River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-05-02

"a visitor at this late hour?n he said
to himself, wonderingly.
He opened the door.
A closely yelled lady stepped in.
"Who are you!" demanded Michal
Angelo.
She removed the veil from her face.
s'Do you know me now, Signor b IONA
roEti?" she asked, with sad smile.
Santa Maria ~ he exclaimed, stepping
close up to her, is it really you, Countess
AInelli?"
She nodded her beautiful head.
Fate, cruel fate. Michael Angelo
Buonarotti," she said, lying her hand on
his arm, has separated us for so many
years. Would to Heaven that a more
joyous cause had brought Us again to-
gesherS''
What has occurredl" exclaimed Blu
onarotti
"Our native city is in deadly peril
The Emperor Charles V"
"The accused sceandred!' cried the
artist, angrily.
SIS approaching Florence with ten
thousand troops Alexander Medici--"
Another william" cried Michael
Angelo
g Is already in front of our city with
large force. He has demanded that
Florence should Internationally sur
render to him in five days. Otherwise he
would destroy the city"
"But what can do, Countess Arnelli!'
he exclaimed, almost in a despairing
tore.
sEverything-everything, Buonarotti.
Such genius as you never was born.
WHAT the FIorentines need in this terrible
crisis is popular leader of indomitaDle
courage. You possess the heart of lion.
Will you save FlorenceT.
with all my hearth he cried, enthusi-
astically.
"Then follow me Immediately. Two
horses ale waiting for us at the Porta di
PoDolo Not moment is to be lost"
Half an hour later Michael Angelo and
the Countess Arnelli were galloping along
the old Tuscan highway toward the
beautiful city on the Arno.
They succeeded in reaching it twenty
honrs later. The place in front Of the
Cathedral was at the time thronged with
excited people Suddenly Michael
Angeles commanding form appeared in
their midst His arrival was greeted with
deafening cheers,
The people of Florence hailed their
illustricus fellow citizen with rapturous
delight.
eHe will save usr' they shouted. "Let
hiE be our leader!'
On the same night he was proclaimed
Dictator of Florence. In that capacity
he displayed an ability as an Engineer
that would have astonished Vauban or
a 1odleben.
I.arthworks, as if conjured up by ma
giclan's wand, rose at the most exposed
points.
Alexander Medici, at the expiration of
the above mentioned five days, began to
boIabard Florence with his heavy altili-
cry.
But strong force OF Florentines, head
ed by Michael Angelo, furiously attacked
the cannoniers. Michael Angelo, who
was armed with an enormous battle AK,
killing at least dozen enemies.
The battery was destroyed, AID the bold
sallying force returned to the city, where
an enthusiastic ovation awaited them.
For weeks matters looked decidedly
blue for the allied army of besiegers; but
reinforcements arrived, and gradually the
fortunes of war began to turn against the
Florentines.
When matters assumed still gloomier
aspect for them, Michael Angelo, in dis
guise, went to Genoa and Venice and i'm
plored those two still powerful Republics
to come to the succor of Florence
The Genoese were ready TO do so, but
the Venetians turned deaf ear to his
supplications.
licart-broken he returned to doomed
Florene.
AT length the city fell, and now Alex
ander Medici took a terrible revenge up
on his vanquished enemies.
Two hundred and fifty prominent cltl
zers were beheaded in two days.
Sixty one noble and patriotic ladies,
among them the beautiful countess Ar
neili, were hung.
Among the prisoners was Michael Angelo
BuDnar0tti, who was saved from the scat
foll through the intercession of the Pope
che great artist returned to Rome and
finished the Sixtine Chapel.
But from that time his whole nature
seemed to have undergone a marked
change. He became gloomy and taciturn,
and his artistic creations reflected hence
forth his somber frame of mind.