The Osceola times., 1875-11-27

now; me 90 TO America"
Pipo came to me shortly after and
with a graceful bow offered me
cigarette from Il package in which he
had just invested. 1t was Saturday;
our weeks work was done; we had
squared accounts, and Pipo felt like a
millionaire.
| accepted and lighted it. "Look
here, young man, when you go to
America you'll have to give up the Use
of the weed. In the land of the free,
and SO forth, my friend, little boys of
eight are not expected to be quite as
far advanced in dissipation as old fel-
lows of twrnty,s q Az
Thus did administer moral instrtr-
ton in small doses to my untutored
savage.
Things began to look black in the lit
tie old house on the lagoon. Pipo and
! had been subsisting for some time on
shipwreck rations. Never a foot
crossed my humble threshold with
intent to order pictures. Robinson
Crusoe and Friday were not more ell
tirely alone on the island than were Pipo
and i there in that water-bound cottage
with only our own bright dreams and
the prophetic glory If sea and sky to
keep us from utter wretchedness.
was up to the ears in debt with Pipo at
this time. But he understood my
position and did not dun me. He was
dear good fellow, this Pipo of mine,
and would rather have gone cigarette
less to the end of his days than have
brought me face to face with insolvency
by asking for centimes.
" ! am poor, Pipo,' | said, at last,
openly and calmly; @poor us Il church
mouse or an artist
:" I'll tell you something, padrone
n,io, that will bring YOU good luck
answered Pipo, looking at me with his
great earnest eyes.
"What is it?"
YOU sec, me want two cents-me
buy SA
| collected the required amount with
some difficulty aud cautioned Pipo to be
careful, how he laid it out.
He came back with a small cage in
his hand, containing three great black
crickets.
"They bring you good luck, padrone
Everybody in Venice keeps them in the
spring."rI. IN ..rT rrw .
"Weli, 7 haventmuch faithin them,
myself, not being Il child of the south,
sunken in superstition and slavery, but
we will hang them over the fireplace
and see what turns up
The crickcts sang on bravely for a
week and did their best to bring me
good fortune, | have no doubt, poor
beasts. One morning ! took down the
cage, and behold there were only two
legless torsos of crickets. Their am
putated limbs lay about the floor of the
cage in expressive confusion. The
third had emigrated. Later | found
him half cremated behind the fire
place. "Pipo,' / said mournfully,
"your crickets are delusion and
snare.
One morning, not long after, | was
painting as usual, and Pipo was posing
patiently before me. Suddenly there
came a loud ring at the door. What
could it be? Creditors ! had none and
visitors never. The dogs sbegan TO
howl. | looked at myself. | wore a
coat with fifty-two patches; | told Pipo
to keep his attitude. | put on bold
face, and, by wayot encouragement,
composed as ] went to the door new
paragraph for my future biography in
the Lives OF Distinguished American
Artists "It is related of him that
even at this early stage Of his career he
had such confidence in the might and
power of his genius that he did not hes
itatc to answer his own doo-bell in a
ragged coat 4.. r.... ..r
A white-haired gentleman stepped
into the hall. The dogs swarmed over
him at once.
Il have been told there was an art
ist living here" he said, looking about
him. down, my dears, down. beg
of YOU" lr...
Il am the artist, or at least try to
be one" ...
thought his face looked familiar. |
remembered. then who he was. The
winter | was in Rome heard a good
deal about hiul-a benevolent old tel-
low who hunted ont poor artists aud
helped them ON. He had had son
mad after art, and refused to let him
study. The boy ran away from home,
came to Europe, painted awhile, gave
hopc'of "a brilliant career, and then fall
ing i'll died of sheer poverty and moth
ing else. And so the father did what
little he could to atone for his fault.
Oh, remembered him well. Iushercd
him into the studio. rs
That's very nice little boy" he
said, patting Pipo's shaven pate. "Does
he go to school?"
"He does not, He revels in igno-
rance and smokes"
"Ah. ! see you are painting his per-
trail-a Young Gsherman. Beautiful
thingl l. It ordered" -s.
! forced palid smile Orersare
not plentiful in this establishment. l