Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-03-29

I ~ -
: stamped it with haggard careworn lool
piteous to behold. The King of SPAN
putting his hand firmly on the youn
mans shoulder, again sighed, "Alas
poor boy"
Don't stand there signing and look
ing at me. In the name of the saints il
Heaven, can you give me tood-food an,
employment? If not, let me end m,
miseries."
Young man, look into my face See
does it look careworn? ?"
"Very much So"
Well, young sir, when you have gont
through as much of agony as mysel
then you may think of leaving this worlc
for another, where, as just punishment
for your crime, worse fate awaits you
in eternity. Who are you? Whence
came you? Above all here Phillip
searched for the tiny cruciix that hung
from the rosary he wore round his wrist,
"are you a Catholic ?"
"Who dares question it?" exclaimed
the young man, haughtily. 81 am"
Are you gentleman ?" again ques-
toned the king.
By my patron saint, l am, sir-as
true gentleman as ever wore sword" 2"
Gentleman or not you are a Chris
tian. Come, follow me and | will give
you some supper and bed for the night.
Tomorrow we Continued King Philip
who, accustomed as a sovereign to speak
iu the second person plural, had difficult
ty to adopt the first person singular in
his disguise that is, will further ques-
tion you as to what you can do to earn
your livelihood for the future. There,
Gomez, lead the way"
Holding the rescued youth by the hand
firmly, lest he should escape, Philip, pre-
ceeded by Guy Gomez, bent his steps
hO""Ao tAS peNi"NS.
On his way curiosity, one of the strong
est passions of this great sovereign, got
the better of his charity, and, notwith-
standing the young man was go weak as
TO render his answers almost iDaudible,
the king obtained from him the outline
Of his history. He was he said, one
Alfonso Sanchez Coelio, native of Port
ugal, and a portrait painter by profes-
sion. He had been driven from Spain
by order of the Marquis Don Louis de
Mariavalle, Governor of Badajos, for
the crime of falling in love with his ex-
cellency's daughter, Dona Estafania, 10
whose ecompany he had been much thrown
during considerable time employ ed in
the execution of her picture He had
wandered to the Netherlands in the hope
of obtaining work. But although he
had done all in his power to earn his
bread, but he had in every case failed,
and for two days had not tasted food
He was too proud to beg, and maddened
by want, had sought to free himself of
his miseries by violent death.
The king provided Coelio, as he prom
ised, with a substantial meal and
good bed, and the next morning he awoke
much refreshed, to find Ruy Gomez by
his couch, holding in his hand hand
some suit of clothes for his service
Vainly did he question the shrewd Ruy
as to the condition of his unknown ben
efactor. Ruy informed him that the
gentleman was named Don Paez that
he was in the service of his Cathol-
ic Majesty, and that presently, when he
had finished his collation., the Senor Don
Paez would come to him, and talk of his
prospects for the future.
Accordingly, when Sanchez Coelio had
dispatched an excellent breakfast, the
king, still wearing his disguise, entered.
The first impulse of the grateful young
man was to raise the hand of the sup
posed venerable Don Paez to his lips
aud thank him for his kindness, above
all for having prevented his committing
so fatal crime as suicide Don Paez
listened to him with kindness, "Young
gentleman, we-that is, l am convinced
that the fearful act which you contemp-
lated last night was the result of famine
which had deprived you of your reason.
As we have taken some interest in you,
and are desirous of providing for your
future, we-that is, am willing, since
you say you are painter of portraits,
that you should take likeness of N.Y.
self. But on the one condition that it
be finished by the feast day of our daugh-
ter Maria. 1t wants one month to the |
holy day of Our Lady Mary of Mount
Carmel. We intend this picture as
present to our-my-daughter Can you
paint so rapidly ?"
al can sir" |
MY servant will pay you two hun
dred ducats in advance for the said pict-
ure. He will also escort you to a lodg-
ing / have prepared for you, and to which