The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-02-12
Henri Dupre, the Boy Sculptor.
ny ELIZA r. PARKER.

There lived, many years ago, in the beau
tiful city of Florence-which our intelli-
gent young readers all know is in Italy-a
Door widow and her little son, Henri, who
was the sole comfort of her desolate life.
The little fellow had never known any
love save that of his mother, and their only
means of subsistence was what was furnished
by her labor Yet she complained not. her
only sorrow being her inability to educate
her fair-haired boy, for the poor woman had
seen better days and appreciated the ben
efits of an education.
God, who Is always kind to the friendless,
seemed to take especial care of the widows
son, who during his mothers absence at
work, instead of playing with the rude boys
of the street, found amusement in shaping
little articles of various kinds from the soft
dirt in the gutter, just as many children
make mud-pies and houses.
As he grew older, he would sometimes
gain admittance into the galleries of art,
and there gaze spellbound upon the works
| of the great masters, and then this child of
poverty would return to his garret, and, In
spite of his poor, fond mothers remon-
strances. work late and early at his beloved
art.
Years sped on, and the boy grew into q
noble youth, yet unaided in his efforts save
by strength of determination and a
| Hrmness of purpose that would not allow
him to be discouraged.
At length, after great amount of labor
and many trials, the boy-genius completed
q work of which he was very fond, and con.
6ded to his aged mother his intention OF
xpplying for permission to show his statue
| in an exhibition of sculpture which was
shortly to take place in Florence. His re-
Quest was granted, but now a new difficulty
arose. The apartment in which the young
sculptor lived was so small, the stairway sc
narrow. that the work could not be removed
until the partitions Of the house were taker
away.
posed to accompany him home to see the
wonderful creation of genius. The hum
| BILE. poverty-stricken appearance OF th'
dwelling seemed to surprise them as they
followed Henri to his little garret, and thei
amazement was boundless when he drew
| back q faded curtain ana revealed to thei
sstonished gaze the recumbent figure. life
size. of dead man. So beautiful insdeath
were the lineaments of that exquisite face
90 faultless in conception was the work, tha
these stern men of the world could not be
lieve it was the production of the untaugh
child of poverty, devoid of an art-education
and ignorant of the laws of anatomy. 1t wa
entirely past their comprehension, and the,
at once expressed their notion that thi
youth had secretly murdered some passing
stranger, who had then served him for
model.
The laws ofsItaly are very arbitrary, an
although the innocent sculptor loudly Pre-
tested, they were inexorable, and sent hir
to prison to await the action of the prope
au horities in the matter.
This was indeed sad termination to a
his dreams Of glory. But more PARTICULAR
did this filial son mourn the crushing bio
to his mothers hopes.
/, While in prison, Henri had quite nun
Der of visitors-some from curiosity, othel
Z from sympathy. Among them were Nv