Robert Barr

“ The grocer, good man, was not in the business for his health, and wanted his money. He refused point blank to furnish Jimmy with any more of the supplies of life. This being the case, young Sprowle did not see how he was going to manage. He had been living on that grocer for the past two weeks, and the tradesman, beginning to get anxious, had made inquiries. Notwithstanding the fact that Jimmy lived in the most expensive studio buildings in London, the grocer found reason to doubt that he was as prosperous as he seemed, and so refused further credit. ”

“ A busy man like you won't want to bother with these things. When it is all stamped and regular, I will give you what credit you want up to the time that you are paid for the picture."
"That is perfectly satisfactory to me," replied Jimmy. The grocer, folding the document and putting it in his pocket, asked what he might have the pleasure of sending to his rooms in the Stilvio Studio.
The grocer was a wise man in his generation, and, before banging his sixpence at Somerset House, he called at the imposing offices of The Illustrated Sphinx and asked to see some one in authority. ”

“ I have a score or two to settle with the editor of The Sphinx myself, arising out of some dealings we had when I was young and unsophisticated. This affair has gone beyond you, Jimmy, my boy. It requires a diplomat to deal with it now. You must let me take the picture to Sponding, so that I may break the news gently to him. I will take all responsibility. I would give £300 to see Sponding when he learns the truth. The Sphinx has plenty of money, and you may as well have some of it. You must stand by your grocer, too, Jimmy, for he has stood by you nobly."
Sprowle still sat dejectedly ”

“ He went back to his studio and began to plan his picture, throwing his heart and soul into the work. He knew the kind of thing The Sphinx wanted: a pretty child with a dog or a cat. This represented the standard of art at the end of the century, attained by the great British public. It must be done in flaming colours, and would, as the editor had written, be printed on fifteen lithographic stones.
About the time the picture was finished, Sprowle received word from the owner of the studio that he was unexpectedly coming home. "Don't be afraid that you will be evicted," Brentwood wrote ”

“ Grime so justly said of it, it will be the picture of the year. My friend Jimmy is not an unknown artist by any means He has a great reputation in Paris, especially at the cafés, where he is probably much better known than Sir John himself."
"But the thing is a trick," repeated Sponding; "why did not your friend Sprowle come himself with the picture?"
"Too busy," said Brentwood. "Too many commissions. Working day and night, that young man is. The thing I fear is that when I go back and tell him the result of this interview, he will not let you have the picture at any price. ”

“ Rich customers sometimes rapped at his door, but they were always in quest of some other man; and if no one ever came to even look at his pictures, what was a young fellow to do? All he wanted was a chance. He knew that he drew better pictures than many who were daily refusing work; but then every young artist knows that, and it doesn't count. Thus he meditated bitterly on things as they were until he came to the door of the huge Stilvio Studio Buildings, and there his reverie was interrupted by a small boy in buttons, who asked him if he knew where Mr. ”

“ But two weeks of semi-starvation had shown him his mistake. He was sure of a place to sleep and work in for the next few months, and that was something; besides, summer was coming on, so he needed to buy no coals. ”