Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-12-06

awhile and then he sighed, for now
he was approaching the hardest part
of his work-the selling of 1t.
He was not well known, and he was
not self-assertive, and if he got $25
for it he would be doing we'll TWEEN
| ty.ive dollars for the fruit of ten
| years observation and study. To be
sure the actual painting had taken
only three weeks, but he was no hack
| painter to turn out two landscapes in
week, rain or shine and so $50
would be very inadequate return for
his labor
He looked at the picture. jingled
the few coins there were in his peck
cts, and brought his fist down in the
palm of his hand with sudden de-
termination. Il will get more than
$25. I'll be the business man until
l get on my feet
He had met a picture lover at an
artists dinner and acting on his sud
den resolve he went downtown to the
dry goods district to call on this man
at his office
Mr.. Parsons was a Wholesale dry
goods man with love for pictures,
but with too large Il family to make
extensive picture buying anything
less than a crime.
He was jolly fellow with a roar
ing laugh, easily produced, and when
he saw Richards he thought he di-
vined his errand and laughed Justify.
Hello! Mr.. Richards. You're too
late bought n picture last week,
and I'm poor. Some time | mean to
treat myself to one of yours, but"
Excuse me, Mr.. Parsons" said
Richards, his color frightening, but
| didn't come here to ask you to buy"
II beg your pardon. l knew you
weren't coming in to give me an order
for white goods, and"
Mr.. Parsons did not finish his SEN
tence, but waved his hands expressive
ly and laughed heartily. He also in
smoke cigar.
Richards accepted both invitations.
He also wished that Mr.. Parsons felt
like buying picture, as he was GER
tainly in a very approachable mood
Mr.. Parsons, | understand that
you know Jared w. Shuck."
81 have that honor" said Mr.. Par
sons, again laughing heartily. Mr..
Shucks is the art patron par excel
lence of the twentieth century. What
he doesn't know about the 'Bumba-
zeen school, as / understand he calls
1t, | don't believe he will ever learn.
But he has money"
II know he has and / wish he would
swap some of his money for one of my
landscapes"
That's laudable wish. There's
only one thing to make 1t difficult.
You're an American"
Yes; but art shouldn't have any
nationality" said Richards.
II know it shouldn't, but when
you're looking for 'Bombazeens' and
they all happen to be French, what
are you going to do about it?
"Shuck doesn't know that there are
landscapes painted here In New York
that will bring as great prices as his
canvasses. He learned his one lesson
from an agent of a picture dealer in
New York, and ] don't believe that
he knows there ever were any paint
ers except those of the 'Bombazeen'
school. Shuck is good, square man,
but he Is not real nature-lover and
you've got to be something of a
nature-lover to be a good judge OF
landscapes"
well, / wish I could get Mr..
Shuck to visit my studio" said Rich
ards, looking contemplatively at the
long ash on the end of his cigar.
Lets see, you studied abroad
didn't you?"
Yes, in Paris
well, I'll tell him he ought to see
your work and talk to you about his
pictures. / can get him to your studio
all right, but you'll have to do the
rest"
About a week later Richards was
at work on study of woods in the
autumn when there came knock at
the door.
Come in!" said Richards, with a
wry face. He hated to be interrupted
when he was painting. He looked
over his shoulder and saw Mr. Shuck
ford faced and oleaginous. Richards
had seen him at a club exhibition and
he knew him at once.
Jared w. Shuck had made his
money in lucky mining deal in the
west, and his love for art was now
nearly if not quite two years old.
Richards did not put down his
palate and rush to relieve the mag
nate of his coat. Instead Of that he
said quite cavalierly; Good morning
Do you wish to see me?"
Mr.. Shuck still putting from the
ascent of the three flights, said: 81
do. l am Jared w. Shucks, the art
connishure."
We'll, and l am Mr.. Stanley Rich
ards, the artist. What can / do for