Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-15
TIE DEVICE OF GIRALDO THE
PAINTER.
Anthony Hope.

copyright, 1897, by A H. Hawkins.1
When the twenty first birthday of
the Princess Osra approached, her
brother, King Rudolf, desiring to make
her present, summoned from his home
at Verona in Italy painter Of very
high fame, by name Giraldo, and COM
manded him to paint portrait Of the
princess, to be her brothers. gift to her.
This command Giraldo carried out, the
princess giving him every opportunity
of studying her features and grudging
no time that was spent by her in front
of his easel, and the picture, when fin.
ished, being pronounced to be as faith
full as beautiful, the reputation of Giral
do was greatly enhanced by the paint
ing of it. Thus it followed that in many
cases, when foreign princes had heard
the widespread praises of Osra's beauty,
they sent orders to Giraldo to execute
for them and dispatch with all speed
miniatures or other portraits of the
princess, that they might judge for
themselves whether she were in truth
as lovely as report said, and they sent
Giraldo large sums of money in recon-
pense, adding not seldom some further
donation in the express term and con-
dition that Giraldo should observe alb
solute fidelity in his representation and
not permit himself the least flattery,
for some desired themselves to court
her, and others intended their sons to
ask her hand, if the evidence of Giral-
dos portraits satisfied their hopes. Thus
Giraldo, although but two or three
years above 80, grew both in fame and
wealth and was very often indebted to
the princess for the favor of a visit to
his house that he might again correct
his memory Of her face.
Now, what several princes had done
before it CHANGED that the king of Glot-
tenberg also did, and Giraldo, to all
appearances much pleased, accepted the
command and prayed the princess to
visit him, for, he said, this picture was
to be larger and more elaborate than
the rest and therefore needed more
study of her So the princess went
many times, and the portrait destined
for the king of Glottenberg, who was
said to be seeking suitable alliance
for his eldest son, grew before her eyes
into the most perfect and beautiful pre-
sentiment of her which the skill of Gil
RADIO had ever accomplished, and sur
passed even that first picture which he
had painted by King Rudolf's COM
mand. And the king had no doubt that
so soon as the picture had reached the
court of Glottenberg an embassy would
come from there to demand the hand of
ciC Oh
posal which he would have received
with much pleasure and qualification.
81 do not think" said Osra, tossing
her head, "that any such embassy will
come, sire, for four or five pictures
have been already painted by Signor
Giraldo in like manner, but no embas-
sizes have come. 1t seems that my poor
features do not find approval in the
courts of Europe"
And her tone, it must be confessed,
was full of contempt, for the Princess
Osra knew that she was beautiful, as
indeed all beautiful ladies are, by the
benevolence of heaven, permitted to.
How much greater mischief might they
work if such knowledge were denied
theml
"That's true enough" cried Rudolf.
"And 1 do not understand the meaning
of it. But it will not be so at Glotten-
berg, for my good brother the king
has eyes in his head, and his son sees
no less we'll met them in my travels
and can speak of it. Most certainly an
embassy will come from Glottenberg
before we are month older. "
Yet, strange to say, the same thing
followed on the dispatch of the portrait
(Which Giraldo sent by certain trusty
messenger, whom he was accustomed tc
employ as had happened before. Nc
embassy came, and the king of Glotten'
berg excused himself from paying visit
to Strelsau which he and his son hao
promised on the invitation of King Ru
dolf. Therefore Rudolf was very vexecr
and Osra also, thinking herself scornedi
was sore at heart, although she bore
herself more proudly than before. And
being very greatly disturbed in hei
mind concerning her beauty, she wen
herself again to Giraldo and charged
him to paint her once more.
"And this picture" she said, sis fol
my own eyes and mine alone There
fore, signor, paint it faithfully ant
spare me not, for if a woman be ugly
it is we'll she should know it, and i
seems that nobody in the kingdom viii
tell me the truth, although / get hint
enough of it from abroad" And sh'
frowned and flushed and was greatly
out of temper. as any beautiful lady
would in such case most naturally be
Giraldo bowed very low, seeking t.
hide the sudden red that dyed his cheel
and to conceal the great joy which thu
command of the princess gave him, for
by reason OF having so ofJen painted He
princess, of having SO curiously studied
her face and of having spent so much