The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-03-12
A STORY OF MURlLLO'S PUPIL.

Many years ago, on Deautl1ul sum-
mer morning, several young men who
emerged from the different streets press
ed their way towards the house of the
celebrated painter, Murillo. They all
arrived at the door at the same moment,
exchanged SITUATIONS in acordial man
ner, and called each other by name. They
hurried up the flight Of stairs and reach
ed the studio. The maestro had not yet
entered, and each artist approached his
"Bv the holy St. James of Compostellav'
exclaimed Isturez, (which of you remain
ed last in the studio yesterday9"
"You have not yet recovered from the
effects of your morning nap," replied at,
the same time Fernandez and Cardova,
cor you would surely recollect that we
all went home together
''There is point beyond which for
besrance ceases to be virtue" continued
Isturez, evidently in a bad humor. Eyes
terday, before leaving the studio, l con-
sumed an hour at least in cleaning very
| carefully, my palette and brushes, apd
this morning I End them dripping With
paint" ...
''See there! look!' cried Carlos; "there
is another little face just in the corner of
my picture, and it's by nc means bad
one, either. Carajo! who can it be that
thus amuses himself every morning with
painting a figure first upon the wall and
then upon the canvass" .....
yesterday, Fernandez, there was one
Just above your easel"
ut must be Isturez; his palette is proc
positive against him!'' said Fernandez.
mo by the holy madre, it was not I?
replied Isturez.
"Do not swear said Carlos, "such I
face you never could have painted"
"Be that as it may, Don Carlos, I hav'
never yet painted any quite so indifferen
as yours"
''And my brushes, too, are moistl" ex
claimed Gonzalez. "By the patron sain
of Spain, something mysterious goes OF
here at night"
DO you not think, with the creol'
Gomez, that it is the Zombi who pay
these nocturnal visits to our studio?
asked Isturez.
'Certainly I believe it, returned Men
dez, who had thus long remained silen
while examining attentively one of thos
beautiful sketches which peeped forth
in greater or lesser numbers, every morn
ing from their canvas, as though called
} into existance by the magic wand o
some supernatural visitant. 81 wish in
my Decent from the Cross he had hat
the kindness to have sketched the heat
, Of the Holy Virgin; my conception ma,
be ever so pure and chaste, but my pencil
obstinatelv refuses to obey the i'm pulse
Of my imagination"
At these words Mendez approached hi
easel. An exclamation of astonishmen
burst from his lips, and he stood petri
fed at the spectical presented to his view
A beautiful Madonna's head, merel
sketched, but of wonderful expression
stood out clear from the canvas, graceful
and pleasing, amid the other figures {
the picture, like an unearth]y appars
ton. 49,. ....,
How MOVE What's the matter wit
yeu?" demanded a stern, gruf voic
which reused the youth from his medit,
tons, who bowed respectfully before th
speaker. y ~
Examine yourself, Senior Murillo
8 answered sall the young men simult
i. ueously, pointing to the easel of Mende
8 "Whose work is this9 Who painte
8 that head?' asked Murillo, with eagernes
i "Why do you not answer2 Whoev
: sketcned that Madonna will one dag
d other be the master of us all Does ]
It one sr oak? I should be proud to a
,, knowledge it as the production Of n
a. a. pencil. By the soul of my. body, VIII
70 tendernessl what sweetness what de-
e. cacy !-Mendez, my dear pupil is
ID yours2" '''.> 4'.'
ID mo, maestro" replied Mendez, e,
If IDENTIFY grieved. i9ls, M.e .,..
ID "Was it you, Isturez? or you Ferns
dez? or you Cordova9 S2's
ut mo, maestro" replied they simulta
n. eously. "But,' said Murillo, impatient
r TT lit could not have made its appearan
i'd here OF itself. Some one must have do
f. it."
ms ''This is not the first nor only myst
, es ious and inexplicable affair which b
nd transpired in your STUDIO" replied q