Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-08-21
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, THURSDAY

z ClluuJ Iiltll lGdIlJ lOullSOh3 pNSNH'S S-'H
s ing thin, pale, and weak, till his mother md
9 Richard, in great alarm, besought old Monckon
n 10 let him have medical advice. The request
;. produced storm of passionate reproaches.-+
t The boy" he said, "was well enough lie
ate as much as was good for him. DID thy
S think people could not not live without gormal-
J dizng as they did Did they imagine 10
, should throw away his little means upon DO
tors, who were all set of cheats? He should
do no such thing And poor Ernest was let
to pine and wither, till Richard, in despair, sought
out physician, and telling him their story, be-
sought him to come and see his brother, prom.
ising to repay the advice he asked by his future
toll.
DR.. N was kind-heartod, benevolent
man. He at once complied with the 49,
entreaty, and called At an hour when tho -
man was absent at the farm. He found tsIe
patient worse than the brothers. report had led
him to believe. The illness was decline, ctus-
ed probably by want of sufficiently nourishing
food at period of rapid growth and increased
by the over-working of mind that was ever
craving after knowledge. He prescribed such
remedies as he judged best; but informed the
mother, at the same time, that Strengthening
food was Of the first Importance, and would be
the best means to effect a cure. Alas now
was it to be obtained? The heart of the miser
was impenetrable to their remonstrances and
entreaties-what was life in his eyes, compared
with gold When they found that no human
sympathy could be expected from the father
the mother and brother determined to use their
own exertions to obey the behest of the physi-
clan. Early and late the former worked at her
needle the good doctor finding her as much
employment as he could; whilst Richard aban-
doning the study of his art, painted valentines,
ard-racks, and fancy articles for the stationers
and sought eagerly for every opportunity Of
earning few shiIlings, to be spent in minister.
ing to the comfort Of the beloved sufferer
But it was all too late Ernest sank slowly, but
surely.
There were intervals when life, like the flick
er of an expiring lamp, appeared successfully
struggling with death; but these occasional
brghtenings were always succeeded by more
entire prostr0ton and languor. The personal
beauty, for which Earnest had always been re.
markable, grew almost superhuman during his
illness, and Richard could not resist stealing
little from his busy labors to paint his brothers.
portrait. In the execution of this task of love
however, many hindrances occurred and before
it was more than sketch, the dear origigl had
passed away from them in oHe Of thost quiet
sleeps which in such caae~s~rr ti's a1sai har-
bdaSn,s.ns. aaath ~, The E.. ..a,n..n l.Sl I. r. n
! his grief, forgotten but when Ernst had
been committed to the grave. and life hd as
sumed its usual monotony-more gloomy now
than ever-he remembered his attempt, AMI re-
solved on finishing the likeness from memory
An easy task for nightly, in his slumbers, he
saw the fair, sweet face of his young BROTHER
The second morning after he had resumed his
pencil, he was startled at finding that the paint
ing appeared to be in a more advanced state
than he had left it the evening before; but he
fancied imagination must be juggling him, ant
that he really had done more than he remember
r ed, The following day, however, tho same
phenomena startled him, and he mentioned the
circumstance to his neither She was super
n stitious, and nervous from sorrow and regret
and she at once adopted the fancitul notion tina
d there was something supernatural IN the mat
G ter; suggesting the possibility OF their dea
e Ernest's gentle spirit having thus endeaVore'
i. to show them that in another world ne SUI! mo
= of them and loved them. Richard comDatte
d the idea by every argument his reason oiiere
a him; but as he was convinced of the fact, an
d could give no satisfactory explanation oi 1t, h
n was at last persuaded by her earnest entreaue
of to leave the picture untouched for two or thre
,e days, and see what consequences would loilo"
10 The painting progressed Daily, or rathe
e. nightly, it advanced towards completion. Ever
, :; morning stronger likeness of the dead smile
st on them from the canvas, and more sK.llu
v hand than the young painters appeared to b
N engaged on the work. 1t was marvel pas
er their simple comprehension but the mother
! confirmed in her first belief, resolved to watch
IS and if it might be permitted to her living eye
er to gaze again upon the child whom the gray
,e had shut from her sight. With this hope, sh
re concealed herself, without Richards knowledge
,b in large closet in his bedroom placing tn
ii door aar, that she might see all that passed
tv the chamber. Her watch was of no long durt
he ton; suddenly her sleeping son rose from h
ds couch, lighted his candle, approached his ease
,r and began to work at the portrait Much ANA
% ed, and half angry at the deception she believe
he he had pactised on her. Mrs. Monckton Issue
10 from her hiding place and spoke to him. +
,b made her no answer she stood before him
a. he was fast asleep 1t was indeed spirit
h. painting for love had in this instance burst tt
.st bands Of matter, and the somnambulst hi
Iv achieved work of art that surpassed all the G
bo forts of his waking hours.
oct The story of the sleep painting got abroa
II anu IBdCuGu llC Shto vi SNAA''N'''" -
fortune, who resided in the neighborhood'
nj. called on the young artist; was pleased with
he manners and proposed engaging hun as ira
ID elling companion to his own son, youth abe
,or to visit Italy with his tutor; prottenng hin
III. salary that would enable him to cultivate
- genius for painting in the land of its blrth'
,ed Of its perfect maturity. The offer was cage
Of and thankfully accepted, and old Monckton mt
be no opposition to his sons wish, he was only
,,o thankful to be relieved from the burden OF
al. porting him, Indeed, the mlser was Somew
o.o changed since Ernest's death not that he
lint pressed in words any remorse for having
ind ferred his gold to the life of his fair young ST
Il but from that time he never touched the or