The Cairo bulletin., 1911-05-30
A Great Battle
Painter
How He Got His Start
By GERALD l.. PERKINS
Copyrigh. BY American Press Asse
citation lall

W no MAS iuStC, buA W. 'ili raNN sV'
very little. The soldiers Of both ar
mics have taken all we have except 4
few bits that we hid in the cellar.
Come. Fanchette, bestir Yourself aud
set the table,
The table was set aud the supper put
upon II. The stranger sat down, and
Fanchette poured into his glass some
OF the cheap wine of the country. She
was between seventeen and eighteen
years old. a simple French maid who
had no secrets from any one III the
world.
You wear sad look, Fanchette."
said the stranger rs 1t from seeing
the slaughter today
"No. monsieur, | did not lool, thaF
way"
We'll, then. tell me what troubles
you"
at Is this monsieur Antoine Eris-
son went out among the lighting ana
received wound He Is lying now
IN the next room"
"IIe Is Your brotherf"
"No. monsieur"
We'll, then, he is your lover"
To this the only lnply was eyes cast
upon the floor
"yVhat was he doing out there
hchtng:"
NO monsieur; hc has not vet be-
come conscript He will not he the
age for a month"
We'll, then. what business had he
| on battlefield"
"Sketchiug"
"SkeichIng? Thststwhat l was de-
ing there When / ltlve finished my
supper l viii go in anb zee him"
The stranger chattedl on with the girl
l'and easily cleaned frem her that she
and Antoine. could ns marry because
she had no dot Afta' having supped
and smoked q pipe the artist went into
the room where Anuine was lying.
| The boy had received flesh wound,
but not Of sufficient Importance to en-
danger his life.
/ ~ lhh W FsA' wa AAiir f-t-N AN''r'' ~
fght?" said the artist. "Nhat Is ny
business. have been ,d'=,wmg for one
oc the Paris Illustrated papers. Let
me see what you haye,done"
Fanchette took an dmprovised port
folio that she had mafle for her lover
Of two pieces Of pasRboarI laced to-
gcther with Il string and bro1ght it 70
the artist. There were bloodkstains On
| It, but he did not mind that He had
seen plenty of blood that dsy. He
opened the portfolio, took our what
there was in it. five or six ,sketches -
and began to look them over
Where did you learn to s!nrhy' he
asked the boy.
II have never learned. monsieur" h.
replied.
Never studied in an art school;
never had any Instruction.
NO, monsieur"
The artist went on looking vat the
sketches one after The sther ard When
he had seen them an looked at them
again. Then he tnrned,his eyessto the
boy on the bed
do you know, my boy, that mytpa
per sent me here toungke sItetcneshol
this battle? | have graduated at the
art school with hoDrs, and yet you
who have never taken lesson lrtvt
done what cannot dc"
what do you mean. monsieur
asked the boy, his eyes opening verg
wide, while Fanchette was all atten
ton.
You are born battle'painter. YOU
have put into those crude sketches ,at
2 put in mine And you have known
, what scenes to select Your soldie.p
move; they fight; they are impelle,
by the demon Of war; they die really
. die, while mine WELL mine beside
< yours are like toy soldiers"
: "Oh, monsieur exclaimed Fanchette
clasping her hands how good yot
. are to say that
o Good to say that! I'm not taikm-
I to please you. I'm telling you III
truth And. to prove what | say,
Antoine when he has recovered VIII
come 10 Paris am sure can inter'ss
:. art lovers in him who will see that IN
!, receives instruction"
ooh monsieur" replied Fanchett
!, .'how can he tlG that? He has no mosl
ev He woaid have to walk to Paris
"Not ut nil will take these Sietche
" with me. 1'hey will be used in one O
/ the illustrated papers and will Tie we'
!. paid for Tho money receivedffor thel
" viii send TO Antoine"
The same night. having hired A cor
veyance. the artist set out posthast
for Paris Antoiue.s sketches .wer
produced and created sensation. III
= money paid for Them was sent Nlin
I, He went to Paris. where owng to- ~
!, interest created by his pictures hetWa
taken up and educated by the papt
: that published them.
~ All this occurred forty years ssc'
- and the great battle painter has fpn
~ ished and passed away. His w'do
~ loves to tcl! how he got his start.