Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-09-23
From the New Mirror. dUw
THE ZOMBI, OR MURILLO'S PUPIL.

Many years ago, on a beautiful summer
morning, several young men, who emerged
from different streets. pursued their way
towards the house of the celebrated painter,
Murillo.
They all arrived at the door at the same
moment, exchanged situations in cordial
manner, and called each other by name.
They hurried up the fight Of stairs and
reached the studio. The maestro had not
yet entered, and each artist approached
his easel, to see if the colours were well
dried.
"By the holy St. James Of Compostella,'
exclaimed Isturez, switch of you remained
last in the studio yesterday"
"You have not recovered from the effects
of your morning nap" replied at the same
time Fernandez, cor you would surely re-
collect that we all went home together"
"There is point beyond which forbear-
ance ceases to be virtue" continued Is
turez, evidently in bad humor. "Yester-
day, before leaving the studio,I consumed an
hour at least in cleaning very carefully my
palette and brushes, and this morning find
them dripping with paint"
"See there! look!" cried Carlos; "there is
another little face, just in the corner of
my picture; and it's by no means bad one
either. Carajol who can it be that thus
amuses himself every morning with paint
ing figure, first upon the wall and then
upon my canvass"
Yesterday, Fernandez, there was one
just above your easel" ..... ..
at must be Isturez; his palette is proof
positive against him." said Fernandez.
"No, by the holy madre! it was not !, y
replied Isturez.
DO not swear; such face you never
could have painted said Carlos. e.s +.
BE that is it may, Don Carlos, l have
never yet painted any quite so Indifferent
as yours" ........
"And my brushes too are all moist" ex-
claimed Gonzales. "By the old patron sain,
of Spain! something very mysterious goes
on here at night"
"Do you not think with the creole, Go
mez, that it is the Zombi who pays these
noctural visits to our studiol" asked Isturez
Certainly! Lbelieve it," returned Men.
dez, who had thus long remained silent
while examining attentively one of those
beautiful sketches which peeped forth, in
greater or lesser number, every morning
from their canvass, as though called into
existence by the magic wand of some su.
pernaturaI visitant. l wish in my 'Descen,
from the Cross he had had the kindness tc
have sketched the head of the Holy Virgin
my conception may be ever so pure ane
chaste, but my pencil obstnately refuses to
obey the impulses of my imagination"
At these words Mendez approached hi:
easel. An exclamation of establishment
burst from his lips, and he stood petrifed
at the spectacle presented to his view. A
beautiful Madonna's head, merely sketched
but of wonderful expression, stood out clea
from the canvass, graceful and pleasing
amid the other figures of the picture, like
an unear,hly opparition.
"How now? What's the matter. with 20,
all!" demanded stern, gruf voice, which
reused the youth from his meditations
who bowed respectfully before the speaker
Examine for yourself, Senior Murllo,
answered all the young men simultaneously
pointing to the easel of Mendez.
Whose work is thisl Who painted tina
headl' asked Murillo, with eagerness. "Wh
do you not answer! Whoever sketched tina
Madonna will some day or other be tn
master of US all. Does no one speak?
should be proud to acknowledge it as tn
production of my own pencil. BY tn
soul of my father what tenderness! VIII;
sweetness! what delicacy! Mendez, IN
dear pupil, speak, is il yours!"
mo, maestro" replied Mendez, evidentl
grieyed.
"Was it you, Is,urez' or you, Fernando
or you, Cordova1"
mo, maestro" replied they simult
neously.
m "But," said Murllo, impatiently, "it cou
4: not have made its appearance here of itse
o. Some one must have done it,"
CT "This is not the first nor the only myst
a. rious and inexplcable affair which h
,ir transpired in your studio, replied Cordov