Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-11-11
The Boy who Took a Boardcr.

fifty years ago, in fact, small boy stood,
one morning. at the door Of palace iu Flor
ence, and gazed about him.
Why he was standing there, donot know.
Perhaps hc was watching for the milkman,
for he was kitchen boy in the household of
q rich aud mighty cardinal. lie was twelve
years old. and his name was Thomas.
Suddenly he felt a tap ON his shoulder,
which made him turn around, and hc said,
with great astoni,hment
What Is that you, Peter What ha.
brought You to Florence and how are all
the people iu Cortona p
They're all WE'LL answered Peter, who
likewise was boy Of twelve But I've
left them for good. I'm tired OF taking care
of sheep-stupid things ! want 10 be q
painter. I've come To Florence To- learn how
They say there's school here where they
teach people
But have You got any money" asked
Thomas.
Not penny
Then You can't be painter. You had
much better take service in the kitchen, with
me, here in the palace. You viii be- sure of
not starving to death
Do You get enough to rat;' asked Peter,
rehectiyely.
Plenty. More than enough.
| don't want TO take service. because
want to be painter said Peter But IN
yen you what wen no. As yoGG nave more
IMAM you need To- eat, you shaH take me TO
board-on trust, at first, aud when I'm a
grown up painter III pay the bill
Agreed said Thomas, after moments
rehectluh' can manage IT, ''ilc uH
stairs TO the garnet where ! sleep, and I'll
hrlng yon some dlnher' 10y ana nl'
10 the TWO boys went up 10 tnc sinalI
room among the chimney pu'N Where uolhas
slept 1t was very very small and all the
! furniture m IL was am ora straw brd ana TWO
rlckety chairs But the walls We're SPLEEN
dldly wmtewaShed.
90. Inc food was good ana plentiful Tor when
| homas went down INTO tine Kitchen ana
| iorAged among the broken meats ne found
the half OF mutton PIE, winch the cook mad
/ caTcleSsly thrown out Inc cardinal house
/ hold was conducted upon very eNtraVagant
/ principles.
mat ana not trouble refer hoWeyer' and
he enjoyed the PIE hugely ana told Thomas
that he ielt a. II ne could ny To- the moon
80 tar go good sad hes but Thomas,
! can't be painter without paper ana pen
CHS ana brushes ana coloIS' Haven you
/ any money
No, said Thomas despaTngly' and ]
don't know how to got any Tor ] shall re-
ceiye mo- wages for three years
Then can be painter alter all, sand
Peter moumiully'
III tell you what, suggested lhomas,
III get some charcoal down ID the kitchen,
and YOU can draw pictures ON the wall.
80 Peter set resolntely to work, aud drew
so many figures of men and women and
birds and trees and beasts and flowers that
before long the walls were covered with pie
lures.
At last, one happy day Thomas came INTO
/ possession OF a small piece of silver money.
! Upon my word, don know where he got
lti but he was much TOO honest boy to take
money that did not belong to him. and so,
presume he derived II from the sale OF ms
'perquisltes
You may be sure there was joy IN that
small boarding house up among the chin
ney pots, for now Peter could have paper
and pencils and India rubber, and few
othe, things that painters need. Then he
changed the way OF life some. lie went out
early every morning and wandered about
Florence and drew everything he could find
to draw, whether pictures in the churches,
or the fronts of old palaces, or statues in the
public squares or outlines OF mis- beyond the
Arno, Just as 1t happened. Ihen' when 1t
became too dark to work any longer Peter
would go home to his boarding house, and
hnd his dinner nicely tucked away under the
Old straw bed where landlord Thomas had
put H. not so much To mae II as To Keep 1t
warm
lhing, went ON ln inns way about TWO
years. None OF the servants knew that
lhonas Kept hoaIder' or II they ana know
1t. they good naturally shut their eyes. The
cook used to remark sometimes, that Thomas
ate good deal Tor a LAD ol his size and II
was surprising he didn grow more
One day, the cardinal took 1t INTO his
head To- alter and repair his palace. lie
Went all over the house III company with an
architect and poked INTO places that he liad
never IN all ms lie thought OF before A.
last he reached the garret and as luck would
nave IT, stumbled rlght INTO homass board
ing mouse
why now thls 2 cHed the cardinal,
vastly astohished al seeing the mean small
room SO beautlIully decorated m charcoal
nave we an artist among uSf VINO occu-
pes thls room
Inc htchen-boy' Thomas, your Eml-
nence'
a klteheh'hoy but so great genius
must not be neglected. CaI the Kitchen
boy, Thomas.
lhonas came up IN lear ana trembling
lie never mad been IN the mighty cardinal
presence before lie looked at the charcoal
drawings on the wall then INTO me prelate's
lace, and ms heart sank within HIM.
thomas, you are no longer kitchen
ooy, sad the cardinal kindly
foor thomas supposed he was dismissed
from service, and then what would become
OF Peter
Don't send me away he cried, implor-
lhsly' falling on ms knees. q have nowhere
70 CO. ana refer VIII StarVe-and he wants
10 DC a painter so much
no Is feter asked the cardinal.
lie Is a hoy from Cortona, who boards
WIN me, and drew those pictures ON the
wall ana he VIII die II he can not be
painter
Where Is he now 2 asked the cardinal.
lie Is out wandering about the city to
ma something to draw lie goes out every
day and comes back at night
I When he returns tonight, Thomas, bring
nus ~ '''"' S'o"'u 'o' I've "iio"eu 10 I'VE III a
s"pI,et,' -.
not p 49, seS,ss 70 ssli liat nishl le'er ald
, Val I'm , uaeS 70 nls poa'uilS mouse one
- WY $500 "o'.' y "nu sun ho.iilhs
I Ta' n,"iu VI nm ~ tlo ph1 Oh ,he tiine'