The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-06-29
STORY OF THE PAINT BOX.

The paints lay in the new paint box
chattering. They all talked together, and
they all said the same thing. If you had
heard them you wouldn't have known
what it was. 1t was: Which will the
little boy like best"
He will like me the BEST" said Ceru-
lean; "he can paint the sky with me-"
"He will find me most useful" said
Light Red; "it is / that make flesh-color
for the faces"
"There'lf be no color in their checks
without me-" said Miss Carmine, and
they can't have pink lashes, either"
He can't paint the trees without me-"
murmured Mr.. Green Bice, and he'll
want my friend, Mr. Sepia, as we'll"
Hell have to call .on me pretty fire.
quently," remarked stout little gentle
man known as Mr.. Vandyke Brown.
And on me-" said Mrs. Emerald
Green.
Mr.. Lamp Black was growing away
something all the time, and his next-door
neighbor. Chinese White, mustered
enough English to say: Him like little
Chinese Whitley best"
ooh, what nonsense you are all talk
ing" cried Mr.. Vermilion, when the
hubbub had ceased; "of course, he'll like
me best All little boys like scarlet. The
minute he opens the box he will clap his
hands and say, Bright Red|
"Me for the trousersP said Mrs.
Prussian Blue
eyes, of course" said Mr.. Vermilion,
you are useful, too, but it is certain he
will like me best. Red coats! I'm the
popular favorite! 1t would, indeed, be a
poor world without me"
y
The birthday had come, and the dear
little boy saw his paint box. The dear
little boy! Curly-haired and smiling
He for whom surprises were prepared,
for whom all pleasures were ready! The
dear little boy! Whose smile was JOY
to his mother and his aunties, whose
broken English was listened to and re-
peated as though it had been the wisdom
of Solomon Oh, he was so pleased with
his paint box He read the names OF
colors again and again; he tried the
brushes, admired the china palette which
fitted so nicely into its place. He liked
the red best, as Mr.. Vermilion had pre-
/, dicted Some of the colors looked mucl
| the same from the outside, and you coult
not tell what they were like till they wer'
ground. Indigo, Sepia and Sap Greer
looked very dull in the box; you coult
not even tell what Miss Carmine wa
like till you ground her on the palette
But there was no mistaking Mr.. Vermil
ionl He was always bright and cheer
full; he looked like general officer il
his bright red coat commanding all tn
colors in the box.
Bright red Bright red!" cried TIL
little boy, when he saw him. And h
clapped his hands just as Mr.. Vermilior
had said
The box itself was in cedar wood, an,
there was a picture of Robinson Cruso
inside the lid. There were three row
of paints, and there was compartment
for India-rubber, brushes and pencils
and secret drawer at the bottom of tn
box, which could not be opened till yo
had taken out brass screw. There wa
a tiny glass for painting water, but
was too small to satisfy the little boy
who preferred to use a good-size'
tumbler
Nothing would do but that he mus
begin to paint at once. and all manne
of pictures from the illustrated paper
and magazines were brought for him I
paint. His mother and aunts looked OF
we'll pleased, while he daubed the picture
all sorts of bright and impossible color
did not laugh when he brought the oui
line of the lady's hat well out into til
distant landscape, or when he painte
some of the faces yellow and others ver
million red. If he thought that horse
looked we'll in sapphire blue, and thu
emerald green was the proper color fo
grass, who could venture to dispute wit
him? They could only bow to his ST
. perior taste.
A year had passed, and the paintin
box was not quite what it was. The DO
: was splashed with different colors, til
. peg which. held the secret drawer wa
lost; the china palette had got crae
! in it, the painting glass was broken, M
Vandykc Brown was lost; the sober CO
. ors were still in pretty good condition
but the brighter colors were all in vel
sad way Emerald Green was wor
ndown. Sapphire Blue was only f1alf hi
/ original size, Miss Carmine seemed ,
have all the spirit taken out of her, an
i Chinese White was worn to a threa
But Mr.. Vermilion was the worst!
was but half the size he had been la
|. year, and not only had he been remors
. lessly ground down on the palette, b
, the paint had been taken from the on
= side with the brush till he was quite wol
down in the middle.
cts dreadful to be worn to this pitch
4 sighed Mr. Vermilion thus it is to be
S popular favorite p'-CasseIPs Lii