The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-12-22

ed with ball. which he propelled with the
crutch end as he passed. The ball lodged
near the gobbo. He stopped and rolled il
onward, and the little cobbler hobbled away,
whistling.
Later the dwarf rose slowly. He spent the
hours Of noon watching the river with an alb.
sorbed fascination, as the holiday thrOng went
and came, When the night fell, a bell sound
ed on his ear, and he recognized il. The bell
was swinging in the campanile of the Church
Of 0gnissanti; some dull instinct of childish
memories made him follow the summons.
Yes, he would go to church and pray before
darkness came-aud the river
III--THE CHILD ARTIST.
The habitation of Edward Runyon was u
sufficiently modest one. Any person dcsirous
of seeking his home in the city of Florence
must quit the Via Tornabuoni and bright
Lung Arno, aud, following the crooked Borgo
IS. ApOstol, trace most obscure crack Of
a street, which separates the high gloomy
houses like mere hssure in the masonry.
Few strangers ever did seek Edward Run
yon, on any pretext whatever; he had dropped
out Of the world, and was as nearly forgotten
by it as man can well be who still possesses
the mental and physical qualities which are
requisite to life. That crack between high
Nhllnf NuOhNhAhk ih ihbhAhJ bNblnf ahA
the sun never penetrated, would have also
proved distasteful TO most travellers fresh
from modern cities A narrow door, usually
open, admitted to a yestibule, with p0rters
grated window on one side, long since desert
cd by that official. A stone stairway wound
up into Darkness the landings marked by two
grim portals facing each other, and half land.
ings, with tiny windows giving on other dark
walls further obscured by the dust Of years.
Arrived at the very top of those stone steps,
yellow door detached itself from the uniyer.
sal gloom, bearing a tiny white card with the
name of Mr. Edward Runyou printed on it in
English. Even the card had a shy and re-
luctant aspect, substitute though 1t was for
the usual brass plate, and was further de-
faced with marks of red chalk. Still it bore
the name Of Edward Runyon, always with
that appearance Of not being able to find an
excuse for doing otherwise, and the yellow
door had about it sullen acquiescence to
your pulling bell attached, since you had
pursued it 10 the upper story, when it had
hoped to escape observation altogether. II
the card bore the name of q man weary of the
world, the door, as the barrier he had erected
between himself and outer life had n fashion
Of swinging noiselessly, then closing with
reyerberating shock as if it resented being
left so much TO itself. Verify men are but
children of larger growth. We are often
piqued and disappointed when we have
wrought ourselves into a fine temper over
real or fancied wrong, and are left to pursue
our own course by planet entirely indilfer
ent to out grave displeasure.
Once beyond the threshold of the yellow
door, the interest Of the residents existence
became apparent at glance, A large room,
paved with brick and lighted from above, was
4 IL
small hooks for living and sleeping as n
household required. This apartment, vast,
cheerless, and cold, was n studio, aad Edward
Runyon an unsuccessful artist.
Oit Christmas. day a girl entered the place,
smiled to find it untenanted, nodded her head
significantly, and began to search amidst the
debris of dark corner for box. The cloud
of dust incident to the necessary dislOdgment
Of sheets of pastboard, yellow illustrated pa.
pers, q cotton umbrella, and a screen made
the girl sneeZe, without the disorder other
wise disturbing her. She drew forth a can.
vas, crossed the room rapidly, placed it
against a table in favorable light, and turned
an easel holding another picture so that the
two could be seen together.
NOW remember your promise TO warn me
If papa comes, Marietta mia, she said, in
high, clear tones.
Isl, ST. returned woman's voice in
neighboring kitchen, where the clatter of cop
per utensils betrayed the occupation OF the
invisible owner.
Thus re.assured, the young girl stepped
back, folded her arms in a truly professional
attitude, and Scrutinized the two stndies with
a grave and somewhat puzzled expression.
She even began to whistle in subdued tone
"a trick caught from her father. The light
of the large window fell full ON her herself, as
well as illuminating the picture. She was
small and delicately featured, with that sharp
and meagre outline so Characteristic of the
sparsely fed Florentine, and in age possibly
twelve or fifteen, but, in contrast with the
race among which she lived aud had been
born, she was fair as Goth, with full, serious
blue eyes, and hair of pale gold hanging down
her back. This veil Of abundant silky tresses
constituted her chief beauty, and shrouded
her pinched little form, her shabby raiment,
in glittering mantle which caught the radi.
ance Of every sunbeam, and imprisoned it in
the ripping meshes. The child was in per.
feet harmony with her surroundings. Her
boots were worn, her skirt Of some curious
plaided wooden stuff and her jacket of frayed
black velveteen embroidered with tarnishod
gilt Behind her was table covered with
brushes, bottles of oil and varnish, and a pal
On a shelf above her head plaster busts were
ranged. Trajsn and Augustus gazed down
upon bar solemnly. Other shelves held bits
Of mineral, an occasional bronze or brass
standard, and piles of wood-cuts A lay fig
ure, seated and draped in iaded cloak, oc.
cupied an angle of wall. Beyond on a brack
ct was a single vase Of old Venetian glass,
compared with which modern fabrications are
clumsy. This vase, so fragile in stem, of
such extreme tenuity that rude breath might
shatter 1t to atoms, exquisitely clouded with
blue, opal, and gold, perched at safe dis.
lance above surrounding confusion, was also
curiously suggestive of the owner. 1t was out
Of place, yet had not broken.
The girl stood motionless before the pic.
lures, absorbed in that profound eontempla.
ton which betrays the artistic reverie. Both
studies delineated the same subject. That
on the easel was faithful reproduction OF
the seated lay figure in the faded cloak, and
with something more, for the artist was clear
ly indebted to Ghirlandajo's st, Jerome for
the pose of the subject. The saint had been
removed from his niche to serve sanalchem-
ist, and was calmly surveying the vial con-
tainiug the long sought elixir Of life, which he
held to the light. IL was a carefully designed
and executed canvas enough, safe to frame in
gu ehN mug any III Aht
second, the alchemist had received entirely
different treatment A bold and powerful
sketch revealed turret chamber, such as
that Of Galileo's star tower, the walls hung
with faded charts and manuscripts, the small
window opening on stretch Of country and
evening sky, chair and table merely careless
ly touched accessories all the energy and
skill Of the artist had centred in the effort TO
intuse vitality into the occupant of this lonely
and remote apartment. Seen in the light Of
furnace fire, the experimentalist was an old
man with bald head, a shayen cheek and
chin, eyes bent also on the tiny flask held,
but with such mingled wonder, rapture, and
incredulity in his gaze that either powerful
emotion brought wave of unwonted color TO
his check, or the flicker Of the FIRE caused the
reflection.
The daylight came through the large win
dow, and rested on the girls fair hair and
childish features, fingered over the two pic.
lures, sparkled on the Venetian glass, where
the delicate tints mingled like a dissolying
rainbow With a sudden impulse OF dissatis.
faction she pushed the canvas on the floor
with her foot, so that it fell over on its face
Had she succeeded, after all? Elaton, and
ardent IL secret labor, often have reactions
of doubt and disappointment A confdante
was needed, and Old Marietta in the kitchen
was sole confdante Of Edward Runyon's
daughter Elena. Accordingly Marietta ap.
peared, wiping her hands--a stout, middle.
aged woman. with hlack hair rollad hack