The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-04

Ing to bed, you shall keep watch; and if by
tomorrow you do not discover who the
culprit is you shall have twenty-five
strokes from the lash. You hear-I have
said 1t; now go and grind the colors; and
you, gentlemen, to work"
From the commencement till the termi-
nation of the hour of instruction Murillo
was too much absorbed with his pencil to
allow word to be spoken but what re-
garded their occupation, but Che moment
he disappeared the pupils made ample
amends for this restraint, and as the un.
known painter occupied all their thoughts
the conversation naturally turned to that
subject
Beware, Sebastian, of the LASH" said
Mendez, land watch for the culprit, but
give me the Naples yellow"
You do not need it, Senior Mendez.
You have made it yellow enough already.
And as to the culprit, have already told
you that it is the Zombi"
Are these negroes fools or asses with
their Zombi?" said Gonzalo, laughing.
'Pray, what is Zombi
"Oh, an imaginary being, of course But
take care, Senior Gonzalo," continued Sc
bastian, with a mischievous glance at his
easel, ''for it must be the Zombi who has
stretched the left arm of your st. John to
such a length that, if the right resembles
it, he will be able to unite his shoestrings
without STOPPING"
do you know, gentlemen" said Isturitz,
as he glanced at the painting, that the re-
marks of Sebastian are extremely just, and
much to the point2"
"Oh, they say that negroes have the face
| Of an ape and the tongue of a parrot" re-
| joined Gonzalo, in tone of indifference
with this distinction" observed Ferdi
/ nand, that the parrot repeats by rote,
/ while Sebastian has judgment in his re-
marks"
Like the parrot, by chance" returned
| Gonzalo.
"Who knows" said Mendez, who had
not digested the Naples yellow, that from
| grinding the colors he may one day aston
ish US by showing he knows one from an
other!"
''To know one color from another and to
know how to use them are two very diff
ferent things" replied Sebastian, whom
the liberty of the studio allowed to join in
the conversation of the pupils; and the
truth obliges us to confess that his taste
was so exquisite, his eye so correct, that
many of them did not disdain to follow the
advice he frequently gave them respecting
their paintings. Although they sometimes
amused themselves by teasing the little
mulatto, he was great favorite with them
all; and this evening, on quitting the
stTdio each giving him friendly tap on
the shoulder counseled him to keep a strict
watch and catch the Zombi for fear of the
lash.
1t was night, and the studio of Murillo,
the most celebrated painter in Seville-this
studio which during the day was SO cheer
sui and animated-was now silent as the
grave. A single lamp burned upon mar
bic table, and young boy, whose sable
hue harmonized with the surrounding
darkness, but whose eyes sparkled like
diamonds at midnight, leaned against an
easel Immovable and still, he was SO
deeply absorbed in his meditations that
the door of the studio was opened by one
who several times called him by name, and
who, on receiving no answer, approached
and touched him. Sebastian raised his
eyes, which rested on tall and handsome
negro.
"Why do you come here, fatherf" said
he in melancholy tone.
"To keep you company, Sebastian"
There is no need, father; l can watch
alone"
"But what if the Zombi should Gomez"
81 do not fear him." replied the boy,
with a pensive smile.
''He may carry you away, my son, and
then the poor negro Gomez will have no
one to console him in his slavery"
"Oh, how sad-how dreadful it is to be a
slavel' exclaimed the boy, weeping bit
terly
st is the will of God" replied the negro,
with an air of resignation.
"Godr calculated Sebastian. as he raised
his eyes to the dome of the studio, through
which the stars glittered. God l pray
constantly to him, my father (and he will
one day listen to mel, that we may no
longer be slaves; but go to bed, father, go,
go, and l shall go TO mine there in that
corner, and 1 shall soon fall asleep. Good
night, father; good night"
Are you really not afraid of the Zombi,
SebastianG"
My father, that is a superstition of our
country Father Eugenio has assured me
that God does not permit supernatural be-
ings to appear on earth"
'Why, then, when the pupils asked you
who sketched the figures they find here
every morning, did you say it was the
Zombi?"
Ito amuse myself, father, and to make
them laugh; that was ALL"
Then good night, my SON." And hav-
ing kissed the boy the negro retired.
The moment Sebastian found himself
alone he uttered an exclamation of JOY.
Then, suddenly checking himself, he said: !
TWENTY-FIVE lashes tomorrow if do not
tell who sketched these figures, and per-
haps more if l do. Oh, my God, come to
my aidP' And the little mulatto threw |
himself upon the mat which served him for |
a bed, where he soon fell fast asleep.
Sebastian awoke at daybreak; it was |
only o'clock; any other boy would prob |
ably have gone to sleep again. Not SO |
Sebastian, who had but three hours he |
could call his own.
Courage, courage, Sebastian he ex- |
claimed, as he shook himself awake; three |
hours are thine-only three hours! Then |
profit by them, the rest belong to thy mas
ter. slave Let me at least be my own mas
ter for three short hours, To begin, these |
figures must be effaced" And Selling a |
brush be approached the Virgin, which, !
viewed by the soft light of the morning |
dawn. appeared more beautiful than ever.
"Effsce thisf' he exclaimed. ''Eface this!
No. will die first! Efface this-they dare
notl Neither dare I. No-that head-she |
breathes-she speaks-it seems as II her
blood would flow ii | should offer 10 efface |
it, and that l should be her murderer. No,
no, no: rather let me finish it"
Scarcely had he uttered these words
when, seiziug palette, be seated himself |
at the easel and was soon totally absorbed
at his occupation. Hour after hour passed
by Sebastian, who was too much
enyrossed by the beautiful creation of his