The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-19

officials are likely to be called upon to
explain to a jury more of their run
ming system than they care TO make
public.
There has just been concluded AT
the Knoedler Art Gallery an exhibition
of portraits by a young German-Ameri-
can whose swift success has come af-
ter an unusual career. The artist is
Wilhelm Funk, who came to this coun-
try less than ten years ago, when he
was barely of age. He didn't see much
chance of getting ahead in his native
land and he had heard so much of
brilliant opportunities in America that
he decided to try for himself. His am
bition was to become great painter;
while he was learning he was willing
to do anything that was honest. On
landing, young Funk had very little
spare cash and a meager knowledge of
English, combined with a guileless con-
findence in his ability to get on some
how. After wandering about the water
front for a while he strolled down on
a pier and fell in with man whose
appearance was hopefully Teutonic.
Funk promptly asked him for a job.
What can you do?" asked the man.
Il can paint" replied Frank. He
couldn't, to speak of, but he knew that
he was going to some time.
Can you paint the side of shipe?"
asked the man.
Certainly; I can paint any part of
ship" replied the young German conf
IDENTIFY.
The man gave him job. and Funk
stuck to it till he had picked up a
little English and a little money. Then
he went to the office of a large news
paper and applied for position on the
art staff.
What can you draw" asked the art
manager.
II can ANGLING draw: you, of in
stance" said Funk, and Selling a piece
of paper he did it.
For many years he worked for that
paper putting in his spare hours
studying color work. When he re-
signed to set up as portrait painter
his friends said that he was giving
up a good salary for starvation. With
in a year his wonderful sense of color
in flesh and hair tints had resulted in
several good orders. He went abroad,
studied further, came to the attention
of the Princess Christian and was
asked to Windsor to paint her portrait.
This was followed by orders from
number of English women of rank,
Lady Elcho Lady Muriel Paget, and
Lady Colin Campbell, the famous
beauty, among them the number, and
his success was assured. He is still
in accent almost as Teutonic as on the
day he landed and he delights in telling
of his first professional commission.
"Andt it wass a good job made of
dthe site of dthat ship, too he declares
proudly.
The big boom in stocks was checked
last week and by an incident that
was rather amusing. The bears learned
m t1n 10 hn
leader and that the impulse for this
elevation was to be a report of earn
| ings, showing a splendid financial con-
| dition. There were many signs of
] preparedness to retreat on the short
1 side of the market, but for the first
time a show of leadership appeared.
A story was started that the earnings
of the Steel Company were 100000
each unonth, This put the total far be-
yond the possible. Jim Keene was
/ pushing Steel up a point day. and it
was well known that he intended to
advance the common stock to so. He
| had had it at 461a when the quarterly
statement came out. The expectations
| founded on the lying bear reports were
disappointed, and Steel, the leader of
sthe rise, became the leader of a sharp
Fdecline. The incident emphasized the
| failure of another boom.
The market as a whole is better for
the failure and the credit is really
due to the public again. The big bank
ers did not believe that the rise would
be successful at this time, but they
told their market leaders to go ahead
and try it. No outside buying came
in and the big fellows are just as
well satisfied If the boom had come
off, the end of good times would have
been FASTENED. If we can have ex-
travagant speculation postponed for a
year or eight months, the period of
prosperity might be extended to 1904.
The great decline that is sure to come
l-some day will probably follow imme-
diately upon this great boom about
which Wall street is talking so much.
| Duane.