The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1885-05-15

After this he cln:e in every day for
a moment to see her, bat always bade
her not TO como to HIM until his picture
was flashed; for nothing must now
disturb him from his work.
He daily grew pale and thin, and
his wild, dark eyes burned with a
strange fire His altered appearance
was noticed by the vill'gers; and,
coupled with his strange actions, led
them, with their usual superstitious
fears, to the belief that he held co.a-
municatIon. wi evi! spirits, All
avoided him as much as pcssi Bile; and
one mere bold than the rest further
confirmed their suspi. i'ms by alleging
that one ni2ht-crouching un!er the
window. led by curiosity heard
cries and groans Issne from within.
Terrified almost out OF his senses, he
hurried away as fast as his tremD bling
limbs could carry him, ami after that
on no consideration would near the
place again.
Poor Paul Laroni was missing, to;
and Jacques, fearing he might have
wandered away la the forest and lost
his path, offered liberal reward to
any one who would bring him back.
He himself could not lose the time
from his picture to join in the search;
but a party, headed by Hermann
Desseldorf, secured the adjacent for
est and even dragged the river, but
found no trace save one Of the boys
silk handkerchiefs, which they found
near the river bank. Public opinion
was that the boy had been drowned,
and the body borne away with the
current toward the sea-.
Bertha. in her anxiety for her lover,
watched his studio window hour by
hour, hoping TO catch, now and then,
a 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 window the whole night through.
and, fearing that he might be IL, she
ventlred to disobcy his command;
and, entering the house softly, she
crept to his studio door. She heard
him moving about within, and thus,
being assured of his safety, she sat
down by the door to wait until he
should come out.
Suddenly low wall, full of human
agony, smOte her ear, and, struck
with terror, she remained for a mo-
ment me tionless; then Immediately
following it she heard Il wild laugh
and the voice Of Jacques, exciaiming:
THE very expression! Oh! fe
more such and my work will be COM
pIete!
Cautiously she lifted herself to her
knees and peered through the key
hole. A moment thus, then, with a
piercing shrek, she fell back inseDsi
bic.
Jat ques came hastily out, terror
impressed on his countenance, and,
locking the door behind him, bore her
home and laid her on her couch.
Tenderly he watched over her until
she opened her eyes; but never again
was she conscious.
In her wild delirium she rayed Of
the days of her childhood-of beauti-
ful flowers and FLASHING riyulets; but
aught of Jacques mingled not with
lncoherent murmurings.
On the tenth day she died; and the
same night came the news of Jacques
Lambert's triumph. Truly, it was a
wonderful picture, and filled all who
beheld it with awe and admiration.
1t was the "Savior on the Cross. p"
Blood was streaming from His side.
His hands and feet. were fearfully
lacerated by the cruel nails, aud His
eyes were turned toward heaven with
such a look of patient suffering and
agonized meekness that they drew
tears from the eyes of all beholders.
The llfeless canvass seemed a living,
breathing reality, and, with stained
vision, the gazer involuntary listened
for the poor, parched tongue to repeat,
''Father, forgive them; fer they know
not what they do"
Ono singularity, however, to the
inhabitants of bort was that the coun-
tenance seemed familiar, though at
first no one could tell when or where
they had seen one lilleit Soon a sug.
gestion arose and was whispered from
ear to ear, causing the greatest excite
mcnt among the usually quiet villagers
A mob was formed and marched tt
the house Of the artist; the doors were
burst open, the apartment carefully
searched, and what was their horror
en- breaking open a closet connected
with his studio, to behold the stlffeued
corpse of the idiot boy fall therefrom
Fearful to tell, he had literally been
crucifed! He was found nailed to 2
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