PICTORIAL LANGUAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2579, 19 August 1903, Page 75

PICTORIAL LANGUAGE.

It is often paid that while the languages of the world arc so varied, the meaning of pictures is understood everywhere; and there are nmiy stories of artists who have been alV.o to lulp themselves in ease 3 where they did not know the speech of a country by dfawing what they wanted and showing the picture. A well-known artist, who ha? boon in Cuba, tolls of a little experience whioh shows tint this rule has its exceptions.

He was in Havana, and got up one morning very early in order to see the fish market, which from the variety of tropical fish sold there is an interesting place. He was tempted by the exquisite softness of the morning air to walk, but after going a few blocks it occurred to him that ho should bo late for the opening of the market, and he called a carnage.

The driver know too English, and the artist, who. had hitherto gircn his orders through the hotol o'.ork, know no Spanish. For some time the artist tried to make the driver understand whero ht> wished to go, a lot of Spanish-speaking men gathering to assist in the talk; but as he mads no Qioadway, he at last whipped out hi 3 tablets and quickly drew first a fieh and then a house.

The crowd of Cubans closed around him as ho hastily made these sketches, every man of them talking with the greatest! earnestness. When ho finished, there. wa« more talking than ever, and ho remembered^ afterwards that the crowd looked at him." strangely. Ho was invited by €igri3 tc'< eutci' the nnrriatje-, and away he drove aU<

a rattling pace, congratulating himself upon hi 3 cleverness.

Presently the carriage dreyf up before a building upon which to his astonishment he saw the American flag. The driver jumped down and rushed into it, -coming back almost immediately dragging by the arm a. mm whom the artist recognised as the clerk to the American Consul, to whom the driver was ta'Jcing excitedly in Spanish. "What decs h& say?" demanded the artist, who saw that, something was wrong.

"Ho says," answered the olerk, who in turn recognised the artist, "that he has found an American lunatio loose in the streets, and ho wants me to take care of you." The artist was enough, of a humourist to laugh at the situation, but he decided that he had never before had so severe a criticism upon his artistic powers.