The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1900-12-28
WONDERFUL CORN PAINTINGS
30 True to Natare Ts,et q Mind Man
Can Count the KerncIx--A
Farmer Artist.

Commissioners Peck hos written q
letter to Alfred Montgomery, the
farmer paIntcr" Of blooming ton. Ill.
hotifytng him that tho picture "Dowi.
-. The Eern," wi! he .hcYm 1T IL.
Paris t&pogition noxt year,.
In painting this picture. Mr.. Mont
gomery has accepted the challenge OF
james Whitcomb Riley, who in his bal.
lad. when the frost is Oh tho pump
kin nnd the folders In tho SHOCK"
says that the farm presents picture
that mo painter has the colorin' to
mock" Mr.. Montgomery at once called
the attention Of the Iloosicr poet to this
challenge nnd he announced that hc
would accept It.
The picture hns been completed and
WAS shown TO Mr.. Peck in Chicago re,
GENTLY. 1t Is six feet long and three
feet vide and represents q farm in the
time pf the year suggested by tho ball
lad. a panel Of rail fence Is nado to
do service for q frame and into this
the painting hna been thrust as II II
Ind dropped md hntl caught there.
Montgomery lives OH n littlc place
on the border OF the town, which he
calls farm. lie claims that ho has
taken no lcsaons save from nature. lie
has painted during period OF 80 years
hundreds OF farm scenes. 1t Is
claimed TINT 80 rculistIc are some OF
the cars OF corn seen In tho pictures
Tint they havo' at: different times Ut
tracted the .Inhble OF horsc and the
peek OF u hen. Tho artist told the
,,rt&ar +,,ot @,o ,,SSn;,, x,3,, ooorna,, ,,,o.+
TO appreciate his work wis blind. In
painting tho grains on the ears, he
had made them stund out 30 thet the
sightlcxs critic went over tho canvai
with hia' fingers, feeling almost every
glNin. Mr.. Montgomery himself naya
that.in this making the graina atand
out, he has boen accused Of cutting
or tho ends of real grains and pasting
them on tho canvas, but this charge
hc disnisscs with disdainful laugh.
The artist cxhibits hundreds OF let.
ters from wcll-known Chicagonns who
have purchased hls corn pictures. lie
delivered ono to ex-Comptroller Eok.
els the other day. lie has been re.
ferred to rs "thc James Whitcomb
Riley in nrt."
Ihe farmer artist Is exceedingly odd
in his habits: Some time ago he ap.
poared IL the Aaditor.uia hotel IN
farm garb. with N basket Of huge red,
white and yellow cars OF corn. He
checked the bnslset and invited the
manager out In tho hall to ,see ono OF
his corn picturcs.
Montgomery uses UP an astonishing
amount Of energy. He will walk down
tho street loaded with sufficient para.
phcrnalin and pictures to fill cart
One day. It Is said. he arrived at the rail.
road depot Iii Lake Geneva with his load
Just as tho train was pulling out, He
wanted tho conductor to witt, but the
latter wouldn't; whcrcupon tho artist
began loading the front ends OF the cars
ns they pnsscd him. jumping on the last
car himself.
The farmer artist aays he will take
his family and go 10 Paris with his pic.
"rca. II Is snid that lie haa made mon.
" from the sale OF The wonderful prod.
ucts his brush. fIc says he Is building
villa III some cnstern atato and after
he exposition hc will settle there for
the remainder of his liie.-,Chiengo Rec
ord.