“Three years later,” said Mr. Opper, “I had an offer from the
publishers of ‘Puck’ to work for them,—a connection which I severed
not long ago, although I still hold stock in the company. I not
only made my own drawings, but furnished ideas for others. I have
always furnished my own captions, inscriptions and headings. Indeed,
they are a part of a cartoon, or other humorous work. I think that
I may say that ‘Puck’ owes some of its success to me, for I labored
conscientiously.”
Mr. Opper walked over to a mantelpiece for two books of sketches, which
he handed me to look at. They contained sketches of the country places
he had visited on his summer wanderings.
“And you use these?” I asked.
“Yes; if I want a farmer leaning over a fence with a cow in the
distance. I can use that barnyard scene And that bit of a country road
can be made useful. So can that corncrib with the tin pans turned
upside down on the posts supporting it, to keep the rats off. That old
hay-wagon, and that farmer with a rake and a large straw hat can all be
worked in. I always carry a sketch-book with me, no matter where I go.”