Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1868-06-06
An Old St0ry.

Many years ago a celebrated ltal-
ian artist was walking along tie
streets Of his native city, Pcrpioxcd
and desponding in consequence Of
some irritating circumstance or mis-
fnrlune, when ho beheld little boy
Of such surprising aud surprising
beauty that he forgot his own trouble
and gloom in looking upon the al
most angel face before him,
That face | must have, said tho
artist, "iOr my studio, VIII you
come 10 my room aud sit Tor u pic,
ture, my little many'
The little boy Was glad TO go and
see the pictures and pencils and cu'
rlous things in the artists room;
aud he was still more pleased when
he saw what seemed tu be arother
boy looking just like himself smi,
ling from the artists canvass,
Tho artist took great pleasure in
looking at the sweet lhcc. When ho
was troubled, or irrilutrd, or per.
picked, he liilcd his eyes TO that
lovely image on the wall, aud its
beautiful features AMI expression
calmed his heart and made him
happy again. Many n visitor 10
his studio wished 10 purchase that
lovely face; but, though poor, and
o,tcn wanting money 10 buy food
and clothcs, lic would not sell his
goohangcl, rs he called this portrait.
So the years went on. Oilentimcs
rs hc looked up to the face on the
glowing canvass he y ondcrcd What
had become Of the boy.
allow | should like TO SEQ how he
looks nowl ] wonder il | should
know him? Is he II good man and
true, or wicked and abandoned? Or
has ho died and gone TO u better
land?"
One day the artist was strollng
down one os the fine walks of the
city, when he bcheld man whose
face and micn were so vicious, so
depravcd, so almost fcnd.lilie, he
involuntarily stopped and gazod at
him.
"What spectacle! Ishould like
to paint that figure. and hang it in
my studio opposite the angel boy"
said the artist to himself.
The young man asked the Painter
for money, for he was II bcggar rs
well as II thisf
"Comc to my room and let me
paint your portrait and | will give
you all you ask" said the artist
The young man followed the
painter, and Sd. for askctch. When
it was finished, and he received
few coins for his trouble, he turned
to go; but his eyo rested upon the
picture of the boy; he looked at it,
turncd pale, and then burst into
tears.
"What troubles you, mani" said
the painter. 1t was long before the
young man could speak. He sobbed
aloud, and seemed pierced with ago
ny. AT last he pointed up to the
picture on the wall, II; d iii broken
tones, which seemed to come from q
broken heart, he said:
"Twenty years ago you asked me
to come up here and sit for a picture,
and the angel face is that portrait
Behold me now, IL ruined man; so
so bloated, so hideous, that women
and children turn away their faces
from me; SO iend,like that you want
my picture to show how ugly Il man
could look. ALI! | see now what
vice and crime have done for NC"
The artist was SO amazed he could
not believe his eyes and ears.
"llow did this happen?" he asked.
The young man told his sad and
dreadful story; how, being an only
son, and very beautiful, his parents
petted and spotted him; how he
went with bad boys and learned all
their bad habits and vices and came
to love them; how, having plenty Of
money, he was enticed to wicked
places till all vas lost, and then, un-
able to work and ashamed to beg,
he began to steal was caught, and
with the worst criminals;
came out still mofo dcpraved to
commit worse crimes than before;
how every bad deed he performed
seemed to drive him to commit Il
worse one, ill it seemed to nim he
could not stop til brought to the
gallows.
1t was fearful tale and brought
tears into the artists eyes. lie be-
sought the young man to stop, prof
fcred to help him. But alas! it was
too late Disease contracted by
dissipation, soon prostrated thS
young man, and he died before he
could reform. The painter hung
his portrait opposite that Of the
beautiful boy; and when visitors
asked him why he allowed such a
looking face TO be there, he
told them the story, saying as he
closed, Between the angel and the
demon there is only twenty years of
vice"
Tho lesson of this tale is in the
tale itself. You who read il can tell
what it is. Think of il oftcn, and
heed it always.
A young girl, who had become
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