Dooley, Mr. (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Irish Americans -- Fiction
"I don't mane that kind iv painthers," said Mr. Dooley. "I don't
mane th' wans that paint ye'er barn, but th' wans that paints a
pitcher iv ye'er barn an' wants to sell it to ye f'r more thin th'
barn is worth. This man says no matther how industhrees an American
painther is, no matther if he puts on his overalls arly in th'
mornin' an' goes out with a laddher an' whales away all day long,
he can hardly arn a livin', while th' pauper artists iv Europe is
fairly rowlin' in th' lap iv luxury. Manny a la-ad that started
in life with th' intintion iv makin' th' wurruld f'rget that what's
his name--Hogan's frind--ye know who I mane--Michael Angelo--ever
lived, is now glad to get a job decoratin' mountain scenery with
th' latest news about th' little liver pills.
"Ye see, Hinnissy, whin a man gets hold iv a large hatful iv money,
wan iv th' first things he does is to buy some art. Up to th'
time whin th' top blew off th' stock market, he bought his art
out iv th' front window iv a news an' station'ry shop or had it
put in be th' paperhanger. He took th' Sundah pa-apers that ar-re
a gr-reat help if ye're collectin' art, an' he had some pitchers
iv fruit that looks nachral enough to ate, d'ye mind, a paintin'
iv a deer like th' wan he shot at in th' Manotowish counthry in
Eighty-eight, an' a livin' likeness iv a Lake Supeeryor white fish
on a silver plate. That was th' peeryod, mind ye, whin th' iron
dogs howled on his lawn an' people come miles an' miles f'r to see
a grotto made out iv relics iv th' Chicago fire.
"Manetime his daughter was illustratin' suspinders an' illuminatin'
china plates an' becomin' artistic, an' afther awhile whin th'
time come that he had to keep a man at th' dure to sweep out th'
small bills, she give him a good push to'rd betther things.
Besides, his pardner down th' sthreet had begun collectin' pitchers,
an' ivry time he wint abroad th' mannyfacthrers iv pitcher frames
bought new autymobills f'r th' Champs All Easy. So 'twas a soft
matther f'r our frind Higbie to be persuaded that he ought to be
a pathron iv art, an' he wint abroad detarmined to buy a bunch iv
chromos that'd make people come out iv th' gallery iv his pardner
down th' sthreet stiflin' their laughter in their hands.
"Now ye'd think seein' that he made his money in this counthry,
he'd pathronize American art. Ye'd believe he'd sind wurrud down
to his agent f'r to secure forty feet iv Evansville be moonlight
an' be con-tint. But he don't.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account