The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-07-23
The Angel Turned Demon.

Many years ago celebrated italian artist was
walking along in the streets of his native city,
perplexed and desponding in consequence Of
some irritating circumstances Of misfortune,
when be beheld a little boy of such surprising
and surprising beauty, that he forgot his own
trouble and gloom in looking upon the al
most angel face before him.
"That face I must have" said the artist "for
my studio Will you come to my room and
sit for q picture, my little MANI"
The little boy was glad to 60 and see the pic
lures and curious things in the artists room /;
and was still more pleased when he saw what
seemed to be another boy that looked just like
himself smiling from the artists canvass.
The artist took great pleasure in looking at
that sweet face. When he was troubled, irrita-
ted, or perplexed, he lifted his eyes to that
lovely image on the wall, and its beautiful feat
s$es and expression calmed his heart and made
him happy again. Many visitor to his studio
wished to purchase that beautiful face; but
though poor, and often in need of money to
purchase food and clothes, he would not sell his
good angel, as he called this portrait
So the years went on. Oftentimes as he
looked at the face on glowing canvass, he won
derd what had become of that boy.
GLOW should like 10 see how he look now
wonder if should know him? Is he good
man and true or wicked and abandoned? Or
has he died and gone to better land ?"
One day the artist was strolling down one OF
the fine walks of the city, when he beheld
man whose face and mien were so vicious, so
almost fiend-like, that he invountarily stopped
and gazed at him.
"What spectacle! I should like to paint
that figure and hang it in my studio opposite
the angel boy" said the artist to himself.
,1yoJy yIa into for 11
for he was beggar as we'll as thief.
"Come to my room and let me paint your
portrait, and will give all you ask" said the
artist.
The young man followed the painter and sat
fora sketch. When it was finished and he had
received few coins for his trouble, he turned
to 90; but his eye rested on the picture of the
boy-he looked at it, turned pale and burst in-
to tears.
"What troubles you, young man p said the
painter 1t was long before the young man
could speak he sobbed aloud and seemed
pierced with agony.
At last he pointed up to the picture on the
wall, and with broken tones that seemed to
come from broken heart, said:
"Twcnty years ago you asked me to sit for
picture, and that angel face is the portrait.
Behold me now ruined man; so bloated, so
hideous, that women and children turn away
their faces from me; so fend-ike that you want
nv picture to show how ugly man can look.
All I see now what vice and crime have done
for me-"
The artist was amazed He could scarcely
believe his own eyes and ears.
"How did this happen ?" he asked.
The young man told his sad and dreadful
story; how being an only son and very bcauti-
full, his parents pettcd and spoiled 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 until all was lost; and then
unable to work, and ashamed to beg, he began
to steal, and was caught and imprisoned with
the worst criminals; came out more depravcd
TO commit worse crimes than before; how every
bad deed he performed seemed to drive him to
commit worse one till it seemed to him that
he could not stop till it brought him to the gal
lows
1t was fearful tale and brought tears to the
artists eyes. He besought the young man to
stop, offered to help him, and tried to save him:
But alas it was too late Disease, contracted
by dissipation, soon Frustrated the young man,
and he died before he could REFORM The pain
ter hung his portrait opposite that of the beau
tiful boy; and when visitors asked him why
he allowed such a hideous looking face to be
there, he told them the story, saying as ne
closed:
Between the angel and the demon there is
only twenty years OF vice"
The lesson Of this tale is the tale itself. You
who read it can tell what it is. Think OF it Of
ten and heed it always.