44 LIFE OP AUDUBON. 



over all he possessed, and left Hendersonville with his sick wife, 

 his gun, his dog, and his drawings, — but without feeling really- 

 depressed at his prospects. The family reached Louisville, 

 where they were kindly received by a relative, and Audubon had 

 time to think over some scheme for raising support for his 

 family. Possessed of considerable skill as an artist in crayons, 

 he conceived the project of starting as a portrait draughtsman. 

 As he started at very low prices, his skill soon became known, 

 and in a few weeks he had as much work as he could do. His 

 family were settled with him, and his business spread so far 

 into Kentucky, that affluence was again enjoyed by the wanderer. 

 Audubon succeeded so well in portraying the features of the 

 dead, that a clergyman's child was exhumed in order that the artist 

 might have an opportunity of taking a portrait of the corpse. 



In illustration of his reputation as a crayon drawer, Audubon 

 relates that a settler came for him in the middle of the night 

 from a considerable distance, to have the portrait of his mother 

 taken while she was on the eve of death. Audubon went with 

 the farmer in his waggon, and with the aid of a candle made a 

 sketch which the artist pertly remarks might have done credit 

 to Kembrandt, This success brought other successes, and the 

 portrait painter seemed to have got a new start in life. Shortly 

 afterwards he received an invitation to become a curator of 

 the museum at Cincinnati, and for the preparation of birds 

 received a liberal remuneration. In conjunction with this 

 situation he opened a drawing school in the same city, and 

 obtained from this employment additional emolument sufScient 

 to support his family comfortably. His teaching succeeded well 

 until several of his pupils started on their own account. The 

 work at the museum having been finished, Audubon fell back 

 upon his portrait painting and such resources as his genius could 

 command. Applying for assistance to an old friend whom he 

 had aided and assisted into business, the ungrateful wretch 

 declared he would do nothing for his benefactor, and further 

 added that he would not even recommend one who had such 

 wandermg habits. On more occasions than this his genius for 

 discovery was made an argument against him. He was ever a 

 wanderer at heart, and showed the weaker and sillier side of his 

 nature whenever he shaped himself to civilized society. 



