AT THE ART DEALER’S

The little bell on the front door rang. A stranger walked in. "That picture you have in the window, " he said "That still life. Who is it by?"

"Paul Cezanne. "

"Cezanne? I have never heard of him. Is it for sale?"

"Ah, no, alas, it is already..."

Madame Tanguy saw her chance. She quickly rose from the chair, pushed Tanguy out of the way, and ran up to the man eagerly.

"But of course it is for sale. It is a beautiful still life, is it not, Monsieur? Have you ever seen such apples before? We will sell it to you cheap, if you admire it. "

"How much?"

"How much, Tanguy?" asked Madame Tanguy raising her voice, Tanguy swallowed hard. "Three hundred … "

"Tanguy!"

"Well, one hundred francs!"

"A handred francs? I wonder … " said the stranger. "For an unk­nown painter... I’m afraid that's too expensive. I don't think I can afford it. I was only prepared to spend about twenty five. "

The canvas was immediately taken out of the window and put before the customer.

"See, Monsieur, it is a big picture. There are four apples. Four apples are a hundred francs. You only want to spend twenty five. Then why not take one apple? The price is only twenty five francs."

When the price was mentioned the man began to study the canvas with new interest. "Yes, that's all right. Just cut this apple the full length of the canvas and I'll take it."

Madame Tanguy hurried to her apartment and returned with a pair of scissors. The end apple was cut off, wrapped in a piece of paper and handed to the man. He paid the money and walked out with the can­vas under his arm. The spoiled masterpiece lay on the counter.

"My favorite Cezanne," cried Tanguy unhappily. "I'll miss it so! I put it in the window. I wanted people to see it for a moment and go away happy. "

Madame Tanguy interrupted him. "Next time someone wants a Cezanne and hasn't much money, sell him an apple. Take anything you can get for it. They are worthless anyway, he paints so many of them."

7. FRANK J. HARDY

LOOKING FOR WORK

A man stopped near a large plant. He had an old coat, old shoes, and no socks on. The man wanted to get some work. He was out of work. He could not buy bread, milk, and new clothes for his children. He went to the door, stopped and looked at his old coat and shoes, coughed and then opened the door.

He came into a room, where he saw an old man.

"What can I do for you?" asked the old man.

"I want some work, please," said the poor man.

"We have no work now," said the old man. "But when we have work, we give it only to people who have been at the war."

"I have been at the front. I have got a medal," said the poor man quickly. "Can you give me some work? I have been out of work for three years. I have done my best to get work, but I could not. They did not give us work when we came back from the front."

"I am sorry. We have no work now. Come later."

"I see," said the poor man, "I am sorry," and he left the room.

He went into the street. He wanted to have a rest. He wanted some hot soup and some bread. He went to other plants. Every day he went and asked for work. But he got no work. Every day they told him that there was no work. He could not go home and tell his wife that he co­uld not get any work. He came to a fine house with a garden around it. He went into the garden. A woman came out of the house.

"Could you give me some work?" the man asked. "I have done diffe­rent garden work. Will you give me work in your garden?"

The woman looked at his poor clothes, and at his old shoes. She was frightened.

"Why have you come into the garden?" she cried. "I do not want a worker in the house or in the garden. Go away! Leave the garden!"

"I have been at the front," cried the man. "I have fought for the country, for you, and now I have no work, no bread, no clothes!"

"Leave the garden! Quick!" shouted the woman and closed the door. The man went out into the street again. Evening came. It became colder, and it rained and rained. He began to cough. After a time the man came to a bridge. He stopped there and looked at the river. Then he took his medal out of his pocket, looked at it and dropped it into the river.

8. О. HENRY

AT THE DOCTOR'S

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