Year: 1879

A leading artist of st. Louis recently
said ''you cannot imagine how many OF our
nice society young men, who figure in the
most aristOcratic circles, come 10 artists, on
occasions, to get covered up the traces of
an all-night frolic left ON their faces in the
shape OF black eyes, bruised noses, etc. ]
remember, not long ago, clerk at one of
our leading hotel won't mention his
name, because it is not necessary, in the
first place, and in the next he's friend of
mine-came TO me in great haste one after
noon and said, DO you ever paint over
bruised flesh' said yes, and then he in
formed me that he wished to take lady to
ball that evening, bui that unfortunately
few days before, while out riding with
her, the buggy had been overturned, and
her face and arm were badly bruised-so
badly, in fact, that, unless the traces could
be covered up in some way, il would be inn
possible for her TO attend the ball. | told
him TO bring her up TO the studio that after
noon, so that ! could do the work in day
light, but they didn't make their appear
ance until after supper, just as was leav-
ing for the theatre. ! said to her Now
can fix this so that no one can tell the diff
ference in the gas-iight, but it will show
plainly unless you come to me in the morn
ing and get it painted over" "All right, u
she said, and went to work. Her arm
near the elbow-it was a beautiful arm,
tell yOu-Yas blush black, as was also her
right cheek, but the swelling had gone down.
After had painted her up and added lit
tie pearl powder to hide the gloss Of the oil,
she admitted the deception was perfect.
met the clerk the next day and asked him
if anybody had discovered that her face and
arm were painted. No, said he, not a
soul But tell you took her home in
hack; she lives in the western part of the
city, and this morning discovered long
streak of white paint and powder on my
coat collar, and | want to know now what
will take it off. One morning young
man engaged in the banking business
came up to my studio with his eye bandaged
up. oh, you need not make any explana-
tion. | said, as | saw him stammer out
something about being out the night before
with few friends. understood all about
it. fixed the eye up. A few days after
wards we met at the l4indell. He shook me
warmly by the hand. You see, he re-
marked, Il got on little spree that night,
and rot into trouble somehow, don't know
where. 1t was absolutely necessary for me
to be down at the bank that morning. My
partner did not discover anything. If he
had, he would have dissolved partnership
with me in moment. The few daubs Of
paint you put on saved me $50, 00O While
artists, as a rule, are ready to oblige their
friends by covering up traces of their dis
sipation in this way, their generosity is
sometimes imposed upon. AprOpOs, Mr..
Miles remarked that while in New York
several years ago, hummer came into his
studio one morning with black eye, and
more for the purpose OF getting rid Of him
than anything else, he painted his eye over.
The next morning there was another bum
mer with his face in. similar condition, and
the next third The artist generally put
them all in presentable shape, free of
charge. Before the end Of a week they be-
gan to come in at the rate of two or three
Nlay. One morning in came another.


'Sa-a-y, said he, Il collared too much
bulge last night. Out on lark with
friend. There was little scraping match
'twixt me and friend of mine, and he put
head on me. What'll you charge to fix
me up There's felar down here that
only charges two bits. What'll you charger
The nonplussed artist turned to him. Here
is half dollar for you, he said. Take it
down to that other fellar, and have the
kindness never to darken my doors again.