The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1876-01-19
Vol. XII.

the tide IN the lagoon TO my oooI
They were lean, hungry'eyed crt a
tnres, always on the alert TO
blows and kicks. What bette
friends could an unrecognized artis
have than three drowning, starving
miserable dogs? They were four
footed epigrams against fortune.
| It was too late to begin worl
that day; I could only form higl
hopes of Pipo on canvas. We par
took of a frugal repast. Pipo wa
initiated into the use. of a fork
Then I offered for his consideration
the first Of series Of lectures OF
the manly art Of washing plates.
And yet, now that I have madt
| me a name, now that friends anc
| honor and fame are mine, I long
| with wistful sadness for those deal
| old days in far off Venice. Some
thing I have lost which then made
| life glorious. If I could only steE
out into my loggia at sunset, after
a hard days work, and hear in the
rustic of the trees in the garden
in the roar of the surf at the Lido
in the vesper bell sweeping over
the lagoon: "The world is an inf
mite possibility. Go forth in the
might of thy genius and youth and
conquer the realm"
I painted Pipo just as he was, in
his rags and his dirt and his angel
ic impishness. I wanted to paint
him seminude, for the sake of that
ripe golden skin of his. But I felt
that my picture was destined for
American eyes,and I merely enlarged
the holes in his garments.
Pipo began to manifest an alarm
ing fondness for brushes and colors.
sIs it possible that I may prove
the Cimabue to this Giotto2'
I queried. "Giotto tended sheep
and Pipo fshed with a pin-hook.
Better that he should dredge mud
from Venetian canals all his life.
He shall never WELD the brush with
my consent"
This model boy of mine had one
vice which all my efforts could not
uproot from his youthful breast.
He had the face Of an angel, but
he used language that would have
brought a blush to the cheeks Of a
shipload of pirates.
Pipo soon settled to his own sat-
'isfaction that when I went to Amer
ica he was to go likewise. : en-
couraged the idea from education
al motives.
':Pipo, how long is it since you
washed your face?"
Pipo counted his fingers.
|. "a week"
"Well, when you go to America,
Pipo my boy, you'll have to wash
your face every day and your hands
too, for there, my Venetian aristo-
crat the people have plebeian
prejudice in favor of cleanliness"
Pipo went off and returning, said,
with a confidential smile: ."Me clean
now; me 60 to America.
Pipo came to me shortly after
and with a graceful bow offered me
a cigarette from a package in which
be had just invested. It was Sat
urday; our weeks work was done;
we had squared accounts, and Pipo
felt ike a millionaire.
After a while things began to
look black in the little old house on
the lagoon. Pipo andI had been
subsisting for sometime on ship
wreck rations. Never q foot cross
ed my humble threshold with intent
to order pictures. Robinson Crusoe
and Friday were not more entirely
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 OF
sea and sky to keep US from utter
wretchedness. I was up to the ears
in debt with Pipo at this time. But
he understood my position and
did not dun me. He was a dear
good fellow this Pipo of mine, and
would rather have gone cigarette
less to the end of his days than to
have brought me face to face with
insolvency by asking for centimes.
Il am poor, Pipe" I said, at last,
openly and calmly; ''poor as a
church mouse or an artist"
It'll tell you something, padrone
mio, that will bring you good
luck" answered Pipo, looking at
me with his great earnest eyes.
ssWhat is it?'