Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-06-07

aSot dead, father, not dead? And no
one knew him.-his name has been for
gotten, 1t should have been immortal
II would have eclipsed mine-I am Paul
Peter Rubens, father" he added simply.
At that famous name, familiar all over
the civilized world, and connected in
the heart of every man leading monas-
tic life with innumerable religious paint
ings Of marvellous beauty, the prior's
pale face flushed, and his sunken eyes
fixed themselves on the strangers lace
with look of veneration and surprise.
tAh, | see that you know me" cried
Rubens, smiling with naive satisfaction.
"Well. perhaps you will treat me better |
now. So, then-will you sell me that
picture?" :. -
'T must repeat-it is impossible
Then do you know of any other work |
by the same hand? At least tell me when |
the artist died" -
nrior. 81 told you he belonged no long
en- to the world but that does not sig
nifty =" =" =
laHe is living. Then i must know
him. :,
,"To what end? He has renowned all
that belongs to his life--he has nothing
more to do with the world. Let him
die in reace."
'"You ask a strange thing of me, father.
| When God lights the sacred fire OF gen.
| las in human soul il is not that it may
he h dden undera bushel and go cut in
darkness. 1t should accomplish its sub
lime mission and give light IT, other men.
Tell me the monastery where this great
artist hides himself I will seek him
ont. He must be given back to this
country. What glorious fame awaits
himr'
And :" said the prior. in a low voice,
awhat if he should refuse it"
sIf he should, l shall apply TO, the
Pooe. WHO honors me with his friend
ship. and perhaps his Holiness may con-
vince him." e. - :. -
I aAhI YOU see was right in refusing
10 give YOU his name or that of the mon
astsry in which he coneeals himself"
~Then. father" cried Rubens, a flush
mounting to his brow, perhaps the
pope and the King may induce you to
break your silence. / shall see that ii
be DONE"
"Oh, no, no, You will not do this thing
Senior Rubens" exclaimed the monk
aft will be wrong-very wrong. Take
the picture, if you like, but leave him
who is at rest, in peace to the end.
sneak in the name of God Yes, know
this great man as You call him.. Thii
: wretched, blind mortal, as / cali him
, loved him, comforted him, redeemed
{ him from amid the waves Of earthly pas
sions and miseries where he was drown
inc. There wasa time when he had for
gotten God. Now he is very near tt
| eternal blessedness. Glory, fame! Do vol
f know of greater ones than those to which
The ,aspires. What right have you t.
seek to inflame once more with earthly
I yanities a soul in which there now. only
!. burns the Ioyeof God? Do you know
!. the fierce battles that man fought will
his own heart before he gave up TIT
world--before he renowned riches
fame. power, youth, lOve-all the thing
: for which human creatures thirst, IL
q which they glory2 Do you know tn
anguish, the bitterness, the suprem,
disillusions which led him to realiza
e ton of the utter vanity of all thing
8 here below? Would you drag him bacl
4 into the heat of the fray when he is 81
. near to final triumph"
u But this is to renounce Immortality!
n at is to aspire to win it!'
n "And with. what right do you thu
!. place yourself between this man ant
the world? Let me speak to him-le
= me decide" -
h with the right of an older brother, @
l. teacher, of father-for am all tina
, te him--I repeat. / do il in the name Q
God. Respect my right as you hope TO
J. the welfare of your soul"
a And drawing his cowlover his head
e 1.-THE monk glided swiftly up the church.
eli master" said one Of Rubefs pupil
= who, during the foregoing conversation
T, had been sttentively scrutinizing tn
20 prior's features, did it not strike 20
n that there was a singular resemblanc
7 Ilbetween that old friar and the dea
monk in that picture? go. =.
d lsTru,y. you are right" sand all, in
n libreathIl .Ja su.B - .1 sIss'I :.
a. Subtract the wrinkles and beard, an
;, the thirty years which, the master hold
~ have elapsed since the picture was pxEint
Or ed. and 4 think we shall find that he wa
h right when he said the dead monk wa
If the portrait of the artist himself AND
moreover, that il is the work of non
IL other than the prior of this convent"
a Rubens, sombfe, 'shamed and f-deepl
a moved, looked after the retreating forI
N of the old man. Before disappearin
= the monk turned, and crossing his arm
ID on his chest bowed low to the painter.
'"It is he-tyes, yes" hurmured Ruben
"Come, let us CO. That man is RICH
IN What is the greatness that / have {
- compated to his? Let him die IN peace
70 And with last look at the wonderf
lie canvas he left the church and repaire
to the palace, where he was to dine wit
the king and queen.
Il .
=, Three days later Rubens, alone ar
a. unattended, made his way back to Il
lis modest chapel, once more to see u
mt wonderful picture am tosspeaks to q
NJ. artist.
Ne But the painting no longer hung in
place.
or In the nave of the chapel stood a BIZ
d. and around it knelt all the members
nd the community, chanting the office
90 the dead.
Vi The master approached. On the bi
Ter HE was : great painter said Rube
I'D after long pause, filled by many mix
- emotions. aNow is the time when
oA looks most like his work"
MIR. IsBERT IN HIS wIFE's GOWN.