Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-08-08

give hundred dollars! How many
portraits can you paint In year?"
"A dozen perhaps"
'Thats $4,000 for sitting here dnub-
ing paint Why, don't pay any one
of my heads of departments In my
business half that, and they're all first
class business men"
To this the artist made no reply.
"If you'll paint my portrait that size,
painting, frame and all, for $3.50, it's
a 60"
give hundred Is my price"
Goodwin spent some time trying to
obtain reduction. Finally 1t occurred
to him that. after all, perhaps, he would
not need to pay anything till the por-
trait was finished and the artist. hav-
ing expended his time on 1t, would
then probably take less for 1t rather
than have 1t on his hands.
you'll want your money, suppose"
he said, ION delivery of the goods"
eyes"
Every well; go ahead"
Beckwith arranged with his subject
for the sittlngs. and Goodwin departed
While the man OF business was plan
ming to beat the artist. the artist was
planning to beat the man OF business.
But Goodwin was In this respect in his
element. while Beckwith was not.
Though during the sittings that follow
ed he racked his brain for some plan
by which he might get his revenge for
that past injustice which still ranked
within him. his inventive powers failed
him. One thing he resolved upon-he
would paint the best portrait of his
subject that he was capable of paint
ing.
The features are expressive of the
character, and Goldwin's features were
no exception to the rule. Beclkwith
while painting drew his subject away
from his covetousness by chatting with
him on other subjects and thus caught
his best expression. When the portrait
was finished the man 1t represented
seemed to live. One would suppose he
was about to speak, and speak pleas
antly. Goodwin told the artist to send
the portrait to his house, but Beckwith
preferred to keep II till he got his
money and frankly told Goodwin that
II he would send for 1t with check
for $500 It would be delivered to the
messenger Goodwin grumbled at this
and went away.
The next day Beckwith received n
note from his client stating that the
nnrtro ~ Ala mt rnun, m, 10 hIa nvnaota
lions and he had concluded not to nc
cept 1t. Beckwlth made no reply to the
note and In time received another stat
ing that since Goodwin preferred to pay
for the time spent on the portrait he
would pay half the amount charged.
$3.50. To this also Beckwlth paid no
attention, but sent the picture to
dealer for sale.
One day Goodwin was informed that
his portrait was hanging In an art
store; that II was being visited by con
noisseurs and pronounced remarkable
piece OF work 1t had not yet been
sold, for the artist had set very high
price on It, Goodwin at once went to
the store, saw his portrait and asked
the dealer the price for 1t. He was In
formed that 1t was $4,000 Goodwin
went at once to an attorney, whom he
directed to take steps to claim the por-
trait MS his property. But when the
lawyer called for the correspondence
I'm the case and read copies of his elf
ent's letters TO Beck with he said he had
no case.
Goodwin found himself In an unpleas-
ant position. His portrait-pron0unced
n work Of art--wns for sale. and per
sons were asking why he did not buy
It. To do 30 would cost him 5000
more thnn the price he would have
paid had he accepted II. He sent nm
agent TO Beckwlth to try 10 effect
compromise The agent returned with
statement from the artist that the
painting was making n grent reputn-
ton for him and he had decided not
to sell II, but keep II before the pub
lie. Goodwin decided not TO be dome"
that way and let the matter rest
The picture was withdrawn from ex-
hibition. and when II appeared again
the covetous expression that had been
lert OUT was IN IT, FMS being reported
TO the original ne went TO see II again
ana whs furious. AGAIN no went 10
MS lawyer ana directed MN 10 prose
cute tho ARTIST Tor ridlcuilng MIN Do
iore the worid: The lawyer showed
MIN cartoons OF prominent men IN inc
newspapers ana INFORMED MIN thnt IL
would DC much more dimcult Tor MN
10 recover III MS own chBo thhh Tor
these 10 DO 80. Besides, any Jury would