The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-19
THE ARTISTS RUSE.

A rich merchant led NIurillo, the Illus
trious painter. one day to the marketplace
of Seville, and, pointing out to him a
young girl of 10, of the gypsy race, asked
him to do her portrait.
The gypsy girl was so beautiful and look
ed so picturesque, in the midst of the
baskets Of fruit she was Offering for sale,
that the painter did not hesitate to accept
the commission
"If you can paint the picture in q
months time, - said the merchant, ssyou
may name your own price for it,
Murillo promised the portrait for the end
of the month and asked 100 golden Philips,
which the merchant agreed to.
AIurillo glanced once more at the features
and form OF his beautiful model, and then
went to see her relations, to ask their per-
mission for the young girl to sit to him.
The gitana s relations consisted of a very
bad looking man, who was her uncle, and
q very good looking man, in every sense
of the word, who was her cousin. The ar
fist talked with them for some time, and
on taking leave of them, shook hands cor
daily with the cousin To the uncle he
was somewhat colder, for he had discover
ed that he was a selfish and aYaricious
man.
Murillo had a sitting the very next day,
and the first stroke of his brush already
aAuOQIC0Q d masterpiece Hu6A Lie LAG1-
chant entered his studio.
1.-THE head will be admirable, ~ said the
purchaser, in a half patrcnizing tone.
81 am glad it pleases you, replied Mu-
rillo; particularly as I have made up my
mind to ask you rather more than the sum
originally named
81 But 1 told you to mention your own
price," expostulated the merchant. You
said 100 Philips, and agreed to give them
to you. I do not think you ought to de-
mand more than that amount now"
81 am very sorry,'' said Murillo, ''but I
find that will be impossible to let you have
the picture for less than 600. If you do
not like to give so much, there has not
been much time lost yet, and you will be
able to get some other artist TO execute the
commission. But really 1 shall be Obliged
to give it up unless you can afford to re-
munerate me for my trouble
Gas for affording it, - returned the mer-
chant, you know that am not poor, but
the sum is q large one. After all, viii
not dispute with you about 500 Philips.
1t is great deal of money for you to re-
ceive, but it is not much for me to give"
''View the matter as you please, said
Murillo philOsOphically, only let me have
the money"
'You shall have the 6Oo,' said the
merchant, with something like a sigh Il
will sign an agreement with you for that
amount this evening"
why not at once?" suggested Murillo,
"since you are resolved to give it.
''Who knows, answered the merchant.
perhaps this evening you will be more
reasonable in your demands. q"
ooh, you are not decided then," said
the painter
Eyes, am decided, - replied the pur-
chaser. But prefer not to sign any
agreement until this evening""
In the evening Murillo informed the
not accept 800 Philips, but that he must
have l. 900.
OF course the merchant refused point
blank in the first instance. Then he hest
sated, offered 700, 500, 900, and at last
agreed to give the full 200. This time
formal agreement was signed.
At the end of the month the portrait
was finished. When the merchant came to
take it away, he found the original stand
ing before 1t in full dress, as if on the
point of starting for some fete. By her
side were her uncle and cousin, also in
holiday costume, and especially the cousin,
who had evidently got himself up for some
very i'm portant occasion.
The merchant paid the !, 900 Philips.
AS soon as Murillo had received the
money and put it away carefully in port
folio, he opened a side door in his atelier,
and from the adjoining chamber entered
a priest and two witnesses.
The merchant thought he must be dream
ing.
Sir" said Murillo at length, "while
you were bargaining with me about the
portrait of that young girl you were bar
gaining with her relatives for the young
girl herself, whom you had already sold to
a pirate to be carried into slavery. You
need not deny it; your prOtestaGi0ns would
be in vain, for heard all that was going
on from the cousin. The uncle thought at
last that he had better accept my offer
than yours, and as the young people were
already betrothed to one another thought
it would be a good idea to marry them and
make you pay the dover. You know now
what I am going to do with the thousand
Philips. The uncle would not hear OF the
match being arranged for 100 and wanted
600. If you had signed the agreement for
600 when I proposed it at first, you might
still have gained the day, but Providence
was on one side and made you blind You
went to the uncle, and, finding, as you
thought, that he had received some higher
bid for the poor child, who was sacrificed
through you to a pirate and through this
pirate to a Turkish pasha, you increased
your offer to the aYaricious guardian who
is standing there so cooIly at the present
moment, but who has now given us his
word beyond the possibility of recall. AS
the uncle had now a prospect of getting
larger sum than he had originally expect
ed from you, he explained to me that it
would not answer his purpose to behave
like an honest man unless 1 in my turn
increased my offer. This, through your
Iiberality, was enabled to do, and at last,
without telling you of his intention, he re-
solved to reject your proposition and to &C
cept mine. Here is the priest; here are the
witnesses Imagine, if you can, that you
represent the friend, and all viii be COM
plete. I have deprived you of the model,
but you will still have the portrait. Send
it to the pasha if you think he would like
it
The marriage was celebrated without