The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-17
Mi. BarniCkeI' S Portrait


w ueu MI ndIhitkci SVt L4Cu Ill
FIRST thing he wanted was a crest
which he found, though bis title to I
was rather thin, and the next was BIZ
portrait to hang in his drawing room
and to hand down to his descendant
as the lineaments of the reinstitutor O
the family Arnold Elliott was at tina
time the principal portrait painter Ii
the city where Mr.. Barnickel lived
and to him Mr. Barnickel gave the or
der, agreeing to pay for the portrait
$500.
Now. although MIR Barnickel hal
dealt In hides. an article not calculated
to stimulate the imaginative faculty
his imagination was strong. The mo
ment be set himself up as a reinstitu
tor OF his family he saw himself a tins
looking. digniiled gentleman of aristo
cratic mien and benevolent counte
nance. In truth. he was crafty look
ing man with money making nose
He saw the picture OF himself grow
ing up In the hands OF the artist as be
was and not as be thought himself
He made several protests, but wher
be attempted to point out the errors
he signally failed. He could not give
the artist his conception of himself
and the artist had no choice but to
paint him as Mfr. Barnickel. When the
portrait was finished, there sat the
merchant looking for all the world as
II he were buying a cargo OF hides.
When Mr.. Barnickel saw the portrait
he refused to accept il on the ground
that bis best friend wouldn't take Il
for him.
AS soon as Mr.. Elliott got little
spare time he hooked Mr.. Barnickel's
portrait up against the wall OF his
studio. covered 1t with a sheet OF
drawing paper and on the paper
sketched prison bars This done. he
cut out the paper between the bars,
leaving Mr. Barnickel in limbo. I'M
derneath he placed the title of the pic
ture. "a Prisoner For Debt"
1t was not long before one who knew
Mr.. Barnickel well saw him behind
bars. Had he Iored Mr.. Barnickel he
would have gone to him Mt once with
the information. But he didn't love
Mr.. Barnickel--few people did-so he
went about telling those who knew the
hide dealer Of the rare sight to be
seen, and Mr.. Elllott's studio at once
became very popular. Indeed, from
among those who visited 1t to see "a
Prisoner For DEBIT he secured num-
Der Of orders.
The episode at last reached mem
Der of the Barnickel family. and the
family head was informed. The same
morning he drove up to Mr.. Elliotts
studio, alighted in hurry, climbed the
stairs in anger and burst into the stu
dio In a passion. There hung the pic
ture. and there sat the artist quiescent
at his easel
What do You mean by perpetrating
that outrage7" shouted Mr.. Barnickel.
pointing to the picture.
What outrage?" asked the artist
without disseminating his work.
Putting nay portEait behind bars"
Z 'Tour portrait7 That Isn't yodr por.
trait. You said yourself that no one
would recognize it.
The merchant saw that he could not
demand the removal Of the objection
able features without eating bis words
he went out, siamming the door be.
hind him. He had been triumphant IN
too many deals to be beaten by pic.
ture maker: he would find a way toI
get round the imposition
But before he found this way be
heard that new feature had been at
tached to the portrait. The artist Lad
removed the bars and the title. replac-
ing the latter with the words You
Want Too Much"
The title fitted the expression on the
face so well and Mr.. Barnickels lido.
syncrasies we're SO keenly appreciated
that q new lot of people came pouring
into the studio to see Old Scrouge, as
they called him, buying hides. though
some declared that he was disputing
the price of his portrait Mr.. Bar.
nickel was made aware Of the change
by receiving an anonymous letter in
quiring which Of these two interpreta
tons OF the title was correct.
By this time the merchant had con.
suited bis lawyer. who advised him
that the most satisfactory way out OF
the difficulty was to pay for the pic
ture and take it away. Therefore on
receipt of the anonymous note he drew
his check for $500. jumped into his car
rage and drove to Mr.. Elliott's studio
on entering his eyes naturally sought
the picture. The expression had been
changed. Instead of Mr. Barnickel
beating down a seller. it was Mr. Bar
nickel just having bought at his own
price. There was no title attached to
the picture. Instead bit Of cardboard
rested upon it on which in big letters
was Inscribed "Soldp
Mr.. Barnickel saw the word and was
seized with a new anxiety. He, and
only he. could not see its double mean.
lng.
There's your check. Send that daub
home" be said.
'I'm sorry. Mr.. Barnickel. Don't you
zee the card on the picture?"
That's bosh. No one would want
N.Y. He stopped He was about to
vield to bis beating down propenslties
md add ugly mug" but remembered
himself
II don't think the purchaser cares
much for IT." said Mr.. Elliott coolly.
.x... .s.f.hk 60 h nt On allranca on