The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-11
Shed paw IL. She's person don't like


10 disappoint. I explained II was not
put into my hands to sell, and the de-
cision rested entirely with Prince Char
do, but that only made her wild"
WELL" said Florio, dispassionately,
81 suppose all can do is to go and ask
him."
Off he went at great pace two miles
straight up hill and two miles down
again, and exercised heroic self-control
not to break in n war dance in the pub
lie thoroughfares, for beyond all things
he longed that Chnrdo. after his strug-
giles, his long illness, helplessgess, en-
forced restraint and champing of the
bit, should have the joy of selling
picture and feeling his own strength.
"IIis Highness has not the least OBJ
lection" Florio in due time announced,
blandly. "He might perhaps have
kept the sketch himself, but that is no
matter. No price is intimated, and the
artist is not at the moment accessible.
OF course, it's slight thing. Still, it's
a Burgdorf. The prince thinks, under
the circumstances, you ought to set
rather n fancy value on il, with hand
some commission for yourself, of
course"
"Hurrah! Won't /! And il by hook
or crook you can get me another little
Burgdorf, you'll be doing me the great
est possible service, for know a wom-
an who will neither eat nor sleep until
she has one of a size larger than the
Boys Fishing" q
Count upon me, Mezler."
The twain concocted a price which
the lady proudly paid in solid coin of
the realm. Two more charming little
Burgdorfs the delighted Mezler sold at
romantic rates. Discreet, but strongly
commendatory paragraphs about the
young artist now began to appear
simultaneously in many papers, and
were largely copied by exchanges.
Mezler kindly showed them to Florio,
but those journals never lay about the
studio.
From the day the "Boys Fishing" was
sold, Chardo seemed to take n new lease
OF life. His step became buoyont, his
bearing erect, his eye calm, his laugh
jolly and his large picture grew apace.
EleFie, -eeTeFtly watching the trans
formation. felt warm and stout of heart,
and repented naught of his sins. But
as he was shaving much in those days
with his writing end his nauseating
night occupation, besides plotting mis-
fibs--and Chardo was now fortuitously
launched, it happened that the star
known as Willy Winkel disappeared
al IL. 1,n
chagrin of the public, still more of the
directory. VINO declared with pectus ne
would engage him again "nt any time
and on his own terms, for the Frog or
any new creation"
Willy Winkel thanked him and bade
him farewell amicobly as one who may
look in on the morrow, for. Florio re-
fiected, in the marvellous variety-enter-
tainment which we call life, il is al
ways well to have. as sailors say, some
thing "to windward."
Soon hewas heard in the studio jovial-
ly humming:
"Ug-gl-loo,
Ker-chunk. kerchunk, 'S4t.
Ug-gl-loo!"
For now he loved his frog again, and
that is human nature.
How jolly. good that sounds!" ex-
claimed Chardo. "Do you know, you've
not sung il in an age?"
Hardly q score of months from the
day the beggars were coming to town,
they sat one evening on the deck of
Messagerie steamer bound for the Far
East, their way and work clearly ap-
pointed under sufficiently liberal con-
ditions. Chardo's first real picture had
been snapped up by the Dresden Gal
lery-one of the incredible events which
confounds the prudent,
and prevents them from becoming al
together too bumptious.
1t was dark and quiet. Florio opened
his heart, and made clean confession.
When he had finished, Chardo was
silent.
II thought IL might amuse you. Some
how it doesn't sound very funny. Ones
jokes so often fall upon the buttered
side"
He was right. II did not sound fun
ny. Still Chardo did not speak.
At length Florio said, with curious
shyness:
II hope you don't mind too much,
Chardo. OF course il was awfully low
= 3, 1