The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-06
A MYsrEntoUs Co1vcrDBNcE.
Paintings 0iven By Amateur Artist TO Three
Frlenda Ruined in the Same WAY.

Paintings Given by Amateur Artist TO Three
Friends Ruined in the Same Way.
MY attention has been called recently to the
interesting subject OF condolences" said the
young woman from the country who has
studied art. and the more I investigate 1t the
more mysterious IL seems. Let me tell you
about II. Three old friends OF mine enjoy the
supreme happiness OF living in New York, Two
Of them arc men and one is a woman. and l
have been In the habit Of sending them little
remem brances every Christmas. There Is a
very mall choice OF Christmas gifts in the
town where / live. and it has taxed my in
genuity to find something suitable for each OF
them. You know 1 have studied art, and my
friends tell me that / paint rather better than
the average amateur. My friends here In town
have artistic tastes. so l solved the Christmas
problem last year by painting n picture for each
fof them. / know that the pictures were appre-
ciated. because each Of my friends wrote me
long letters of thanks They >told me just
whore they had hung the pictures.
when l came to New York last week I saw
the Metropolitan Museum. Grants Tomb and
the Aquarium. and then / looked UP my three
friends. l called on Mrs. Giltframe first. and
she was 80 glad to see me. She had written to
me that my painting was hung in her parlor
between two old masterpieces to brighten
them up As 1 talked 1 looked in vain for It.
You have hung my picture in another
ROOM 1 said.
Yes, that Is. no. or l mean-well. / might
lust as well tell you tho whole story said Mrs.
moved this spring. 1 told the van men to take
particular care Of your painting. Imagine my
lures to find that yours. which l valued above
all the. others. had been punctured In three
places by a bundle Of canes and ruined. 1 am
Never mind said /, Il can paint it again
for you next year, but Mrs. Giltframe would
"oR M way back to my hotel I stopped to
he has brought some little giit Tor me. He
frightened his study and was a constant source
Of satisfaction to him. MI. Oldboy has retired
i He RP Psa so sisd Y9 to- ses ms so 1 hfiSHn q I h!% at s thS@sii
conversation i askedff, / might see his study.
He took me upstairs to It; and to my surprise
talked Ike a about Ms books and then in the most
flower picture. Lam sure that you were fiat
te!Ting IN me e when El3 n yon Nv wrote sois y9H hrt t1 ian ss;ot is .
like to talk about it. It happened in this way:
spripe eTT- this Sesit tsis Is sp gn e t you c know: this bis
You Know. Now. 1 always like my few house
man to pack my books and my pictures and
send them to me. Imagine. II you can. my sor-
row TO discover that the truckman had handled
1t was completely wrecked. But don't talk
seS1t tbn it. ,d 6esqHse j saddens me, Have you
when / returned to my hotel that night /
was struck by the coincidence. Two OF my
other. friend to whom had. sent one OF my
, naiP1hin In !, is an architect; and he wrote to ne
was going to hang it in his Office instead Of in
tired he might rest his eyes by looking at 1t.
He added some more about its being a con-
slant inspiration to him to do good work. but 1
peat that. Ihappened to be in the downtown
part Of New York the next day. so l went in to
Mr.. Housebuilder's office. He told me how
we'll was looking and how much my friends
frequently. The walls Of his office were COW
cred with pen and ink drawings. and Nowhere
could ! see my painting OF a sunset.
l suppose that, you. got tired OF my poor
little painting, said jokingly;. was sorry
"'IndeedI did not he said. TWAS n con-
slant inspiration to me and my clerks untiltw
months ago. when l moved my office. The van
men proved to be awfully careless. and one Of
them dropped your picture and tore it.
Let me have it, said / cheerfully, and /
can. patch, it up so that you would not know
that II had ever been injured,
unfortunately said Mr.. Housebuilder, it
fell in such a way that It was torn all to pieces
Now. wasn't that a queer way for n picture
to fall? never heard of such an accident, but
! know that Mr.. Householder is a truthful
man. The more l think of all three OF my pic
lures having been destroyed by truckmen. the
more uncanny it seems. and as a coincidence
1t surpaSses anything in my previous cxpe-
rience., Fortunately, l have the originals from
which I painted them. and / will see that my
friends ara not the 1pSare nv n -