Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-05-28
A MODEL WIFE.


our famous American sculptors, resi-
, ding in that delightful city, whittier
! al. the genius Of England seemed t'
tend, was one day seated in bis stud
, 10 at work on an Apollo-for whicl
, by the way, be might stand as :
model himself when his attention
, was attracted by a tremendous tram
pliEg of horses in his court yard
lie looked out at the window, ant
beheld a m gnilicent carriage, with
outriders drawn up before his door
Presently gentleman claimed ad.
mission to his studio, and announced
himself rs the Prince Gi B.. He
came 10 give the sculptor a large
commission. His daughter, who
had been struck by some statues OF
I the American that she had seen,
wished to sit TO him for Ter bust
She was then below in the carriage.
Was the sculptor at leisure? Price
was no otject-all that was necessa-
ry was TO crafty his daughter. who
was an invalid.
The sculptor expressed his willing
ness to begin the work instantly,
and the Prince making sign TO his
lackeys from the window, they pro.
ceeded to lift a lovely girl who SEEM
ed about eighteen, out of the carrl-
age, and bore her in their arms care
fully up the stairs to the artists stu
dio. The sculptor could not repress
look of surprise at this curioas
mode of locomotion, particularly as
the lady did not bear the slightest
trace of illness III her countenance.
The Prince interpreted his glance
and replied to it.
"My daughter has been paralyzed
! in all her limbs" he said, ''lor the
last two months. is sad thing.
She has had all the medical Md In
Florence, but without avail"
The sculptor looked again at the
invalid. Nothing more beautiful in
face or form could have been dream
ed by Phidias. a face like Cenci's
before it was ciouded with the MEN,
orv of crime, masses of rich lustrons
auburn hair, framing clear. pale
face, with deep blue eyes swimming
beneath a fringe of the silkiest black
msbes. Through her delicate muslin
robe the contour Of a diviDely moul-
ded form were indicated, and when
the young Signorina cast upon the
sculptor alauguid glance, soft as star
light, piercing as electric fire, he felt
his heart leap with a mysterious pres
age of some indefnable catastrophe.
She sat. Tie sculptor worked at
his model like Que inspired, and n
pang struck his heart as the hour for
her retiring came. The, Prince and
his lackeys bore her again down
stairs in their arms. The carriage
door closed on her, the horses swept
through the gate. The sculptor cid
no more work that day.
Tomorrow she was to come again.
He lay awake all night dreaming Of
her. Then he would shudder, and
say to himself, at is not love: but
pity that feel She is a paralytie!
The next day the scene was re-
peated, with this difference, that
the Prince. having seen his daughter
posed by { 5rtist, excused himself
on the plea sfh business engagement
saving that he would return in time
to conduct his daughter home. Poor
girl, although the sculptor was a
model of manly beauty, her deplora-
ble condition was, in her hther 8
opinion, a safeguard against any OF
the dangers which he might other
wise have anticipated. He left the
room. aud drove away in his carriage.
A silence ensued. The sculptor dar-
ed not look at his model, but worked
away on his clay image without rais-
ing his eyes. Stilla silence. Then
it seemed as if slight ruftle had
filed the room. A small white hand
stole across his mouth, and a burn
ing kiss printed on his forehead. :.
With almost a shrek. he leaped TO
his feet, and there, with bushes crnl-
soning her pale cheek and alaSaster
neck, knelt the paralytic girl, wita
her eyes imploriug pardon :, -
81 saw you a long time ago, she
said, Gan Italian woman when sne
loves knows no half measure) "ane
l loved you. Sly father vas very