Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-12-11


rather have gone cigarettelesS to the end
OF his days than have brought me face to
face with insolvency by asking for cen
times.
81 am poor, Pipo," l said at last,
openly and calmly, poor us church
mouse or an artist"
I'll tell you something, padrone mio,
that will bring you good luck, j" answered
Pipo, looking at me with his great earnest
/ eyes.
"I ou see, me wanttwo cents--me buy"
l collected the required amount with
some difficulty ana cautioned Pipo to be
careful how he laid it out.
He came back to me with small cage
in his hand, containing three great black
crickets.
"They bring you good luck, padrone
Everybody in Venice keeps them in the
Spring"
"Well, haven't much faith in them
myself, not being n child OF the South,
sunken in superstition and slavery, but
we will hang them up over the fireplace
and see what turns up"
The crickcts sang on bravcly !or week
and did their best to bring me good for
tune, have no doubt, poor beasts. One
morning took down the cage and be-
hold, there wcro only two legless torsos
OF crickets.
Their amputated limbs lay about the
floor of the cage in expressive confusion.
Tho third had emigratcd. Later found
him half cremated behind the fireplace.
"Pipo," said mournfully, "your crcl
OTIS are delusion and N snaro.'
One morning not long after, | wa
painting rs usual, and Pipo was posing
patiently before me. Suddenly ther
came II loud ring at the door. Wha
could it be +? Creditors | had none anC
visitors never. The dogs began to howl
| looked at myself, wore coat will
) tfty-two patches. | told Pipo to keel
his attitude. put on II bold face, an,
; by way of encouragement, composed Il
| went to the door n new paragraph to
my future biography in the Lives {
Distinguished American Artists" at
related of him that even at this earl
stage of his career he had such conGdcnc
, in the might and power Of his genius tina
he did not hesitate to answer his own doc
q bell in ragged coat"
S A white haired gentleman stepped int
the hall. The dogs swormod over him t
A once.
| 81 rave been told there was an arti
living here" he said, looking about hin
/ "Down, my dcars, down, | beg Of you,
81 am :he artist, or at least, try
be one"
| thought his face looked familiar.
, remembered :hen who he was. The win
? ter | was in Rome | heard a good den
about hm-a benevolent old fellow win
, hunted out poor artists and helped then
on. He had a son mad after art, and re
fused to lot him study. Tho boy ran ava
from home, came to Europe, painte
5 awhile, gave hopes of brilliant caree
and then falling i'll, died of sheer povort
o and nothing else. And so the father di
t what little he could to atone for his hul
r Oh, | remembered him we'll | ushere
| him into my studio.
"That's very nice little boy" h
, said, pattng Pipo's shaven pate. Doe
he go TO school ?"
" He does not. lie revels in Ignorance
and smokes"
"Ah, see you are painting his por
trait "a young fisherman. Beautfu
; thing. Is it ordered ?"
forced palid smile. "Orders ar
not plentiful in this esta bli,hment. | al
painting entirely for glory ut present"
"Thcn would you allow me to secur
it for friend at home who is making
collection Of native art ? Could you fin
ish it by the end of the month And
know that artists must have brushes an
colors. | should like TO leave an install
ment, if you will permit me-"
He laid purse on the table.
"Never mind thanks. | had so
once myself Come up and see me at til
hotel.
With his dear old face all aglow wit
kindness he started for the door. IL
, waved me good by with his umbrella
, Come up and see me, and Wen talk
, all over"
0 "Come to my arms, oh, most blesse
Of Pipos [! It's all through you and yor
crckcts."
! Who says that the ravens no longC
, minister to the needs Of the hungr
prophets Who says that angels wal
! not abroad in human guise
, The dogs barked for delight and Pip
= and danced jig for joy.
) From that day onward life prospere
] amain. Friends gathered about me, OF
ders assaulted me on every side, and
exchanged the picturesque poverty of tn
house on the lagoon for the SUMPTION
hail OF a palace on the Grand Canal
, Pipo stayed with me until left.V Venice
, He pleaded hard to be taken to Amerca
but | felt that there he would be misur
derstoOd. His innocent fondness for tn
p weed would be labeled "juvenile depra,
ity :" his poetic raggedness would |
e accounted squalor.
So left him in that beautiful city
: where the marble domes rise from I'll
D water like great white lilies, and the boa
| dance over the sea like scarlet wingo
birds. There, where life is ali one golde
afternoon, | left my PipO. We bad born
Joy and sorrow together and the partin
r was hard. And wherever | 60 | carr
y about with me the memory of two inn(
cent child eyes which finds its way cor
tinualy on my canvas. And when
r hear the critics say, How much Il
{ face reminds me Of Da Vinci," | laug
A., half wistfully and think of the tend,
child mouth that smiled up at me frol
the gard len wall that lonely SUNNI,
ft,f ,H