The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1908-04-30
Mr.. bdrniCkeI's Portrait
(Qriginal.l

portrait to hang in his drawing room
and to hand down to his descendants
as the lineaments OF the reinstitutor OF
the family. Arnold Elliott was at that
time the principal portrait painter III
the city where Mr. Rarnickel lived.
and to him Mr.. Barnickel gave the or
der. agreeing to pay for the portrait
$500.
Now, although Mr.. Barnickel had
dealt in hides. an article not calculated
to stimulate the imaginative faculty.
his Imagination vas strong. The mo
ment he set himself up as :, reinstitu-
tor of his family he saw himself 4 fine
looking. Dig gentleman OF aristo-
cratic miAl and bepevolent coun;e-
nance In ,rr II. he WAS 4 crafty HOOK
ing man Wit: 4 money making nose
He saw the picture of himself grow
ing I'D in tie hands of the artist as he
YVES and not as he thought himself
He made several protests. but when
he attempted to point out the errors
he signally failed. He could not give
the artist his conc option OF himself
and the artist had no choice but r.
paint him as Mr. Barnickel When the
portrait was finished. there sat the
merchant loo.ii for all the world as
If he were buying Il cargo OF. hides.
When Mr.. Rarnickel saw the portrait
he refused to accept it on the ground
that his best friend wouldn't take 1t
for him
AS soon as Mr.. Elliott got u little
spare time he hooked Mr.. Barnickels
portrait up against the wall Of his
studio, covered 1t with Il sheet OF
drawing paper and on the paper
sketched prison bars. This done. he
cut out the paper between the bars,
leaving Mr. Harllic!el in limbo Tn
derneath he placed the title of the pic
ture, A Prisoner For Debt"
It was not long before one who knew
Mr.. Barnichel we'll saw him behind
bars. Had he loved Mr.. Barnickel he
would have gone to him at once witt
the informant ton l,ut he didn't love
Mr.. Barnic.- el-f+w people didso lie
went about telling those who knew the
hide dealer OF the rare sight u tie
seen, and M Eliiott's studio at once
became ver: popular. Indeed, from
among those who visited it 10 So -
Prisoner For Debt'' he secured mum
Der Of orders.
The episode at last reached lneIn
Der Of the Barnickel family. and the
family head was Informed. The same
morning he druye up to Mr. Elliott's
studio, alighted in u hurry. climbed the
stairs in anger and burst into the stu
dio in passion There hung the pic
ture, and taere sat the artist Quiescent
at his easel
What do YOU mean by perpetraring
that outrage" shouted MIR Barnckel
pointing to the picture.
What outrage" asked the artist
without disseminating his work.
Putting my portrait behind bars
"YOur portrait: That isn't your poi
trait. You said yourself that no Ole
would recognize it,
The merchant saw that he could not
demand the removal of the objection
able features without eating his words
He Went out. s:amming the door be-
hind him. IA had been triumphant iii
too many deals 20 be beaten by j pic
ture maker. AZ WCIld find way to
get round the ''imposition.'
But before he found this way he
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 vel! and Mr.. Barnickel's lido.
syncrasies were so keenly appreciated
that new lot Of people came pouring
into the studio to see Old Scrouge, as
they called him. buying hides, though
some declared that he vas disputing
the price of his portrait Mr. Bar
nickel was made aware of the change
by receiving an anonymous letter in
curing which Of these two interpreter
tons of tie title was correct.
BY this time the merchant had con-
suited his 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.. ElIiott's studio.
On entering his eyes naturally sought
the picture. The expression had been
changed instead of Mr. Barnickel
beating down 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 Sold"
Mr.. Barnickel saw the word and was
seized with a new anxiety. He. and
only he. could not see it's double mean
ing.
There's your check. Send that daub
home" he said.
I'm sorry. Mr.. Barnickel Don't you
see the card on the picture?''
That's bOsh No one would want
mV''- He Stnnrad Ha oh tn