Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-26
Mr. BaTnii6GkeI's Portrait

/ Ilrl tuluB ut NBultu Mh0 CTe6N,
which he found. though his title to IL
was rather thin, and the next was his
portrait to hang In his drawing room
I and TO hand down to his descendants
"a tho lineaments OF the reinstltutor OF
the family. Arnold Elliott was at that
time the principal portrait painter in
the city where Mr.. Barnlckel lived.
and to him Mr. Barnickel gave the or
der, agreeing to pay for the portrait
+ $500.
! Now, although Mr.. Barnickel had
dealt III hides, an article not calculated
to stimulnte the imaginative faculty.
his Imagination was strong. THO, mo-
! ment he set himself up as q reinstitu-
/ tor OF his family he saw himself fine
looking, dlgniiled gentleman of arlsto-
cratic mlen 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 ho
was and not rs he thought himself
! He mndc several protests. but when
DO attempted to point out the errors
he Bignally failed. He could not give
the artist his conception of himself
and the artist had no choice but to
paint him IA Mr.. Barnicke. When the
portrait was finished. there sat the
merchant looking for all the world as
II lie were buying cargo OF hides.
! When Mr.. Barnlckel saw the portrait
he refused to accept II OH the ground
that his best friend wouldn't take 1t
for him.
AS soon as Mr.. Elliott got n little
spare time he hooked Mr. Barnickel's
portrait mp against the wall OF his
studio. covered II with sheet OF
drawing paper ard on the paper
slsctched prison bars. This done. lie
cut ont tho paper between the bars.
leaving Mr.. Barnicl;cl In limbo. I'm
dcrncath lie placed the title Of the pic
ture, "A Prisoner For Debt"
II WA not long before one who knew
Mr. Barnickel we'll saw him behind
hnrE. Had no loved Mr.. Barnickei he
would have gone to him Mt once with
the information. But he didn't love
MFR. Bnrnlckei-few people dld-4so he
went about telling those who knew the
hide dealer of the rare sight to be
seen, and Mr.. Elliott's studio ut once
became very popular. Indeed. from
anong those who visited II to see "a
Prisoner For Debt hs occurred a mum.
Der OF orders
Tho episode at last reached q mem-
her OF the Barnickel family. and the
family head was Informed. The same
morning he drove UP to Mr.. Elliott's
! studio. allghted in a hurry, climbed the
stairs In anger and burst into the stu.
do in a passion. There hung the pic
turc, and there sat the artist quiescent
at his easel.
"What do you mean by perpetratinS
that outragcY' shouted Mr.. Barnickei,
pointing to tho picture.
'"Whnt outragef" asked the artist
without disseminating his work.
Putting my portrait behind bars"
"Your portrait2 That isn't your por-
trait. You said yourself that no one
would recognize H."
The merchant saw that he could not
demand The removal OF the objection
able features without eating his words.
lie went out slamming the door be-
hind him. He had been triumphant in
too many deals to be beaten by pie
turo maker; he would find u way to
get round the imposition"
u But before he found this way he
heard that a new feature had been al
tached TO the portrait. The artist lad
removed the bars and the title, replac-
Ing the latter with the words "You
Want Too Much"
erha fitt., slta,.y A., n~D,or,t.,. -. A. i.
face 80 well and Sir. Barnickels idio-
Byncrasles were 80 keeniy appreciated
that n 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 disputlng
the price OF his portrait. Mr.. Bar
nickel WAS made aware OF the change
by receiving an anonymous letter In
qulring which OF these two interpreta-
tions Of the title was correct.
by this time the merchant had con.
suited his lawyer. who advised him
that the most satisfactory way out OF
tho difficulty was to pay for the pic
ture aud take 1t away. Therefore on
receipt OF the anonymous note he drew
bis check for $500. jumped into his car
riase and drove to Bfr. Elliotts studio
On entering his eyes naturally sought
the picture. The expression had been
changed Instead OF Mr.. BarnicEel
beating down seller, II was Mr. Bar.
nickel just having bought at his own
price. There was no title attached to
tue picture. Instead a bit OF cardboard
rested upon 1t on which In big letters
was Inscribed "So!d"
Mr.. Ba.nictel saw the word and was
seized with q new anxiety. He, and