The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-03-06

his wild, dark eyes burned with Il
strange fire. His altered appear
ance was noticed by the villagers,
and, coupled with his strange act
ions, led them, with. their usual
Superstitions fears. TO the belief
that he held communications with
evil spirits. al avoided him as
much as possible, and one more
bold than the rest further confirm
ed their suspicious by alleging that
one night, cronching under the
window, led by curiosity, he heard
cries and gr0ans issue from within.
Terrified almost out Of his senses,
he hurried away as fast as his trem-
bling limbs conld carry lin, but,
after that, on..ssnO.t consideration
would he go near the placeagain.
Poor Paul Laroni was missing,
too, and Jacques, fearing he might
have wandered away in the forest
and lost his path, offered liberal
reward to any one WHO would bring
him back. He himself could not
loose the time from his picture TO
iUin the search, but party headed
by Hermann Dcsseldorf, secured
the adjdceat forest, aud even drag
ged the river but found no trace
save one of the boys SILK handker
chiefs, which they found near the
river bank. Public opinion WAS
that the boy had been drowned and
the body borne away by the cur
rent toward the sea.
Bertha, in3 her anxiety for her
lover, watched his studio window
hour by hour, hoping to catch, now
aud then, glimpse of him at his
work but to no avail. Finally,
one day he omitted his usual visit
to her; the light burned in his win.
dow the whole night through, and
fearing that he might be i'll, she
vrmlured TO diSObry his command ;
and, entering the house softly, she
crert to the studio door. She
heard him moving about within,
aud thus, being assured of his safe
ty, she isat down by the door to
wait until he should come ont.
Suddenly ii low vail, full of hut
man agony, smOte her ear, aaa,
struck with terror, she remained
for moment motionless; then i'm
mcdialely following il she heard "A
Wild laugh and the voice of jacques,
cNclaiming:
The very expression Oh! a
few more such and my work will be
complete !"
Cautiously she lifted herself to
her knees and peered through the
krYholr. a moment thus, ther.
viii II piercing shrek, she Tell
u elk inSensiblr.
jacques came hastily out. terror
impressed on his countenance, aud,
locking The door behind him, bore
her to her home and laid her Oh
her couch Tcndeiiy he watched
over until ste opened her eyes, but
never again was she conscious.
In her wild delirium she raved
OF tue days of her chillhood-Ot
beautiIul flowers and plaShing riv-
ulrts; bat aught of Jacques min
glcd not with her iucOheleut mar
murlngs.
On the tenth Gay she died; and
the same night came the news of
Jacques LlmbeTt'S triumph. Tru-
~. it was u wonderful picture, and
filled all who beheld it with awe
and admiration.
It was the "Sav;or on the Cross"
Blood was streaming from His side,
His hands aud 1eet were fearfully
lacerated 10y the cruel nails, and
his eyes were turned towards heav-
en- With such a look of patient suf-
fering and agOnized meeknesS that
they drew tears from the eyes OF all
behOlders. The liieless canvas
seemed a living, breathing reality,
and. with strained vision the gazer
listened for the poor,
parched tongue to repeat: Father,
forgive them for they know not
what they do'
One singularity, however, to the
OF bort was that the /
couuteuance seemed familiar,
though at first 10 one could tell |
when or where they had seen one
like it. Soon suggestion arose |
and was whispered from ear to ear,
causing the greatest excitement |
among the usually quiet villagers. |
A mob was formed and marched |
TO the house of the artist the /
doors were burst open, The apart !
ments carefully searched, aud what |
was their horror, on breaking open |
a closet connected with his studio, /
to behold the stifiened corpse OF /
the IDIOT boy fall therefrOm Fear /
ful to tell. be bad literally been /
crncihedi he was found uailed to 1
a rude wooden cross, his cOunte- /
nance wearing the expression as
that OF tue beautifui picture.
No trace OF the ARTIST WAS 10 be 1
iOund. He had fed, and WAS never /
heard OF more. The indignant 4
20pulaee razed the house 10 the /
ground and set FIRE to the ruins.
The great picture was taken from
Cathedral, but after lOug years
was restored.
The good Hermann soOn followed 1
his daughter to the grave, aud this
legend Is now the only memorial Of 4
poor Paul Laroni's sad fate.