efore his death, Charles Vernet, having some business to
transact with one of the public functionaries, called at his office and
sent in his card. The minister left him waiting two whole hours in the
anteroom before he admitted him to his presence, when the business was
quickly dispatched. Meeting Vernet at a soiree soon afterwards, the
minister apologized for his _apparent_ neglect, which not appearing very
satisfactory to the veteran painter, he mildly rebuked him by observing,
"It is of no consequence, sir, but permit me to say that I think a
little more respect should have been shown to the son of Joseph and the
father of Horace Vernet."

M. DE LASSON'S CARICATURE.

A Norman priest, who lived in the middle of the seventeenth century,
named the Abbe Malotru, was remarkably deformed in his figure, and
ridiculous in his dress. One day, while he was performing mass, he
observed a smile of contempt on the face of M. de Lasson, which
irritated him so much that the moment the service was over, he
instituted a process against him. Lasson possessed the talent of
caricature drawing: he sketched a figure of the ill-made priest,
accoutred, as he used to be, in half a dozen black caps over one
another, nine waistcoats, and as many pair of breeches. When the court
before whom he was cited urged him to produce his defense, he suddenly
exhibited his Abbe Malotru, and the irresistible laughter which it
occasioned insured his acquittal.

FRANK HALS AND VANDYKE.

In the early part of Frank Hals' life, to accommodate his countrymen,
who were sparing both of their time and money, he painted portraits for
a low price at one sitting in a single hour. Vandyke on his way to Rome,
passing through the place, sat his hour as a stranger to the rapid
portrait painter. Hals had seen some of the works of Vandyke, but was
unacquainted with his person. When the picture was finished, Vandyke,
assuming a silly manner, said it appeared to be easy work, and that he
thought he could do it. Hals, thinking to have some fun, consented to
sit an hour precisely by the clock, and not to rise or look at what he
fully expected to find a laughable daub. Vandyke began his work; Hals
looked like a sitter. At the close, the wag rose with all his risible
muscles prepared for a hearty laugh; but when he saw the splendid
sketch, he started, looked, and exclaimed, "You must be either Vandyke
or the Devil!"

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Anecdot