The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-06-23

but no one else lived In the building
I'VE were there quite alone. l forget
exactly where it was, but 1t was out
side the city, Oh the edge of the Cam
pagna. We had q small room where
he painted, with part of it divided by
a curtain where we slept. At the foot
of the short stone stair leading up to
this apartment from the outer door,
another stone stair led down to a sort
of vault cr crypt, lighted up by a
barred window. At the end Of this
were the remains of a little shrine,
with a dilapidated figure of the Vir-
a stone bench. 1t was what he called
a picturesque bit, and he made a study
of it.
About TIT tIme-it was Christmas
! - notorious brigand chief had been
ca ptured. and was brought to Rome,
secured hand and foot, amidst tremen-
dous excitement 1t gave my husband
an idea for a subject: The Wounded
Brigand in Hiding He depicted the
a lying with head bound up, etc,
in this crypt, with the wife kneeling
before the shrine with up-stretched
arms and clasped hands in the attitude
of supplication. The background was
oil there "a mi. hand without stirring
out of doors, and /. of course, had to
sit or kneel as the praying wife. With
out exception it vas the most trying,
firing attitude | had ever assumed.
NV knees and back lost all sensation,
and the uplifted arms simply seemed to
60 dead after half an hour. Why
didn't ! rest? you will ask. Be-
cause daren't till he gave me leave.
The crosses OF our fortunes had turned
lin into a regular savage. and he was
at his worst while painting this pic
ture- For hours he kept me kneeling
there day after day. Once I grew
faint, but luckily Just then he said:
.fr' ran rest So he didn't know it.
Another time when my hands and arms
were all pins and needles. | pleaded
for a pause. He refused il. went
on Then | couldn't help saying a
little. He .~"rr ct me. steadied
'nNsHit. At last, without any warning
"r will of mine. my arms dropped on
my lap. and fell forward, my chin on
the altar. With a big oath he rose
furious.
you've ruined nv work, Won
devil he cried, just at a most critical
point. when | was finishing your left
hand. Up again instantly or I'll be
the death of you. and he roughly
placed me in the old attitude.
Ten minutes later the same thing
happened. couldn't help it. Again
he rose. and this time he struck me
violently across the back and shoulders
with his mahl stick, which was no
first time he'd ever struck me-badly as
he'd behaved. and it was the last. l
loved him after that. No. kind
heaven never gave me the chance, for |
the blow | did faint. and when |
recovered | was lying where | fell. lie
had not even lifted me from the
ground. No. but he had stretched
himself at full length upon the stone
and was sound asleep.
Escape was my first thought-re-
the secondhand as | stood up.
the second overwhelmed the first.
.oiselessly Icrept to where lay, amidst
studio properties. the brigand's
poignard. Often | had dreamt of this.
and had seen it glitter in my hand. but
N the dreams opportunity was van
.ng. Now. both were realities. I would
Use them mcrcilessly. Night was com
ng on 1could escape under its cover.
to fly. or how to live after
| gave these things no thought
IS | stood with the weapon raised
his naked throat. Did lack
courage? No. sincerely no. What. then,
made me suddenly pause and listen?
Yes, faint and distant on
he road. running near our abode.
Alone. they would not have deferred
ne. but above them rose upon the still
less a chant-a chant from some re-
procession. pilgrims probably,
towards the city To do homage
t the shrine of the Holy Bambino in