The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-07
IT Is THE FACE.

1t was III hOH10 esIu st5 bnS SScSOA u o1o
year when the old world city is full OF
strangers from every part of the globe.
The rush of visitors made little differ
ence to Paul Rizeni, the wood carver, ex-
cept that it brought him now and again q
private order.
One day stranger passed the little
workshop and was attracted by large un-
finished panel that leaned against the side
Of the window, and CHANGING at the work
manship he noticed the worker within.
Paul lifted his head and met the gazer's
eyes, and the stranger smiled and hurried
on. But after that he passed the corner
constantly, and Paul got to look for his
honest, CHEEKY face and kind blue eyes.
He was an old man and English, every bit
Of him.
At last one day he knocked at the low
door, and Paul admitted him.
"Could you execute a little order for
me?'' he asked. 81 want to surprise my
little granddaughter with one of your
beautiful crucifxes.
Certainly" Paul answered. "It will
give me great pleasure, but I am very
busy, and you must allow me some time. -
81 want it for an Easter gift
Paul calculated. Eyes, think can
let you have it
''I am hindering you, fear,'' the old
man said, "but have peeped at your work
SO often through the window, and that
was Sc unsatisfactory. You are great
artistic
'Do you find me so?" he said in his for
eign way. ''That panel will sell for 4
francs, and shall get one. Great artists
are paid better than that, signorP'
"Why don't you demand just value?"
"Oh, why should 1 care? If they gave
me 1, 900 francs, it would be the same-I
should only work on and on. Aye, signor,
love my art Do you know the petal of
that rose took me one whole week to bring
to perfectioE?"
81 can imagine it. 1t is superb But I
like your faces best. Those angels on that
shield
"Ah, but they do not satisfy me. My
angels face I have not attempted yet, but
I have seen it. I go to benediction at St.
Mark S every night to watch it and carve
it on my soul, and one day 1 shall produce
it,
The old man took his departure. But
he came again and again, making each
time some excuse to speak about the CRU
cifx, and gradually he won Paul's conf
| dence. and the carver told him his story.
He belonged by birth to the old italian
aristccracy, but his boyhood had been
I passed in trcUblous times, and his family
had had to fly from the country. Gradu-
| ally he had worked his way back to his ma
tive Italy, the seat Of all art and beauty,
! and there he had settled down to his life s
dreams.
That night in St. Marks at benediction,
when he knelt gazing at his angels face,
/ a sudden warm glow stole through his
frame His angel had turned her face and
met his eyes, and she had flushed with
emotion, and he realized it was the lowell
| ness of living woman, no ethereal spirit
as he had almost grown to believe.
! His old friend wondered at his change
and at last Paul told him.
81 am in love, - he cried restlessly, "and
must-I will possess her
''But, my friend, l thought
eyes, that is true. only see her il
church. We have never spoken"
s'Most wonderful!'' the old man mutter
ed to himself as he walked home. "But
wish it hadn't happened II have beer
SO slow L ought to have brought him t.
see Ellean before. Now it is too late
All, and they were SO suited-both *
pure, so beautiful, so ideaLc!''
Grandpa" Ellean said to him on
evening-it was Easter eve-sitting at hi
feet in her white silk gown and resting he
beautiful arm across his knees, grandpa
I want to confess to you. I am in loveI'
''Eh? Eth? what's this?"
Nothing, dear, for it is nothingl I
is only face-a face that haunts me nigh
and ay-that-that--oh you cannot I'm
ders6and, but my soul goes out to tina
face
"a gentleman to see you, sir. I hav
asked him into the salon. A foreigner,
think, sir-Signore Ritz-Ritz''-
81 know. That will do. Excuse me
minute, my dear"
Paul was standing at his full heigh
gazing into the fire, and the red glow Ii
up his distinguished features, and the OLE
man. looking upon him, realized what
splendid man he was and ne wished Elleal
could have seen him thus.
Glow kind Of you to bring the crucifi-
yourself, my dear friend. [ see you hav
it,
With cry of wonder, delight and amaze
ment he seized it in his hands and touches
the angels face that stood out at the to-
of the cross.
self, he grasped the artists hand. II can
not thank you-it is all SO marvelous-bu
come with me. Let her thank you-you
angel you know
Paul followed the old man to Ellean'
room in d dream and stood at the thresh
old gazing at the girl, who came towar
them as if, after ALL she could not be yer
flesh and blood.
"EIlean, my child What is it?''
She was tottering toward her grandfa
ther. "That-thatl" she cried 1T
the face-the face I have loved so longl
London News.
Honest Times.
At one time in the highlands of Scot