The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-09-10
BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
An Incident i'm the Early Life of a Great
Norwegian Artist.

II was the season Of the carnival a
Florence, and public rejoicing haC
reached its climax. Balls, operas anc
concerts were innumcrablc, anC
the deepest soicmnity enshroudec
them, as had long been the custom
The frccst license was permitted tc
every one; all quarrcls ceased, and ;
kind, fratcrnal feeling conferred in every
breast.
Witkiu the parlor of one of the large
hotels II the beautiful city sat Il young
man 81 apparently not more than TWEEN
tv-tivc years of age. His form was
baif-concealed in the folds of an easy
chair. No other parsonage was visible,
save 4 servant who sat III n corner OF
tir room, and who had very nearly
fallen asleep Owe a newspaper which
he held carclc>sly in hi, hand.
1t was late in the afternoon and the
'1ot rays Of the declining sun stealing in
through the window shed 4 dreamy
ulster over the scene. The young man
himself dosed and dreamed, and looked
somewhat depressed. in spirits. His
bold and roughly hewn features and
light curly hairtold plainly that he was
DOT of southern origin, but had wander
cd hithcr, pilgrim-like, from some
home lying far beyond the Alps.
And what was the story of this
stranger? His early life had been mur-
turcd in poverty, and hardships. But
people had said that he was a genius,
and had prophesied for him a place
amon@ the immOrtalS. He a pas
,;onatcly fond of music: and this love
was second only to the ability and pow
~ with which he sported with rich har-
monies. He had studied old and new
masters, had practiccd until patience
had developed success and understand
ing. and was now worthy to he hailed
- an artist. He felt that he had won
his title As such, and, inflated, per-
hapS, by the consciousness of Supcriori-
~, he was prone to build many air cas-
tie, upon the unstable sands of the fu-
ture. Too often already he has found
that hopes were vain, and that dreams
we're as unreal as the fairy phantoms of
Morgana.
He had learned, too, that success
generally hangs upon the greatness Of
The Individual; that 4 crowd is always
attracted by 4 celebrated name; that
external appearance, determine its judg-
mcnt, and that a light breeze is more
fatal % posular fancy than the grandcst
t~nrOrC.
The young artist, [ say, felt this
much and more. He realized how I'M
certain were the path, which he trod,
and recalled times that, when he
thought he had placed his foot on a
firm foundation it had proven to be only
: quagmire, which tremblcd and gave
way beneath his step But this feeling
in no way dishcartcned him. If he
would see his name enrobCd in honor,
he knew that he must need, travel the
cough ways which others had gone over
before him. Like the latter, he i'm
apincd life to be Il vast continent diver
,ifcd in its surface, in which there were
mountains to be climbed over, rivers
and valleys 20 be crossed, and smooth
plains, luxurious and in splendor clad,
20 be skirted and Over-stepped.
From his home in the north he had
dfiftcd to Paris, where, intoxicated by
the g~orgcousneSS of scenes, the activity
and excitement of everyday life, glow
ing fashions and gilded magniticence,
he was tempted to forget his art, and
surrender himself TO dissipation. He
passed through the streets alone, UNI
molcsted and unknown. He had come
n Il time when the oriental scourge was
w~aylaying its victims, and when almost
every household in the proud metropo-
,.,, from .Ae Av1.-=. - L. ka1lt-c::,