The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-06

THE DEACON WOULD HAVE HAD
Rim TEACH MS son TO PAINT.
An Artist Tells NJ . students First Call
Upon Formerly Weii-knswn Painter
Who Sc0rned the Younger Spirits
But the BOY Fled - High Arl.

0pOn q Formerly Well-knowu Painter
Who scorned the Younger Spirits
But the BOY Fled 70 High Art.
A few DAYS ago landscape artist OF note
was .npacking some of his summers work
when a studio neighbor, whose attenuated
saints, bearded prophets and radiant
stained glass angels are better known to
churchgoers than HIS name is, knocked at
the studio door and entered. He managed
to get around the broken cases and to avoid
the canvases scattered about the floor, and,
seating himself on the divan, pulled at
o corncob pipe and eyed the landscapist
with mild disdain.
Great Scott !" he exclaimed. why don't
you let the janitor do it? You're no good
ut pulling nails
Don't agree with you. Bob said the
host. Besides, I need exercise. Here's
something that may interest you
He pulled out good-sized canvas, leaned
II against the case, stretched himself out
in deep armchair and relit his cigar.
Its great! It's a corkeri That's a
seller, all right" cried Bob. I'm almost
persuaded to paint haymows and sketch
old barns, too: only nothing goes with me
WITHOUT II lIlDu6
did you run across any one we both
know while you wei, about the country
.Yes; Wakefield and spent most OF the
summer together
'Clever chap said Bob.
Able man. quickly corrected the land
scaps painter. He'll rank with Inness.
It's . safe prediction
All right. Did he hold forth on the
dignity OF artP Expound you The Artist:
Truths Apostle'2 Dear mel For as much
as half an hour after hearing him talk
used to think it wrong to paint for money
Guilty conscience. Bob. But since you
know Wakeields views. tell me. can you
think Of any one who would have made a
more uncon genial and impossible teacher
for him than old Worldly Wise? Dear
old John Smith, n. A.
Not without giving myself headache
was Bob's reply.
He never studied under him. said the
landscape man. with laugh but 1t was
not his fathers fault, This summer Wake
field told me about his first and only visit
to Smiths studio. The story has the color
of the time-just after the Bastien Lepage
crowd came home and made up the Society
Of American Artsts-and I think you'll
enjoy it,
"I'm too comfortable to move, said Bob.
'Wakeflelds father was a Deacon the
landscspist continued, who kept the gen.
eral store and post Office Of the Connecticut
village where he lived. When Tom made
up his mind to study art he had tho greatest
difficulty in getting the deacon's consent.
After a good deal Of persuasion the
deacon yielded, but he intended there
should be a. little nonsense about the pro-
ceeding as possible; 10 he began to study
the question. After looking over the
work Of the artists Of the day he decided
that Smiths pictures suited him best,
and that they we're the kind he'd like Tom
to paint. He thought all the better of
Smith's paintings whom he learned that
the artist owned real estate, had bank
account and waa eminently respectable.
Without consulting his son, 40 arranged.
for consideration, that Tom should have
the benefit OF the great mans criticism
and advice.
"One bright October day in 1881 the
deacon, accompanied by his son, reached
the Y. M. G. A. building in Twenty-third
street and raped at the Academician's
door.
1T was opened by one Of his stock
models, an old man with long white
beard Smith arose from the depths OF a
comfortable armchair, standing near a
brightly glded radiator. and after the
deacon had introduced himself and Tom
he invited his callers to make themselves
at home, pointing to two chairs, which +,
like the armchair, were upholstered In
black hair cloth
Hold on" sighed Bob Hair cloth
chairs T.ley take me back to the little
parlor at home, Smith must have lad
family photographs in . oval frames banging
haps sampler
The landscape painter ignored the in
sThe Aeademicien reseated himself he
went on, leaned back at case and. folding
his hands over his rounded stomach,
beamed upon his visit ors.
AT this time Smith was wen past 10,
but active and full of work. He was
smooth shaven, rosy gilled and always
appeared in public with a self-satsfied
smirk He looked like prosperous shop
keeper that had arrived after many years
behind the counter"
II can just remember him." said Bob.
she was short and fat, wasn't he? Had
little fiat feet and hoped about like q
, Prepos,erous, dieky bird It's far-0f'
but beautiful VISION.
that's about the way he looked" said
the landscape painter. The deacon
handed Smith some OF Toms sketches.
He looked at them in q perfunctory way
and laid them aside. Not 30 bad young
man; not 30 bad he said to the boy; and
turning to the deacon: i congratulate
you, Mr. Wakefield. congratulate you.
-'Thank you, said the deacon quickly.
I'm glad Tom promises well, since he a
going to take up the business,
Excuse me- What / wished to say :,
% the Academician, complaoently, is
ahem!-that you are fortunate-if may
be permitted to say it--that you are fortu-
nate in your selection OF an adviser.
may not be the greatest American artist
he murmured on, gently, but Il am the most
slcoessful-that is, financially
"Pausing a moment, so that this impor-
tant fact could be properly noted, he added
There's no use losing time. III give you
letter now that will enable your son to
begin his studies from the cast at once
The National Academy, you know. Is right
across the street.
The landscapist, who is himself ann A..
amiled sadly. I'm not answering conun-
drums to-day. Bot" he said. Let me con-
tnue'
-The deacon was perplexed Tom wapts
TO study he said, at place they call the
League. It's somewhere on Fifth avenue.
.'Whatr Smith almost screamed, grasp
Ing the arms OF his chair, and half raising
himself. That Bsdlam That crazy quilt 7
Then sinking back and spreading out his