Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-12-04

A True story.

Many years ago celebrated italian
artist was walking along the streets
of his native city, perplexed and dec
ponding In consequence OF some irri-
tating circumstance of misfortune,
when he beheid n little boy of such
surprising beauty that he forgot his
own trouble aud gloom In looking
on tho almost angelic face before
him.
"That face must have for my stu
do" said the artist. "Will you
come to my room and sic for a pic
ture my little man?'' ~
The little hoy was glad to go and
see the pictures and pencils and Gu
rious things In the artists and he
was still more pleased when he saw
what seemed To be another boy just
like himself smiling from the artists
canvass.
The artist took great deal of pleas.
ure I'm looking at the sweet innocenl
face. When he was troubled, or irri
tnted, or perplexed, he lifted his eyes
To the lovely image rn the wall, and
its beautiful features and expression
calmed his heart and made him hap
py again. Many visitor to his stu
! dio wished to purchase that lovely
face; but though poor, and often IN
want of money to- buy food and
clothes, he would not sell his good
angel, as he called his portrait.
Soyears went on. on times IA Inc
looked upt the face on the glowing
canvass he wondered what had be-
come OF that boy.
"How / should like to see how Inc
looks now / wonder IL ! should
know him? Is he a good man and
true, or wicked and abandoned 7 Oi
has he died and gone to u better
worldgf @# a #e #t ##a
One day when strolling down one
of tks fine walks of the city he ba'
held young man whose face anC
mien was so vicious, so depraved, 3,
iiend- like, that be voluntarily stop
ped and gazed Tt him.
"What a spectacle! Tshould lik,
to paint that figure and hang IL Ia
my studio opposite the angel boy
said the artist to himself. The young
man asked the artist for money; fo
he was q beggar as well as q thief
"Come to my room ana iet m'
paint your portrait and | viii giv'
You all you ask " said the artist.
The young man followed The pain
or and sat for a sketch. When ]
. was finished aud he had received
, few coins for his trouble. he turned
, to so, but his eye rested on the pic
) ture of the boy; he looked at u
: turned pale, aud then burst into tears
"What troubles you, man?" sal
the artist, aatt -
1t was long before the young ma
, could speak he sobbed aloud an
9 seemed pierced with agony. At las
he pointed up to the picture ON Tia
wall, and In broken accents, SAID
Twenty years ago you asked IN
to come here and sit for u picture
and that angel race In the portrait
. Behold me now u ruined man, 8
bloated, so hideous, that women an
children turn away their faces iron
me: SO fiendlike that you wante'
n,y picture to show how ugly a maj
could look. Ahl l see now wha
crime and vice have done for me.
The artist WIS amazed. lie coul'
scarcely believe his own eyes AM
|, ears. "How did this happen Z" h'
! asked. u. .4.ss...s .-..a...s ....g.....a
The young man then told his sa
and dreadful history; how being a.
only son and very beautiful, his pa
rents petted and spoiled him how h
went forth among bad boys an
learned all their bad habits and vice
aud came to love them how havin
! plenty Of money. he was enticed inl
! wicked places until all was lost, an
then unable to work, aud ashamed
beg, he began to steal: was caugli
, and imprisoned with the worst Grim
inals, came out still more deprave
To commit worse crimes than before
, how every bad deed he perforIne
. seemed to drive him to comml
worse one, until 10 seemed To hir
, that he could not stop until brough
. to the gallows. aa ..
Ii was a fearful tale and brough
/, tears into the artists eye. He bt
sought the young man 10 stop, Offer
, /, ed TO help him. But alas II was To
! late. Disease contracted by dissipi
! tion, soon Frustrated the young ma
and he died---befere he could reform
q The painter hung his portrait direc
: ly opposite that of the beautiful boy
I aud when visitors asked him wnyl
4 allowed such hideons looking fa'
!, to be there, he told them the stor,
!, saying AS he closed, "between u
. angel and the demon there Is onl
twenty years of vice."