The Washington herald., 1920-10-12
tCoptinued from YesterdayD

urious as a palace in it's interior.
1t stood on a low hill in walled
garden OF splendid tricopal fiora
at the upper edge of Coralio. The
next day the Presidents carriage
came again for the artist. Keogh
went out for a walk along the
beach, where he and his 'ptrture
box" were now familiar sights.
When he returned to the hotel
White was sitting in a steamer
chair on the balcony. ..--,
Well" said Keogh, did you |
and His NIbs decide on the kind
of a chrome he wants?" 81.
White got up and walked back !
and forth ON the balcony few |
times. Then he stopped. and |
laughed strangely. His face was /
flushed. and his eyes were bright
with a kind of angry amusement |
Look here, Billy" he said, |
somewhat roughly, when you first |
came to me in my studio and men |
toned a picture, l thought you
wanted a Smashed oats or a Hair
Tonic poster painted on a range
of mountains or the side OF a con-
tinent Well, either OF those Jobs
would have been Art in its high
est form compared to the one
you've steered me against. ] can't
paint that picture, Billy. You've
got to let me out. Let me try
to tell you what that barbarian
wants He had it all planned out
and even sketch made Of his
idea. The old boy doesn't draw
badly at all But, ye goddesses
of Art! listen to the snoonstroslty
he expects me to paint. He wants
himself in the center OF the can
vas. of course.
He is to be painted as Jupiter
sitting on Olympus. with the
clouds at his feet. At one side of
him stands George Washington. in
full regimentsls, with his hand on
the presidents shoulder. An angel
with outstretched wings hovers
overhead. and is placing a laurel
wreath on the presidents head.
crowning him-Queen of the May.
| suppose. In the background is
to be cannon, more angels and SOL
diers. The man who would paint
that picture would have to have
;he soul of dog. and would de-
serve to go down into oblivion
"llllOul even a Nll Nah biSu ~ h4s
tail to sound his memory"
Little beads of moisture crept
out all over Billy Keogh's brow.
The stub of his blue pencil had
not figured out a contingency like
this. The machinery of his plan
had run with fattering smooth
ness until now. He dragged an
other chair upon the balcony, and
-
lit his pipe with apparent CAIN.
Now. sonny" he said. with
gentle grimness. you and me will
have an Art to Art talk. You've
got your art and I've got mine.
Yours is the real Pierian stuff that
turns up its nose at bock-beer
signs and oleographs of the Old
Mill. Mines the art of Business.
This was my scheme. and 1t work
ed out like two-and-two. Paint
that president man as Old King
Cole. or Venus, or landscape, or
a fresco. or bunch of lilies. or
anything he thinks he looks like
But get the paint on the canvas
and collect the spoils. You would
mt throw me down. Carry, at this
stage of the game. Think of that
ten thousand"
Il can't help thinking Of it,"
said White, and that's what
hurts. I'm tempted to throw every
ideal I ever had down in the mire,
and steep my soul in infamy by
painting that picture. That five
thousand meant three years Of
foreign study for me. and I'd al
most sell my soul for that"
Now. ii ain't as bad as that"
salt keogh, soothingly. It's a
business proposition. It's so much
paint and time against money.
] don't fall in with your idea that
that picture would so everlast-
intily jolt the art side of the
question. George Washington was
all right, you know. and nobody
could say a word against the
angel. ! don't think so bad Of
that group. II you was to give
Jupiter a pair OF epaulets and a
sword. and kind OF work the
clouds around to look like a
blackberry patch. it wouldn't
make such a bad battle scene.
Why. If we hadn't already settled
on the price. he ought to pay an
extra thousand for Washington.
and the angel ought to raise it
five hundred"
You don't understand. Billy.
said White with an uneasy laugh.
Some of US fellows who try to
paint have big notions about Art.
! wanted to paint a picture some
day that people would stand be-
fore and forget that it was made
OF paint. l wanted it to creep into
them like a bar of music and
mushroom there like a soft bull
let. And I wanted EN- to go away
and ask: What else has he done q"
And l didn't want 'em to find a
thing; not portrait. nor a maCa-
zine cover nor an illustration nor
a drawing of a Girl-nothing but
the picture. That's why I've lived
on fried sausages. and tried 70
keep true to myself. I persuade d
myself to do this portrait for
the chance it might give me to
study abroad. But this bowling
screaming caricature! Good Lord
can't you see how it is?''
Sure" said keogh. as tenderly
as he would have spoken to a
child. and he laid a long fore
finger on Whites knee. Il see
Its bad to have your art all
slugged up like that. know,
You wanted to paint a big thing
like the panorama of the battle OF
Gettysburg But let me kalsomine
you a little mental sketch to con-
slider. Up to date we're out
$3S5.50 on this scheme. Our cap
ital took every cent both of US
could raise. We've got about
enough left to get back to New
York on. / need my share of that
ten thousand. / want to work a
copper deal in Idaho. and make
hundred thousand. That's the