Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1913-10-31

"N"- WIN NV WNiA ~
was doing.
Whats your prize for a portrait Of
that sizeY' asked Goodwin.
'The size doesn't make any differ.
ence as TO the prize"
well. what will you charge to paint
my pOrtraltI 1 don't want II myself,
but my family do. " Il doesn't cost
too much I'll humor them"
Five hundred dollars"
Five hundred dOllarsi How many
portraits a you paint In a Year,
"A dozen perhaps"
THAT'S $4,000 for sitting here dauS
ing paint. Why. l don't pay any n
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. erame and all. for $3.50. tie
q go"
Five hundred is my price"
Goodwin spent some time trying 10
obtain a reduction. Finally Il occurred
to him that, after all, perhaps, be would
not need to pay anything TIL the por-
Trait was finished and the artist, haV-
ing expended his time on Il. would
then probably take lesa for it rather
than have II on his hands.
you'll want your money, I suppose
be said. "On delivery Of the goods."
yea"
"Very well: 60 ahead"
Beckwith arranged with bis subject
for the sittings, 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 r expressive OF the
character. and GOldwtn's features were
no exception to the rule. Beckwith
while painting drew his subject away
from bis c~ovetousness by chatting with
him on other subjects and thus caught
his best expression. When the portrait
was finished the man II 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 1t till be got his
money and frankly told Goodwin that
II he would send for 1t with a check
for $500 1t would be delivered to the
messenger. Goodwin grumbled at this
and went away.
The next day Beckwith received q
note from his client stating that the
portrait did not come up to his expecta-
lions and he had concluded not to ac-
.ept It Beckwith made no reply to the
nots and in dms received another stat
ing that since Goodwin preferred to pay
or the dime spent on the portrait he
would pay half the amount charged.
$3.50. To this also Beck with paid no
attention. but sent the picture to a
dealer for sale.
One day Goodwin was informed that
his portrait was hanging in an art
store; that IT was being visited by con.
DOisseurs and pronounced a remarkable
piece of work. II had not yet been
sold. for the artist had set n 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 Il was $4,000. GOldwin
went at once to an attorney, whom he
directed to take steps to claim the pOr.
trait as his property. But when the
lawyer called for the correspondence
In the ase and read copies of his eli
ents letters to Beckwtth be said he had
no Ease.
Goodwin found himself in an unpleas-
position. His portrait--pronounced
a work OF art-was for sale. and per
sons were asking why he did moi buy
It To do 30 would cost him $3.50
more than the price hs would have
paid had he accepted IL. He sent an
agent to Beckwtth to try TO eject a
compromise. The agent returned with
= etaSoAAeuA iNOm TUG rus luhl IQe
painting was making a great reputa-
tion for him and be had decided not
to sell It. but keep It before the pub
lie. Goodwin decided not 70 be done"
that way and let the matter rest
The picture was withdrawn from ex.
htbitiOn. and when It appeared again
the ~covetous expression that had been
left out was IN It. This being reported
the original, be went to see 1t again
and vas furious. Again he went 70
hiA lawyer and directed him TO prose-
cute the artist for ridiculing him be-
fore the world The lawyer showed
him cartoons Of prominent men in the
newspapers and Informed him that II
would be much more difficult for him
to recover In his own case than for
these to do so. Besides. any jury would
decide against him. II he wished to
the picture he must pay the price.
Goodwin sent again to Beckwlth. ask.
Ing him to make a price on the nor
trait Beckwith made a price OF $4,000