The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-07-26
Getting His
Start

utnas said the artist, as ne put the
finishing touches TO a soap advertise
ment sketch Of a bathroom interior
4 was not always famous and pros
porous have known the time when
a sudden sight draft for less than four
figures would have seriously embar-
raised me"
You figure In the cents in that
statement, suppose" said the studio
loafer
4 might even go as far as that" as
scented the artist. Did ever tell you
how got my START" he continued.
Well. I'll tell you: it was In tripncate
wortrait work"
Portraits of triplets?" inquired the
studio loafer. "Dobber told me he did
dime museum posters. too, at one
time
He ought to have stuck to that
branch OF art" remarked the artist.
mo. you misunderstood me- I'll tell
you how II was. There was one win
Ger was pretty we'll on my uppers. At
that time got acquainted with Giotto
Parkinson. and tell you he was a
gOdsend. He had a studio in the Gros-
venor and be didn't use 1t nights, be-
sides having a samovar that he got IN
the Ghetto and plenty of alcohol The
0rosyenor doesn't favor light house
Keeping. but was pretty careful how
Z threw my scraps out of the window.
"One day Parkinson gave an exhib-
it. he knew quite a few people In re-
spectacle circles and he thought there
was a chance that some one Of them
might buy a picture of his If they got
well under the influence of a proper
art atmosphere and Russian tea. I
stuck up a few little things of my
own with his TO furnish the art at
mosphere and be provided the tea and
abe samovar. II turned out all right
There was a coal baroness among
those present and got her worked up
90 the point Of ordering from me
portrait OF her ten-year-old son for $50.
she brought him around the very
next day Parkinson was a good fell
low and he let me have the use of his
shop for the Job. We had bully good
dinner on the strength of the condi-
tons anyway. The kid was a sallow-
faced. skinny-like monkey, not at all
like mamma. but calculated l could
idealize him by wide stretch of my
welLknown imaginative faculty. He
had one sitting that day. The next
day and for several other sittings hrs
nurse brought him. and | want to say
that had the dickens own time get
ting that imp TO keep still. 1t didn't
do any good to talk to him. All got
BY that was sass-oh, the worst sort.
Just sweat blood for four days trying
90 get some sort of expression on that
portrait that wasn't exactly diabolical
and vet resembled the kid. At last /
got IT,
Two days later the picture was
done and the sigh of relief that
heaved made the windows rattle. I
notified the baroness and she and the
baron came 70 look at it. He seemed
20 have been brought under compul-
sion and 20 be but mildly interested.
I had learned that he was merely
stepiather TO the brat. so l didn't won
der 50 much az il. But the baroness
threw tlts Of ecstasy over the picture
and ordered two more at the same
price. after trying in vain to beat me
down
won't tell you what l went
through within the next month with
the heir apparent, how day by day l
grew 20 loathe the little wretch more
and more The dear angel had per-
formed large variety of interesting
tricks around the place to relieve the
monotony OF the sittings, and he
wound up by coming early one after
noon and coloring Parkinsons cher
tshed Florentine prints In oil In our
absence. When demonstrated he
gave me choice line of sass, where
upon ! took my little man across my
knee and laid merrily on.
Nearly two weeks later the coal
baron caught me In.
Don't be alarmed he said, as
retreated 70 the window. I only called
90 pay you for the pictures. / believe
this IL the right amount
He laid a slip Of paper on the Ia
bic. II was a check for 500.
Il gasped
II you don't mind would like to
shake hands with you he continued.
Il backed away
see that you still fail to under
stand be said. I want to tell you.
str. that you have my entire sympathy
aud heartfelt thanks for the basting
you gave that young one. I've often
longed 70 do II myself Frankly. sir,
envy you. BY the way, If you can
make II convenient to call at my Of
ace have something there l would
hke 20 talk TO you about. No, don't
say you are sorry. Please don't say
that I'm pressed for time now, but
hope to see you soon. l think the
check Is right. isn't it? Thank you
very much Good day
lie shook hands with me solemnly