Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1877 — An Absent-Minded Painter. [ARTICLE]

An Absent-Minded Painter.

Miss Jane Stuart, daughter of Gilbert Stuart, the painter, in hex recollections of her father, published in Scribner's Monthly, tells the following anecdote of his lack of method in business matters. (Stuart once painted a picture for Mr. Hare, of Philadelphia.) *' On its completion, Mr. Hare made the requisite payment to my father, who at once said: ‘ Excuse me, this picture has been paid for.’ ‘Excuse me for contradicting,. Mr. Stuart, but It has not, I assure you,* replied Mr. Hare; My father could not remember the circumstances. Mr. Hare persisted in paying the amount due. and handed him S6OO, which was a high price at that period. The picture was a full-length of Mr. Hare, with his little daughter introduced. This anecdote was related to me by the daughter, herself, when quite advanced in life. I write it as an instance of my father’s utter inability to transact business.” It would seem that Stuart inherited his absence of mind, for Miss Stuart, in fee same article, says: “ How well do 1 remember listening to my grandmother’s stories of those dear old times; for instance, how they would both go to church on & pillion. On one occasion, my grandfather (who was the most absent-minded of men), while jogging along, lost in a reverie, dropped my grandmother on the road. He soon became aware of her absence, however, and turning suddenly, rode back, exclaiming, ‘ God’s-my-life, are you hurt ?’ There she sat, enjoying her anticipation of his surprise when he should discover her plight.”