A PRETTY STORY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2949, 7 September 1882, Page 2

A PRETTY STORY.

In 1868 Mr Wallis, of London, bought a small picture by- Meissonnier, “ Napoleon I. in the Campaign of! Paris.!? Mr Raskin took'a fancy to it, and-gave Mr Wallis 1000 guineas for it. Much as he admired it, Mr Raskin feared he 1 had paid too dearly for his whistle; but; when he resold it at 'Christie’*,'a short;, time ago, it fetched 5800 guineas, or at the rate of £7O per inch., Mr Wallis re-purchased the gem. Meissonnier is a great personal friend of the American millionaire, Vanderbilt, for whom it is Supposed the pic,ture was bought, and a story is told of > their friendship. Vanderbilt was sitting to Meissonnierjfor bis portrait, and in' the course of conversation the great painter lamented that his best picture, was in the bands of his enemies, the Germans, and that he had offered all he was worth to get .it again, but they would not sell it to him. Vanderbilt got all the particulars and left the . - room. Summoning Avery,, he told him to telegraph: to every 'gdllery „ih Germany, and to find that; picture ; ,to> buy it for him, whatever it might? cost. In a week the picture was in -Baris, so potent- a wand does this modern prospero wield; Then, asking • Meissonnier to* breakfast, a picture wa'aj j seen oh an easel; covered with ! a cloth;; The painter supposed it was the bolrfcnut 1 of Vanderbilt which he had just! sent home, and the American began to complainjhatit was not like him. . The painter, protested, that it was his; living image,-;-and going to the-; easel angrily tore the drapery away/ There' stood his loved and’ lost* picture : ‘‘lnformation General Desaix and the Captured Feasant.” Meissonnier could not believe his eyes. a AhI mm ami ! Oh, ma femme, nm ttnfants — mats, jo «mw heuretix I”s|id the excited artist!;' He danced, ho sang, and he shed tears. 1 ' ,Mt Vanderbilt offered him the picture.' “ No; 51 said the grateful Messionnier,' 1 take it .to ,your, noble America, the friend of the freisi ’ dem and the friend of prance.’*.. A,°d there it is, hoWing the.place nf hopor in, the Vanderbilt gallery.