Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-13

money he earned enabled him to carry it
out He carried home with him mental
pictures of the men who worked with him
on the subway-Italians, Irishmen Poles
men in their working clothes welding
picks and shovels drinking out of battered
pals and smoking superannuated pipes
When he had some of them finished he sat
down and admired them.
There's no HARM" he assured himself
lin admiring them. for they certainly VIII
please no one else" Then. when he soured
on his luck bit, he would bring out the
head of the girl and touch it up here and
there.
One night there a tap at his door
| or rather resounding rap: 'Cor1e in!' he
yelled. Somebody walked ina bluff. pros
perous-looking man of the world.
He stood there uncertainty and looked al
the artist The artist was still in his work
Ing clothes
MIR. Doblin?" queried the newcomer as
he stepped in.
The artist nodded "Dobbins," he cor
rected. my name is Dobbins. Are you
looking for me?''
II think I am" returned the other; you
are an artist and the man l am looking for
is an artist. Your name was mentioned by
say, do you know William j. Peterson Of
the university?'
Now Dobbins was never so foolish as to
deny acquaintance with anyone He said
guardedly that he believed he had met MI
Peterson.
HE told me about you" the other man
continued, land when / said 1 wanted a
thing or two to hang up in my Staten
Island place-Im building down there-he
said he thought I could get something Of
you that was respectable-and cheap. The
question is what have you got?'
F. Vreeland Dobbins jumped almost out
OF his skin. Here, then, was the chance
that he had waited for 50 long. He had
some fine things that he had taken months
to do that he was sure would please the
visitor. He trotted them out.
~ - ,,tI
/" The Seine in Moonlight Here's another,
Fishers at Bays End And this little
sketch is no end of a gen." Thus he pro-
ceeded, cracking up his wares in the most
businesslike way. His visitor glanced at
them most doubtfully.
"Um-um" was all he said for a long
while. Finally, growing more at home he
drew out some pictures from their resting
place against the wall with his own hands.
Great Scott! he finally exclaimed.
whats this?'
Dobbins laughed. That" he answered.
why. that's Jimmy Murphy of the sub
way taking a drink of beer out of an old
tin can
Jimmy Murphy" said the visitor, land
I'll bet 1t looks like Jimmy, too. Got any
more of these?'' Dobbins had He pro-
duced them.
"Of course" he explained. these are not
finished pictures like that moonlight scene.
They're just little things have dashed off
lately. My hand is kind of out, you see"
Hello" exclaimed the visitor finally,
what the DEVILS this?
Dobbins blushed. That" he returned
us the portrait of IA GIRL
Pretty fair" returned the visitor. what
will you take for it?''
Dobbins shook his head Its my sister"
he answered, lying without the slightest
conjunction. land l can't very well part
with it-sort of a family pride, you see. :"
The visitor rummaged around for awhile
and then said he must go, but that he
would come again and decide upon some
thing. He came once or twice more. He
came gradually to understand that every
thing in the place was at his service at
his own price-excepting, of course, the
picture of the girl. Finally. his choice mar
rowed down to the Seine in Moonlight"
and to four of the pictures of subway men.
III pay you three hundred for the lot"
he said. Three hundred" DobbinS
gasped: but he held his own. Not cent
less than five hundred" he answered.
Give me five hundred and they're yours"
Throw the girl In" said the man, land
III give you five hundred But Dobbins
wouldn't. So they haggled about 1t. Final
ly they compromised upon 500. Bobbins
laughed out loud as he thought of it-of
having 800 in his clothes. and Of having
good clothes to put them In.
Il come around tomorrow with fell
low and take EN- away said the man.
Shall bring you a check?'
Dobbins coughed. 'The--the bills would
do just as WELL" he returned. somewhat
suspiciously. "AH right exclaimed the
other. III see you tomorrow"
But he didn't see him the morrow.
For when Dobbins reached his room on the
following day he found that his room had
been entered AS IL afterward transpired.
the )anitor. awed by the prosperous appear
ance of the visitor. had opened the door for
him. And the visitor had carted on not