The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-03-22

THE HANDs0 l(I ARTIST.
Creme Mcdonald Was q youps
Highlander come to Florence to stud /
the old matters. He was IN athletic
wholesome. handsome Fellow, Who had
probably made . narrow escape o.
being simply 6ne animal: aod, % i,
was, YOU never would have picked
him from q crowd q anything but Z
81 Ia ut Of uniform. or q brigsnd
con,s...u TO honest life. Hi
popularity was land this forsee is 10
be m ugly sentence) that he had
peculisrities which did not seem
peculiar. He Vas full Of genius for
his art. but the canvas which served
him a. . vent gave him no more
anxiety than his pocket-handkerchief.
He painted in the palace or wiped bis
forehead On . warm day With equally
small care, {" al appearance. and Re
had brought his mother and two
sisters to Italy. and supported them
by . most heroic economy and To-
dus,ry-sll the while looking % il
the ''silver NOON and all the email
change Of the stars would scarce serve
bin for days probationary. Indeed,
The more ! knew Of McDousld, the
more ] became convinced that there
MAS another mao built over him.
The painter Was inside. And il he
lad free thoroughisre and use of the
outer mans window and ivory door,
he was st any rate barred froTa hang
ing out the smallest sign or indications
Of being at any time "within." Think
% hard ~ he would-devise, combine,
study or glow with enthusiasm the
proprietor If the front door exhibited
the sAme careless aud smiling bravery
Of n,ien, behaving invariably ss If he
had The whole tenement to himself,
aud was neither proud VI nor interested
in the doings Of his more spiritual in
mate-leadine you to suppose. almost,
that the latter, though billeted upon
him. bad not been properly introduced.
Tue thatch u this Common teue-
msHt vas Of jssty black hair, curl
in. in most "puient prodigsli,y. and,
altogether it MAS = house that Hadad,
tie fallen spirit. might have chosen,
when becoming iucarnats. to tempt
the sister OF Absalom.
Perhaps you have been in Floreucs,
dear reader. and know BY what royal
liberslity artists ere permitted 10
bring their easels into the splendid
apartments of the palace, and copy
from the priceless pictures on the
walls. At the time ! haye my eye
upon (some few years ago), Mcdonald
was making beginning Of a copy Of
Titan. BELLA. aud near him stcod
the easel Of . female artist Who was
copying FROM the glorious picture Of
"JudiIh and Holoierne.," in the same
apartment. MadeuoiseIle Fo;ie (.o
she was called BY the elderly lady who
always accompanied herr Was . small
and very gracefally.iormed creature,
with the plainsst face iu which At
traction could possibly re.ide. She
WAS Passionate student of her srt,
pouring upon IL apparently tine entire
fulluess OF her life, and as uncon-
sciously forgetful Of her personal in,-
preston on those around her AZ ii she
wore the invisible ring # Gyees. The
difference with which she was treated
BY her staid companion drew some
notice upon her. however. and her
progress in the copy she va. making
occasionally gathered the artists about |
her easel, and, altogether her position
among the silent and patient company |
II work 10 the different halls Of ,he !
palace Was one Of affectionate and
Iaei; respect. Mcdonald was her |
nearest neighbor. and they frequently
ooke'i over each others pictures ; but. |
n they were both foreigner in Flor
.nce (.be Of Polish birth. o. he un- !
lerstood), their conversation Was in
French or Italian. neither Of which /
languages we're Auen,ly familiar to
frame, and il was limited generslly
o expressions Of courtesy or brief
Of each others labcrs.
As said before. it Was q "proof
Of . celestial summers
morning, and the thermometer stood
't heavenly idleness. Mcdonald sat
Nth his msal-stick across bic kneee,
from Ti,ian's picture. An
riisi, who had lounged in from the
ext loom, bad hung himself BY tie
rock Of his srm over . high peg in
lie comrsde's easel and every nov and
hen he volunteered an observation to
'hish he expected NO particular
psWer.
"When / remember how little
eauty I have seen in the world" said
ngarde (this artist, II am inclined
D believe With Ssturoinus that there
J no resurrection Of bcdies, and that
My the spirits Of the good return IN /,
D the body Of the Godhead-ior what
J ugliness 10 do in hesvenv
Mcdonald only said: "Hm-hm!"
Or rather, said Ipssrde again. IL :
bouh like to fashion Q creed for nv.
III, and believe that nothing Was
IMMORTAL but what was heavenly, and !
nat the good among men and the .!
eautiful among women would Be the
nly reproductions hereafter. How
i'll this little plain woman look 10 /!
,e streets Of the New Jerusalem. for
EamPle! Yet she expects, ~ We oil =: