Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-12-20
1T is THE FACE.

Tho rush of visitors made little differ
ence to Paul Rizeni, the wood carver ex-
cept that it brought him now and again a
private order.
Ono day stranger passed the little
workshop and was attracted by large I'M
finished panel that leaned against the side
of the window, and glancing 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
meg' he asked. 81 want u surprise my
little granddaughter with onG of your
beautiful crucifxes"
Certainly" Paul answered. "It will
give me great pleasure, but 1 am very
busy, and you must allow me some time. -
81 want it for an Easter gift"
Paul calculated. eyes, 1 think 1 can
let you have it,"
81 am hindoring you, fear" the old
man said, but l have peeped at your work
so often through the window, and that
was SO unsatisfactory, You arc great
artistl'
"Do you find me SOP" 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 signor"
"Why don't you demand just valued"
ooh UNIV Chnlll1 | h,,
me 1000 francs, it would be the same-I
should only work on and ON. Aye, signor,
l love my art Do you know the petal of
that rose took me one whole week to bring
to perfection?"
81 can imagine it. 1t is superb! But 1
like your faces best. Those angels on that
SHELBY
"Ah, but they do not satisfy me. My
angels face have not attempted yet, but
have seen it. go to benediction at st.
Marks every night to watch it and carve
it on my soul, and One day l 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
cilix, and gradually he won Paul's conf
dence, and the carver told him his story.
He belonged by birth to the old Italian
aristocracy, but his boyhood had been
passed in trOublous 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 benediotion,
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, land
I must-I will possess her"
but, my friend, l thought
Eyes, that is true. l only see her in
church. We have never spoken"
Most wonderful" the old man muttcr-
ed to himself as he walked home. but !
wish it hadn't happened. II have been
so slow. ought to have brought him to
see Ellean before. Now it is too late.
All, and they were so suited-both so
pure, so beautiful so idealicu"
tGrandpa," Ellcan said to him one
evening-it was Easter eve-sitting at his
feet in her white silk gown and resting her
beautiful arm across his knees, "grandpa,
want to confess to you. am in love"
'Eh? Eth? What's this?"
Nothing, dear, for it is nothing! II
Is only u face-a face that haunts me night
and ay-that-that-oh you cannot un-
derstand, but my soul goes out to that
face
"a gentleman to sec you, sir I have
asked him into the salon. A foreigner,
think, sir-Signore Ritz-Ritz"-
81 know. That will do. Excuse me a
minute, my dear"
Paul was standing at his full height
gazing into the fire, and the red glow lit
up his distinguished features, and the old
man, looking upon him, realized what q
splendid man he was, and he wished Ellean
could have seen him thus.
GLOW kind of you to bring the crucilx
yourself, my dear friend. l see you have
it,"
With cry Of wonder, delight and amaze
ment he seized it in his hands and touched
the angels face that stood out at the top
of the cross.
at is Ellean!" Then, recovering him
self, he grasped the artists hand. Il can
not thank you-itis all so marvelous-but
come with me. Let her thank you-your
angel, you know. ="
Paul followed the old man to Ellean's
room in dream and stood at the thresh-
old gazing at the girl, who came toward
them as if, after ALL she could not be very
flesh and blood.
"Ellean, my child What is it,"
She was tottering toward her GRANDPA
Their. That-that!" she cried. 1T is
the face--the face have loved so Iongr'
London News.
Honest Times.
At one time in the highlands of Scot
land tn ask fpr rappipt on rrp,,,ic-sr,,