The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-12-07
THE HOLLOW FRAME
By w. z. w e L L S
Copyright. 1905. by Daily Story Pub. Coz
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l had just returned from a years
study in Paris and had set up studio
in New York city, when I met Pop
Brown" as he was always called. He
was an artist that nature had never
intended to be great, but who made a
living painting sketches for advertis-
ing signs, sofa pillows or anything
that would bring dollar. He was a
lonely old man, apparently having no
relatives. In fact, he afterward told
me that he had none, and seeking no
friends. AS our studios were on the
same floor we met often and after a
time for some reason which l could
never explain became fast friends
and We spent good deal of time in
each others company. l was at the
time working rather steadily, for me,
on a picture that was intended for
my masterpiece and sell for thousands
of dollars, out Of which 1 was to repay
my father the money which he so lib
orally furnished me-
Considerable over a year passed by
without anything unusual III the path
OF our friendship. 1 had finished my
picture, but the critics had not, for
every time they looked at it they
seemed to find something worse to say
about it and of course, found no
one foolish enough to buy it at a
large price. In fact, as l look back,
| am certain that I never was born
for an artist, but my father, because
OF certain rather clever drawings that
| made when boy, was certain that
was and 1t was to please him that
made the effort. While my picture
was being flayed by the critics, Pop
Brown was taken seriously sick, and
as he had no friend but myself It
seemed my duty to care for him, and
l did so with the help of my man.
He soon developed pneumonia, and the
second day after went out of his mind.
One thing that seemed to concern him
during all his sickness, was an old
frame containing a landscape, which
was probably his work in his younger
days. Again and again he asked for
the frame, and told me not to let it
go out Of my possession, and now and
then murmured something about it
that l could not understand The
struggle with death only lasted a few
days and the old man passed away.
The day after his death lawyer came
to me with a will that Brown had
made only few weeks before he was
taken sick, leaving me all his posses
slons. There was no cash that l
could find and when had disposed of
his studio effects they hardly brought
enough to pay the funeral expenses
and buy him a neat gravestone. I
disposed of all his things except the
old frame, which kept to remember
my eccentric old friend because he
seemed to value it so much during his
sickness.
Affairs went on as usual for several
months when I suddenly met my fate
and fell in love. 1t is not necessary
for me to burden you with the intrica-
cies OF my love affair, for although
they were unique to me and Bessie
the sweetest, best and loveliest girl
in the world yet doubt not that they
were much the same as other love
affairs. Suffice it to say that I met
her at swell reception and it was a
case of love at first sight on both
sides. She was the niece and pros
pective heir Of cantankerous old
maid whose only object in life was
money, but as my rarner was weaIrhy
and an only son, the aunt made no
objection to the suit. In fact she did
all she could to encourage it, and for
once it seemed that the course of
true love was going to run smoothly,
when just after the engagement was
announced the crash came. Father
had invested heavily in some new
mining stock that was expected to