Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1898-01-05
THE FINISHING TOUCH.

How an American Art Student Electrified
 a Berlin Audience.
 Tt is probable that the young American who entertained a Berlin audience unexpectedly one evening half a dozen years ago may have set up a studio of his own somewhere in this country, and if he has I'll guarantee that he entertains well, said an artist at the Lotos club one night last week. ''l was in Berlin doing a little painting at the time, and I fell in with q little colony of Americans who made my stay very pleasant.
 We dropped in to see a variety show one evening at the Reichs hal len. The st2- performer was light ming sketch artist who figured on the bill as professor He was a tall, long haired man, with arms that reached almost to his knees. A large easel held his canvases, and the rapidity with which he worked greatly pleased his audience. His arms worked like a windmill, and as he swung them the paint flew of hts brush in a steady stream. The result on the canvas didn't resemble anything until, with a quick spit spat of the brush, he put a touch here and a touch there, and, behold, a picture! The picture wasn't work of art, to be sure; but, then, the spectators were by no means crit icaL As the professors arms flew around and his brush whacked the canvas, turning out new pictures in less than half a minute, the enthu siasm increased. The professor sal down to rest. A well dressed young man, very evidently an American. called out in very shaky German:
 |" Oh, professor, you are slow and your pictures are bad.
 Come up and try one yourself, if you think so, replied the profess or sneeringly.
 All right, said the young man. and while the rest of the spectators were shouting and laughing at the invitation he climbed up on the stage and took possession of the professor paints and easel
 It was apparent that he knew something about painting from the ease with which he handled his l brush. After two or three prelim mary motions to Timber up his arms he turned and bowed low to the au- dience in the professors best man ner. The caricature was appreciat cd, and terrific howl greeted him | Turning to the canvas he swung his at rate that made the professors previous efforts seem slow by contrast. He seemed to be in a frenzy, and the eyes of the | stolid Germans in the theater bulged | out with astonishment. They forgot to drink their beer. In less than & minute the American turned and bowed again to the spectators to i'm ply that his picture was completed, and he awaited their decision. A be stood aside and the canvas op which he had been working was ex. posed there was silence for a mo ment, and then came a storm of ieers, in which even the professor joined. The canvas was merely Dlotch. Not even the widest imagi nation could trace any suggestion ( lf a picture on it.
 "The American looked pained ai ais greeting and then turned tOwar, ( his canvas. A surprised lpressioI ,ame over his face. That couIdn'! 1e his picture The spectators wert till jeering him when, as If 1t were S second thought, he sprang to the ,asel and turned the canvas bottom ide up. The jeers were changed to heers. The canvas now bore an ex- client landscape, with no detail left ut There were trees, a stream, an Id Dutch house, and in the back round several COWS. It had been 'ainted coarsely, but it was effectiv, nd far superior to anything that he professor had turned out While he spectators were laughing at th. oung Americans ready wit Il, prang off the stage and, accompa- lied by several friends, left the hall learned that he was studying arJ D Berlin, and that he spent more inc in practical jokes than at the Tt schools. He had fairly beaten he professor at his own game, how yer, and there were no more light : ing sketches that evening. New fork Sun.
 Century old Piano.