or profit; they know neither tricks
OF trade, nor cares of business. In spite
of this many are reduced to make busi-
ness OF their art. They paint coarse pic
lures often by the yard. for which
some shark OF dealer has USE. at the
rate of 10 TO 10 francs per square
foot. At the end Of a certain time the
fine artistic sense is lost, and they re-
main mere mechanics for the rest OF
their lives. Then there are men and
women who work for brother ana sister
artists of the society stamp-that is.
amateurs desrious OF posing as clever
painters. and willing 10 pay fair Price
for landscapes and portraits that they
may adorn with their signature. ana
boastingly exhibit to their friends.
Ash said before, no American was ever
allowed to starve IN Paris. where 50
many Of their countrymen live and enjoy
Themselves. but "A good many come
nrettv near starving The worst OF II
is that they can find no work on pictures
that are especially designed for the
American market The art dealers Will
not employ them at copying paintings
of the great French masters Tor Tear
that the swindle in which they are en-
gagged may be exposed. The TACT or the
matter Is. rich Americans buy more
comics than originals in Paris without
ever knowing the difference. This Is ar
ranged sometimes with and often with
ont the consent OF the author of the
painting. The latter, while hanging In
the gallery or store OF some renowned
dealer. may engage the attention and ad-
miratiOn Of two or three would-be pur-
chasers. To disappoint either would be
cruel and unbusiness like In the bargain
So the accommodating art trader hires
a number Of painters To copy the much
coveted canvas, and each party is salts
fed in consequence. The purchaser gets
the object Of his admiration, the poor
artists obtain a few hundred francs, the
art trader receives three times the origi-
nal price. Who is 10 be the wiser? one
picture may go TO 81. Petersburg. another
10 New York, another 10 Chicago. Or
II three may 20 to different cities and
States and Territories on the American
continent.
Not only art traders, but the artists
themselves. not excepting some OF the
great masters, as they are called, en-
Gagged in this business of duping the
American Croesus. 1t is an open secret
that some of the renowned artists EN-
ploy talented pupils TO copy their works
as soon as finished These copies they
correct and improve. and after atiixng
their signatures sell to friends of art in
distant countries.