Smyrna times., 1861-05-16
SELEC T STORY.
THE PAINTERS BRIDE.

Very near the close OF the fourteenth centu.
~ family named SolarIo occupied a bu, in
The suburbs OF Christi, the ca pltai of the Abruz
- CIlrs II was thHtched with reeds and
tEigs. aud couple OF hules in the wall admit.
ted llghi aud ar. In tie centre were some
smoo D stones on which the Ore was klndled
the smoke OF which cased il ia SCOT like lin.
lag OF e5o1y. kettle or TWO, a few stools.
a rough table, pie OF leaves covered with
sheePskHs, and rude crucifx formed the fnr.
nIture magnificent white dog stretched
hmseh at lengIh before the door, cat purred
~ ths hearth, and donkey and pip made tree
zee OF the establish shnenI-went 10 and out at
pleasure.
Bat all this did not matter much, since i,
vas not hOme, nor even a d1elling, but SIM
Ply shelter Tor It's nominal inha bitants at such
umes As lts slIfiing atmosphere and unsavory
seenu were more endurable than the cold and
s,o'm without E'Pec ally might this be said
OF tae little Antonio, who often slept upon its
TOOL. aad took his meals of hard bread, oil, salt
aud goats cheese, by the water tank which
ssfSed ihe peasants IN that part of the town
There, at least, he could feast his ewes. If not
h's palate, aud could either add TO tn. eniov.
meat Of MS dessert OF ehestHuts and pine seed.
OF could tighten the labor OF masticatinp an
ena'asily though crust, as the case might be
baht upon high hill the city commanded A
Fle~ Sf sae wide and fertile valley. Noble
saass wsFs trained and tended in great vine
lafas' OF eiambersd unlaimed from tree TO tree
lae s0it gray OF the olive eontrasted with the
sa'Hing foiiage of the laurel hedges. The
'qoaFs tower Ofa convent rose out Of a proup
o. odeyPresses, and hamlet OF silk growers was
!ss' visible IN ITS framework of lofty mulberrles
rJfamlds OF eVergreea ver0dre, upllfted upon
tas 'sll trunks of the stone pines, dotted the
esoad grain fields, which were shut in by the
Aeaeila Mountains, with their woods and craps
b1t not even the pleasant laugh and gossip
OF the twang of The Biblio's gaiIar, could give
% tAe cool, Plant-iringed rim Of the basin q
eaafm equal to that Of Antonio's own nook in
eorne: OF Roman ruin. There the deep,
'eaaer gloom of gigantic ilexes, and the flick.
sag shadows OF lighter growths, fell upon
,lee'ose turf. The thorn shOwered it's petals
Use saow-nakes over the magical mosa les
wrought oy lovely blooms, by white and rose
.ss"eo aHemones, sweet vIOlets, daisies, and
'As goiden eisius. Shatiefed pillars in vari
ss eoedn 'oas waved with creep ng plants
~a'ea had fastened upon their tops and wen
@ayiag dO~nwaTd with a wild and careless
s'Aee II re an exqisiiey moulded torso wal
"ht1 flNN udulEb OF Inc EcarIe
sssias--thsTe vast shafts OF granite were i'm
esooeo among thick juicy aioes. Along the
e'ameiing wall grew patches Of light. hueC
noss. red gIIlyAUwers aud masses of iragrsu
aoaeysoekle. ThiIher Antonio, in scant,
jacket and sheepskln trowsers much the wors
,ot wear, daily lead his goats; aud while the,
sfowsed around him he drank in the beauty O
s~ time and season, and was melted to
p'easing sadness by tue traces of buried centu
uho1gh be knew Rot why. More tha
eass, also, he went with a neiphbor 10 III
.aIey Of the orienta, where the waterfall @
sa.' ksme makes it's double leap from the stu
saooss heights of Monte Cavello and Mont
seeaia, 90 the long researches Of living crys
anul, breaking into foam in it's rocky bed
ais tAe pass with rainbow tipped spray, an
ssaoa us thandsrous music for through the dir
sosseA ne sought, too, shaggy cliffs. bar
sa p"uiesss Tock-strswn ravines. silver an
purple WIN ciinging lichens, and tangled glen
tAsousn whose green roof the sunbeams SLOW
" safsed. He prepared for his life task bv m
hearty companionship with nature. ITSco,
seiossly, however, for he knew nothing a. =,
sxespt through few hard angular Madonn,
an The churches Of Chieti, and two or three in
'sst'er style by Thomas de Steffani and Gel
nsfo di Colo, in the converts whittier he bs
sonstimes gone on saints day with myrty
sfsnds and lunches of wild flowers for Il
20 altar. His ambition took q much mo
@sis direciIon. and the utmost that he d.
vas 10 become q coarse smith, and
N hammer and anvil like his uncle Pietr
1snunsiely, PieIro. liking his honesty al
as1 sslf-reliance, smoet1ed all dificultie
M&as him as good craftsman ss himself. al
seai him to Naples with a new Jacket,
as5o'ai OF bsjocchi. and his benediction.
mere Antonio's quickness and inaenui
Asasd him TO attempt nicer work than
ssf mad executed, and alternately strikir
s'ows on the glowing iron. mending D.
old woman. or an earring for a your
ss ne iound his position quite in his min
.l - .a" eaEe-free state was destined 20 be
sR dufatian. Colinsonio del Fiore, the tn,
ssy painter of distinction in sosshsrn Ttal
daaxsssr Of bewitehing Beauty. 81