Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-01
The Evening Story
APICTURE'
FIND
B, CORA HA1HoRNE SYKES

BY CORA HATHORNE SYKES
I manifested a taste for art whom l
was 4 little boy, taking more comfort
in drawing pictures on my slate than
doing sums on It. Az I grew older !
became ambitious to do something bet
ter, and asked my father to allow mo
a few drawing lessons. He refused.
saying he would not encourage me In a
task that would wreck my future II
gave way to It.
When 1t became time for me TO choose
an occupation I wished to become an
artist, but my parents made such an
ado over the matter that abandoned
the plan and accepted a clerkship in a
grocery house. But II couldn't make
pictures could at least look at pic
lures. And 1t so happened that lived
in metropolis where the best works
Of art are to be seen. read the art
Journals and was on the lookout for
any announcements Of the changing
hands Of the great pictures Of the
world, especially those coming to Am
erica.
made no progress at business. All
! aid in business way bored me. It
was simple drudgery, and drudgery is
incompatible with an artistic tempera-
ment Instead Of doing my work I
sketched the once boys. the cat, any
thing that was sketchable. After
awhile I, was informed by my employ
ers that they had no further need for
my services.
My father. after a scene, secured an
other place for me and on entering
upon It promised to try to do better.
But my heart was not in my work, and
l have no faith in people being able to
do continuously what they take no in
terest in. II they succeed in doing It
they will not do it well. I believe that
persons only do well what they like
and are fitted to do; that eminently sue
cessful persons are successful In doing
that which other people cannot do, or
do as well.
One day after getting away from the
work hated after business hours I
was passing building that was being
torn down. A workman had taken q
roll Of canvas from an old bricked up
chimney and was unrolling It
stopped and saw him reveal a dirty
painting. I stepped up to where he
stood and looked over his shoulder.
was astonished to see a work which.
though dingy in the extreme, reminded
me Of the work Of one of the great
masters who hourlshed in the latter
part Of the fifteenth century. looked
in the corner where the name should
be, but the dirt was too thick; no
name was visible.
what will you take for your nnd?"
I asked the workman.
"Oh, I don't suppose it Is worth
anything" he said. ANY loose change
you have in your pocket"
"I'm as poor as you are" said, "but
/ know some picture dealers, and IL
you will let me have this one will
see what I can sell 1t for and divide
with you" The man looked me in the
face, handed me the painting and re-
turned to work.
"Give me your address," I said.
He did so, and l went away with his
find. Instead Of taking 1t directly to
picture dealers l carried 1t to my room,
and sitting down before It, looked at 1t
q long while. The more I studied 1t
the more / was impressed with its re-
semblance to the works of the artist
l have referred to. The same evening
i went to library where engravings
of many pictures Of the old masters
were kept In portfolios and familiar
lied myself anew with the style Of
this particular artist. The more look
ed at his pictures the more l believed
that the find was by him. Gould it be
possible that 1t had been stolen?
set the librarian to hunting for a
book on stolen pictures. but though he
was successful in finding such book.
1t contained no reference to the Ia
ture, but did not know how to do 30
and was afraid to leave 1t with any
picture dealer for the purpose lest the
name he uncovered, and II 1t were as
suspected, the paintings value would
be discovered and be beaten out Of 1t.
One day told my father that had
left the place he had secured for me
and had gone to work in picture and
frame shop. He was In despair about
} me, and this move capped the climax.
In the shop where worked I learn
ed to clean pictures. As soon ~ be-
came suficiently expert to clean pic.
ture took the materials for doing so
to my home and got the dirt of the
corner where the name Of the artist Is
usually placed. What was Ey delight
to see the name of the artist who !
believed had done the work.
Believing the picture to have been
stolen I consulted an expert dealer
asking him II he could ind record Of
cpn ~ tho rfisfsa v,icf,,roa having haen