Evening star., 1925-09-13
Painter OF Place D'Armes
E.


pink only here and there very
sparingly"
They set forth for the Bakery
Parisienne soon after 9 o'clock that
night, Peret having ascertafned that
Papa Vallon always closed his shop
and departed for home sharply at 8.
Thirty minutes after the ladder was
against the front facade Of the one
story brick and stucco building.
You go up" said Peret. Il will
do the lower part"
Your offer is kind" declared Livau-
dais. But l am forced to decline.
You are thinner and IL you fall 1t
won't hurt you so badly
"All right" answered Peret touchily.
But If / fall ] will contrive to fall on
top of you"
DO" retorted Livaudais, with a
bow. And you will fall full into a
can of green paint"
y x
A ND thus the most original noe
I n turnal painting in history of the
quarter was begun. Fortunately for
the two scatterbrains, the building
was only one story high and narrow
In width. and 1t Joined with neigh
boring buildings on either side, leav-
ing only the front possible TO be
painted. Fortunately, also. this was
a region in which residents minded
their own business. The fact that
two young men were decorating a
building by dim lantern light in the
! middle OF the night did not interest
those few who passed by. These
took It as a matter of course, and
were only careful for superstitious
rea sons. not to pass beneath the lad
der.
The two worked in silence for the
most part. There was only the sticky
slapping of the brushes against the
wall
How comes 1t down there" Peret
demanded once from his perch.
TOO much OF your paint comes
dripping down my neck. If that is
what you mean" growled Livaudais.
serted. FOOTBALLS sounded loud
along the hollow stones. Peret's
grunts, as he moved the ladder. were
raucous.
And almost before they knew it
the job was done. 1t was well. for
the lantern had become DINNER and
DINNER and was spluttering fitfully
before final oblivion.
Peret complained as he blew it out,
I'VE should have brought along a
better light. I would like TO see
how it looks all finished"
Il am worried more how my bed
looks" said Livaudais, wiping his
hands on Peret's sleeves.
Wont the old fellow be surprised
when he sees this in the morning."
He will not be nearly so surprised
as | will be, If / ever manage to get
this paint off my clothes and face"
growled Livaudais.
Livaudais fell into bed and was
! a f1j q rd
Peret. Behold the hero tossing on
his bed through the remaining hours
before morning, and behold him then
arising, brewing a black concoction
of coffee and hustling over to Bur-
Sundy to view his work by full day.
The sun was we'll up. His step
was light, despite the lack of sleep.
His heart was gay. His eye was
bright. Pascal Peret was well salts
fed with himself and the world in
general When Papa Vallon heard
of how the brutal rental agent had
been prevailed upon, he would with
out doubt. embrace the young artist
as savior and a son. What was
better, Madeleine would also do
some embracing.
There was one trace of a cloud to
trouble the young artist He had
also promised TO attend to the rents,
to see that the agent kept them
within just bounds. But then
why worry about that? Bridges
should he crossed only when they
were arrived at
a ) he rounded into Burgundy his
expression Of anticipation changed
slightly into one of surprise For down
the street he detected a lively little
crowd He detected also that it was
gathered In front of the Bakery Pa
risienne. He hurried his steps.
The little assembly in front of the
bakery was laughing. gesticulating.
He broke into a. sharp run Misgiv-
ing had him. Doubt ate his heart
And then he saw.
That Bakery Parisienne, Il was a
riot It's upper half was dark green
With pink trimmings. Its lower half
was glaring salmon pink with green