The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-06-13
"You do not need it, Senior Mendez; you
are yellow enough already. As for the gull.

now RIDICULOUS these negroes are Will
their Zon5Ts," said Gonzales laughing.
"The Zombi is the same az ghost Blu
:, take care, Senor Gonzales" said Sebastian
r out doubt has been stretching out the ARR
Of your st. John, so that he can easily ii.
, his sandal-strings without stooping"
Do you know, gentlemen, that Sebas
tian's observation is very just onei" said
lsturitz, glancing at the st, John on the
1 easel of Gonzales.
"Ohi negroes are monkeys with parrots
tongues" said Gonzales, affecting indiEer'
. ence.
"The parrot only repeats, and Sebastian
originates" observed Fernandez.
"By chance like the parrot" answered
Il 4 sWell, 81 dint Of nixiae eslors, 10 has
Warned hsw 70 distinguish them" said Men
dez, who did not quite relish the jest at the
fexpense Of his complexion.
ITO distinguish is different thing from
knowing how to use them, senior. replied
Sebastian, whom the freedom of the studio
embOldened to mix frequently in the CONVEX
sation Of the students. His intelligence
and the accurate taste which he possessed,
often led the students to consult him when
uncertain as to touch or shade, and to fol-
low his suggestions which were always ad-
mirable; besides which, although they
plagued him, every one Of them loved him,
and there was not one who, on that evening,
as he went out, failed TO give the slave 4
! friendly tap on the shoulder, saving:
"Wateh well, Sebastian; catch the Zom
bi, or beware the lash:"
Night had fallen, and the studio of the IA
] nous MurllO, the most celebrated painter IN
Sevile-that studio so gay in the day time,
SO noisy, and SO animated, had become soli-
tary and silent; a single lamp burned on
| marble table, and, not far from this table, q
| youth-whose complexion seemed to resem-
1 BILE the shades Of night which fell around
4 him, but whose eyes sparkled like diamonds
4 stood up, leaning against an easel.
Motionless, upright, and firm-he might
| have seemed asleep, so deeply was he alb
4 sorbed in reflection his thoughts must
4 have been of serious nature, for the door
Of the studio was opened abruptly, and an
Il individual, whose features the darkness hid,
approached him, and called him twice by
I name, Sebastian" without obtaining any
answer. At the third call he touched him.
Sebastian raised his eyes. \ tall and
Ihandsome mulatto stood near him.
"What do you wish, father Z" said he. in
fa melancholy tone.
1 "To keep you company, Sebastian"
'lt is not worth while, father 60 to bed.
I viii watch alone"
"And should the Zombi come"
Sc e5astian smiled sadly.
81 do not fear it, father"
"If it bore you away from me, the poor
mulatto, Gomez, would have no consolation
ia his slavery"
"Ohl how frightful it is to be slave"
said the boy, weeping.
"What can be done, my sonf God has
Fvilled it, said the mulatto with resignation.
.'God !" said the youth, raising his eyes
towards the vaulted dome of the studio,
Through which the stars OF heaven were
shining. "God! | pray to Him SO often,
s4a.5er. that ope dsy lie viii listen TO !ne, and
we, shall be slaves no more. But go
to rest, father-so. /, too, will sleep IN my
straw bed, and SO good night. father-good
night"
- And you really are not afraid Of the
Zonbi, Sebastian"
Father, the Zombi is but superstition !
Of our country. Fra Eugene explained to !
you, as well to me, that there is no su- |
pernatural creature upon earth. God does |
not permit that there should be-"
"Why, then, when the students ask you |
who draws the little faces which they find |
here in the morning, do you answer the
Zombiy'"
"For fun, father, and to make them
laugh; that IS ALL"
Then, good night, my son, said Gomez, |
and after embracing his child, he retired.
When Sebastian found himself alone, he |
gave q bound of Joy. "To work, now u
SAID he; bat suddenly recalling himself,
" twenty-five lashes, if do not tell to-mer-
row who draws these faces, and perhaps
more lashes if / do tell. All, hesveni in
spire mel"
And Sebastian knet upon the mattrass,
which served him for a bed every evening.
But sleep soon surprised the boy in the
midst of his prayers, and his form sank back
close to the wall of the studio. Soon he
slept soundly.
A glimpse Of morning light had already
penetrated the studio. when Sebastian awoke.
1t was three o'clock in the morning; any
other child would have turned over and gone
hours which he could call his own-three
to rise, forced his eyes to stay open, and his
limbs to move. "Courage! courage! Sc
bastian!" sald he to himself, giving himself
a shake "three hours are yours my boy
only three hours; profit by them the rest
is thy masters-let me be my own master
for three hours at least"
And the boy reused himself fully.
First" said he, "let me eftace all the
faces" and he took a brush dipped in color,
then he approached the Virgin, which ap.
peared more pure and lovely in the early
dawn.
"Etface itl' said he, " "efface it'll no,
prefer to be beaten-to be killed! Efface
it they did not dare to, and IL cannot
oh no! it breathes! it lives! it speaks
All, heaven! if efface it my heart will
break-it will be murder! No! no! l
will finish it!'
Scarcely had he formed this resolve, ere
the palette was grasped in Sebastian's hands
the eolors were mixed; soon it was ready,
and Sebastian set to work.
The day broke, the sun rose, and Sebas-
tian, absorbed in his work, which grew be-
meath bis hand, worked on-painted on.
"Stih few touches" said he-"now a
heaven! the lips speak the eyes smile up
Oh! beautiful Virgin - and Sebastian for.
got the hour-forgot his servitude, and the
twenty-five lashes; he forgot all-all, eve
rything, and was only an artist-before his
work he saw naught beside the head of the
Virgin Nary, which seemed to smile upon
him. He thought that he was about to ex-
pire, potr boy, when hearing noise behind
him, he :urned, and saw the master, and all
the students, standing together. |,
He didnot even think of trying to justify
himself; lis palette in one hand, his brushes
in the other, he lowered his head, and await
ed in silence the punishment which he tho't
he had deserved.
There was a moment of profound silence.
For if Sebastian was surprised at being i
caught in the very act, Master Murillo and
his scholars were no less surprised with what
they saw