Amos Kilbright; His Adscititious Experiences: With Other StoriesStockton, Frank R.
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Amos Kilbright; His Adscititious Experiences: With Other Stories
Stockton, Frank R.
African Americans -- Fiction
Unwrapping the package, I discovered, to my intense disgust, a copy of
the Reversible Landscape! My first thought was that some of the members,
for a joke, had taken down one of the paintings from our meeting-room
and had sent it to me; but, on carefully examining the canvas and frame,
I was quite certain that this picture had never been nailed to a wall.
It was evidently a new and fresh copy of the painting of which I had
been assured no more would be produced. I must admit that I had felt a
certain pride in decorating our hall with the style of picture that
could not be seen elsewhere; and, moreover, I greatly dislike to be
overreached in business matters, and my wrath against the manufacturer
of high art entirely overpowered and dissipated any little resentment I
might have felt against my waggish fellow-members who had sent me the
painting.
Early the next morning I went direct to the art-factory, and was just
about entering when my attention was attracted by a prominent picture
in the window. I stepped back to look at it. It was our reversible
landscape, mounted upon an easel, and labelled "A Morning Scene." While
I examined it to assure myself that it was really the landscape with
which I was so familiar, it was turned upside down by some concealed
machinery, and appeared labelled, "An Evening Scene." At the foot of the
easel I now noticed a placard inscribed: "The Reversible Landscape: A
New Idea in Art."
I stood for a moment astounded. The rascally picture-monger had not only
made another of these pictures, but he was prepared to furnish them in
any number. Rushing into the gallery, I demanded to see the proprietor.
"Look here!" said I, "what docs this mean? You told me that there were
to be no more of those pictures painted; that I was to possess a unique
lot."
"That's not the same picture, sir," he exclaimed. "I am surprised that
you should think so. Step outside with me, sir, and I'll prove it to
you. There, sir!" said he, as we stood before the painting, which was
now Morning side up, "you see that star? In the pictures we sold you the
morning star was Venus; in this one it is Jupiter. This is not the same
picture. Do you imagine that we would deceive a customer? That, sir, is
a thing we never do!"
DUSKY PHILOSOPHY.
IN TWO EXPOSITIONS.
FIRST EXPOSITION: A STORY OF SEVEN DEVILS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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