Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-06-13
CORREGGIO,s "LasT ANGEL,

Brother Thaddeus was once brave
officer, and served long and honOrably
In the Venetian Army; but growing
weary of soldiers life, he found a
happy home on the quiet heaths of
Parma. He lived about half a league
from the village of Correggio, in sort
Of hermitage grotesquely constructed
from the ruins of an old Roman camp.
Our hermit was widely known and
loved, for he united the skill of ply
sician with the charity of an apostle.
Late one night, in the summer OF
1884, Brother Thaddeus heard loud
knocking at his door. In the ringing
voice that once cheered his Sclavonian
troops on to victory, he cried, "Who is
there?"
But when trembling, childish voice
replied, "The son Of Antonio Allegri,"
the hermit hastily rose ard opened the
door. The child was out of breath. his
eyes were full of tears, and those he
had shed In his rapid walk had been
dried on his cheeks by the midnight
wind.
"My father is very Sick" sobbed tie
boy, "and mother begs you TO come
quickly"
The hermit seized his staff.
"Come, my child! We will throw
WEAKNESS and sleep to the briars of the
road"
As they hurried along the hermit
asked Ludovic the cause Of his fathers
illness.
"Ah! brother, said the child in a
strange voice for boy of thirteen
years, "my fathers disease springs
from an ancient trouble : from pow
erty."
Thaddeus looked ut the child in sur
prise.
"Yes," persisted Ludovic, "pOyerty
has killed him. You know my fathers
toll cannot satisfy his hard hearted
creditors. Eight days ago our landlord,
that wealthy Jew of Parma, for four
crowns that father owed him, took
away the painting of "Christ in the
Garden of Olives" Father had worked
diligently on it for six months. The
same day the collector of the village
made him paint portraits for himself
and his wife for nothing, pretending
that we had not paid our taxes"
"Alas J" said the hermit sis there no
sympathy in this world for genius?"
"Some days after this" continued
Ludovic, "the baker refused to trust my
mother, and Bonoletta, the milkmaid,
would not leave the pint of milk for
passionate tears of shame and despair,
and the children wept because they
were hungry. Then father said, III
you weep. you will dishearten ME, and
vent owes me money, and tomorrow 1
| will go to Parma. In the meantime.
here are some crumbs of bread / have
saved. Share them, and be patient till
tomorrow evening" And he took a
piece Of bread from the drawer of his
easel. He had eaten nothing himself
for two days.
"Why did not Antonio come TO me?"
interrupted Thaddeus.
"My fathers heart is larger than his
fortune, and he would blush to beg a
glass of water from his best friend"
so Antonio, Antonio!" cried the
hermit, deeply moved. "But finish
your sad story, LudOvic."
"Father started for Parma before
dawn the next morning. He hastened
to the monks and induced them TO pay
him; but either from malice, or because
the reverend fathers had no other coin
in their Golfers, they paid the two hun
dred crowns In copper. My father re-
turned to Correggio on foot, under
burning son, with this enormous bur-
den. When he reached home he had
hardly strength to say, we are saved!
Dropping his heavy load. he drank two
large goblets of cold water TO quench
the thirst that devoured him. An hour
after ward he was seized with raging
fever. A terrible crisis has come to-
night, and mother sent me for you.
Perhaps il is too late," added the boy,
"for death comes swiftly" And rev.
erently making the sign of the cross,
he led the recluse TO the chamber of the
invalid.
The noble peasant, the illustrious
author of so many grand works, was
lying upon a miserable pallet covered
with green serge. His wife and eldest
son stood at the head of the bed and
made with their entwined hands a pillow
for the painter, for breathing was al
ready painful. Julia, the eldest daugh-
ter who WAS celebrated at Parma for
her great beauty. leaned against the
bed-pOst, her hands crossed upon her
breast; her eyes were fixed upon cru
cifix which hung from the wall, and
she seemed to pray ferventiy. The lit
tie girls, Agnes and Veronica, slept
peacefully in each others arms on a
bundle of straw In corner of the room.
The violence of the disease distorted
the features of the artist, and his fine
face bore the marks of both physical
and mental suffering. He was fright
fully thin, and flames seemed to dart
from his sunken eyes.
.'Thaddeus," said the painter in
faint voice, ''am In danger of death ?''
Thaddeus made no reply, The painter
repeated the question. but was again
met with silence.
"Then there is no longer any hope"
he sadly cried; land my poor child
ren!'
"God may work miracle" said the
hermit, "but science can do naught."
"He will not save ME" said Antonio.
"Does he help the feeble? The day
I came from Parma saw an innocent
dove balancing itself on the branch of
sycamore; a serpent was coiled upon