The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-05-23
A PICTURE
FIND
b. CORA HATHoRNE SYKES

1 manifested u taste for art when l
was a little boy. taking more comfort
In drawing pictures III my slate than
| doing sums on 1t. AS l grew older !
became ambitious to do something bet
ter, and asked my father to allow me
q few drawing lessons. He refused.
saying he would not encourage me In a
task that would wreck my future If l
gave way to it.
When it became time for me to choose
an occupation l wished to become an
artist. but my parents made such an
ado over the matter that l abandoned
the plan and accepted q clerkship In a
grocery house. But If 1 couldn't make
pictures l could ut least look at pic
lures. And it SO happened that l lived
in a metropolis where the best works
Of art are to be seen. l 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
I did in a business way bored me. 1t
was simple drudgery. and drudgery Is
incompatible with an artistic tempera-
ment. Instead Of doing my work ]
sketched the office 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 l promised to try to do better.
But my heart was not in my work, and
I have nc 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 we'll 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 l
was passing a building that was being
torn down. A workman had taken q
roll Of canvas from an old bricked up
chimney and vas unrolling 1t. I
stopped and saw him reveal a dirty
painting. l stepped up to where he
stood and looked over his shoulder. I
was astonished to see a work which.
though dingy in the extreme. reminded
me Of the work of one Of the great
masters who f1ourished in the latter
part of the fifteenth century. I looked
in the corner where the name should
name was visible.
What will you take for your ind?"
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" I said. but
know some picture dealers. and II
you will let me have this one I will
see what l can sell 1t for and divide
with you" The man looked mi in the
face, handed me the painting and re-
turned to work. o.
"Give me your address," I said.
He did 80. and ] went away with his
find. Instead Of taking it directly to
picture dealers I carried it to my room.
and sitting down before 1t. looked ut 1t
a long while. The more I studied It
the more l was impressed with it's re-
semblance to the works Of the artist
I have referred to. The same evening
I went to q library where engravtngs
Of many pictures Of the old masters
were kept in portfolios and familiar
lied myself anew with the style Of
this particular artist. The NOR l look
ed at his pictures the more ! believed
that the find was by him. Could 1t 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 a book.
It contained no reference to the Ia
borer's find. I wished to clean the pic
ture. but did not know how to do 9
and was afraid to leave It with any
picture dealer for the purpose lest the
name he uncovered. and IL 1t were as l
suspected. the paintings value would
be discovered and I be beaten out of 1t.
One day l told my father that I had
left the place he had secured for me
and had gone to work in q picture and
frame shop. He was in despair about
me, and this move capped the climax.
In the shop where I worked I learn
ed to clean pictures. AZ soon as ! he.
came sufficiently expert to clean a pic
ture I took the materials for doing 80
to my home and got the dirt of the
corner where the name Of the artist is
usually placed. What was my delight
to zee the name Of the artist who ]
believed had done the work.
Believing the picture to have been
stolen / consulted an expert dealer,
asking himif he could ind a record Of
one Of the artists pictures having been
stolen. He found q book in which the
artist had been written up with other
painters and q statement that in the
early part Of the nineteenth century
one Of his paintings belonging to a.
nobleman In England had been cut
from its frame and taken away.
I succeeded In time In opening q cor.
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