Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-03-13

morrow, II you have not detected the
guilty individual, yon shall receive twen-
ty-five lashes. Dost thou hear? Go and
grind your colors, and you, gentlemen, 60
to your work."
The young men applied themselves
with enthusiasm to their occupation, but
no sooner had Mu1illo left the studio
than the mysterious artist again became
the subject of conversation. Mendez
spoke first.
"Look out for scourging tomorrow,
boy, if you do not detect the intruder to-
night. Give me some yellow"
"You do not need any, Senior Mendez.
There is already too much yellow on
your picture. As to the intruder, it's
my opinion it's Zombi."
"Cease your stupidity about Zombl,"
said Gonzalez. impatiently.
"You may believe in the Zombi or NOT,
Senior Gonzalez, but that does not dis
prove his existence, nor that he is some
times good spirit and somtimes a ma
licious one; for it was he, undoubtedly,
who so pulled the arm of your John in
the wilderness out of shape: for" con-
tinued Sebastian, jeeringly, "if the other
was equally long, he might unloose the
latchets of his shoes without bending his
body"
The attention of all was directed to
Gonzalez picture, and they cast look of
astonishment first at Gonzalez and then
at Sebastian.
do you not all see that there is truth
in Sebastian's criticism3" said Isturez,
examining more closely the unnatural
limb, which had hitherto escaped their
observation.
Gonzalez colored, looking angrily at
1sturez, and pettishly reminded Sebastian
of the twenty-five lasbes he was to receive
the following day.
1t was night, and the studio of Murillo,
the celebrated painter of Seville, which
during the day presented such scene of
mlrth and activity, had become silent and
solitary as the grave. A single lamp
burned dimly upon the marble table in
the center, and ner it stood boy, whose
pale complexion accorded well with the
gloomy darkness in which he was en-
veloped, and whose large black eyes
sparkled in the obscurity like lustrous
brilliants. He was leaning upon an easel
in graceful posture, still and unmovable,
and plunged in the profoundest redec-
ton. Without his observing it, the door
opened gently, and man, whose features
it was impossible to distinguish in the
gloom which pervaded the apartment,
entered, advanced toward him and called
him by name. Sebastian was too much
occupied to reply. He was seized by the
arm.
Sebastian raised his eyes-a tall, fine
looking creole stood before him.
"What brings you here, fathera" asked
the boy, with evident concern.
"0nly to keep you company, my
child"
"That is unnecessary, father; return to
your bed. I will keep watch alone"
but the Zombi2"
Sebastian smiled and replied:
II am not afraid of him, father"
"But if he should take you from me-
my child9'
The boy raised his eyes towards the
large skylight in the vaulted ceiling
through which the twinkling stars were
glimmering with peerless ray.
"Place your trust there, father, and re-
turn again to your bed. will lay my
self down upon the carpet and seek for
getfulness in Sleep"
"But are you not afraid the Zombi will
come, Sebastian!''
mo, father; the belief in the Zombi is
only superstition of our country; and
Father Eugenio has told me as there are
no such things as supernatural beings"
"Why did you tell the young gentle
men of the studio, then, that it was thu
Zombi who sketched those mysteriou.
igures?"
| 'For my own amusement, father;
enjoyed their establishment"
swell, good night, my dear bov," sale
Gomez, as he left the room.
| Sebastian no sooner found himsel
alone than he leaped about the room fo
joy.
"And now to my work." he cried
but stopping suddenly, he paused and re
flected on the morrow. "Twenty fiv'
lashes if do not tell who has sketchet
these figures; and double that number
perhaps, if I confess myself the guilt,
one. What shall do?"
Sebastian kneeled upon the carpet
which served him at mig ht for bed; but
an irresistible drowsiness crept over hi
senses in the middle of his prayer, ant
leaning against the marble wall of tn,
studio, he fell into profound slumber
A faint dusky ray of the morning ligh
stole through one of the large oval win
dows of the apartment, and fell softl,
upon the easel of Mendez. The sonorou
clock of the old Cathedral of Seville toll
ed the hour of three and aroused Sebas
tan from his slumbers. Any other chill
would have yielded to the control O
WEAKNESS and slept; but Sebastian, VIII
had only three hours for himself-thre'
hours of Liberty, leaped from his resting
place anu advanced toward half opened
window to inhale the fresh air Of til,
morning. =
up, up, Sebastian: said he to himself
"you have only three hours of your own
improve them; and the remainder be
longs to your master"
BY this time he had completely ban
ished his drowsiness. -.
Terrified by the sensation his pictures
had created on the day preceding, hi
first impulse on awakening was to effac'
every line his pencil had traced; ani
dipping his brush into oil, he advanced
toward the Madonna, who, through thu
gloom of the vast somber apartment
looked more beautiful and lovely thar
ever.
"Blot out those charming features
obliterate those heavenly beaming eyes
mo, never! Rather will I endure tn.
threatened punishment, rather will
undergo any torture than thus annihilatt
this most beautiful conception of my
imagination. The young artists them.
selves had not the heart to efface them
and shall / do it2 No, never! That liz
lives, breathes and speaks. If I should
erase that celestial countenance I should
feel as though I had caused the life blood