The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-28
MRS RIODAN'S THORWALDSEN
purchase rare bits Of bronze. evidently his
BY WALTER A. TlCE.

purchase rare bits Of bronze. evidently his
hobby.
'If one is really judge of such things"
he remarked, 4there is absolutely no danger
of being cheated and every chance Of pick
ing up rare bargain"
"Ah," sighed Mrs. Riodan, "a kindred
| spirit indeed" And she strolled. with as
sumed carelessness, as close as possible to
this connoisseur, thinking complacently Of her
| five pieces Of bronze, each picked UP at
auction sale. Suddenly she heard him of the
artistic temperament utter an excited ex-
clamation
by Jove. that is a gem!''
They had paused before bronze statue not
more than foot in height, but cxquisitely
nodded 1t was a really fine production of
Thorwoldsen's Wrestler With bated
breath she fell back. as did the two young
men, to study the figure more critically.
/ Exquisite! came to her in dulcet tones
] Worth five hundred, if it's worth q cent, or
my opinion is valueless."
l. "A gem, worth a couple hundred MUIR
INJURED Mrs. Riodan, and as swine looked the
muscles OF the wrestler seemed to CLEAN in
the uncertain light like FURNISHED gold
| The men made a note of the number and
|then moved on. but Mrs. Riodan fingered
She would have that piece, for she had heard
the artist remark as he turned away that no
one in the room would probably realize the
| real value of that bit. -
| By the time the sale opened Mrs. Riodan
was in fegerish state. The auctioneer rolled
off his customary jargon, bidding went mer-
| rily on. but Mrs. Riodan heard nothing until
| the auctioneer reached the ThorWaldsen.
Some one bid s., and Mrs. Riodan bestowed
on the ignorant individual a glance Of scorn.
! The bids rose slowly and at SIS Mrs. Riodan
entered the arena, and so did the young art
| list. Up. up went the figures until finally
these two were bidding steadily against each
| other.
Zone hundred dollars!' exclaimed the artist
nonchalantly.
Zone hundred and twenty-five" snapped
his rival
The artist reused himself
Zone hundred and ffty!" The drawl had
left his voice.
Mrs. Riodan hesitated.
| "He wants it. He knows bronZes, and-so
! do t. she thought.
"Going, going, going"
Zone seventy-fve!"
The artist turned a troubled face toward
his friend. They conferred anxously. The
auctioneer looked from one to the other. Mrs.
| Riodan felt her heart contract suddenly. She
wanted that bronze. What was the artist 60
ing to do?
II He shook his head. The auctioneer's ham
mer fell. The bronze was Mrs. Rtodan's
property, and, giving her address and settling
u the bill, she hastily left the room. An hour
later, having completed her other shopping,
she dropped into fashionable restaurant,
feeling that, having secured bargain, she
might treat herself to exceptional lunch
con. She had barely given her order when
from behind palm she caught tones that
tseemed strangely familiar, that drawing.
dulcet note she had heard before. And what
was he saying? .=
'Its jolly little lunch. isn't It, Madge?
And let tell you earned 1t haven't
: played a part since the dramatic club days at
college, but I fatter myself did quite well
this morning What know about bronzes
. would not cover your visiting card; but heav-
, ems, how the old lady did snap at the bait.
One seventy-fve, and she could get brand
8 new one for "a hundred
The next afternoon a couple Of woman
Q friends We're taking tea in Mrs. Riodan 8
! home, and one of them spied the Thorwald-
I sen. -.,.
"What clever bit. Mrs. Riodan. And
? you've never shown it to u.s. The guest
approached the figure and touched it daintily.
"And of course you got it for song. You
8 always do, lucky creature.
t "Yes,'' murmured Mrs Riodan. "for q
song" Then she added under her breath as
3 she passed the waters, But there were a
, few high notes in the song.