La Junta tribune., 1899-01-28
Bellini'. leading him on to saunser

Bellini's leading him on to saunter
further
Friend John, | have found what l
sought Little Zanze shall sit to me for
my angel. and will paint her in my pic
ture feeling for the note on her guitar TO
tune her music To the sorrow Of earth.
And |. /" said Beiiini, will paint her
In mine rapt In JOY when the sorrow of
earth has pissed away.
Carpaccio painted away at his - Presen-
tation," and little Zanze sat as his model,
holding her guitar upon her crossed knee
while with serious face she listened for
the note she sought to tune to the wall Of
sorrow For little Zinc always accom-
panied her. She carried him with diff
Guilty 10 the room over shop in the Mer-
ceria where the artist painted, and there
he lay on the tioor, while his little guard
inn WAS earning more AS Carpaccio's S model
than she had ever done as the street mu
sician of the steps. The artist gave her an
easy time and more food than she often
had at home, where old Monna Wanna,
who cleaned the house and cooked such
dinner there was to cook, did not min
lister much TO the luxuries Of the palate.
But MT last her sittings with Cnrwiccio
were finished, and John Bellini engaged
her for his angel Bellini had Kind,
motherly WIFE and Zanze liked sitting to
him much better than to Carpaccio- He
never said anything that she could not un
derstand, and Madonna Rosalia found n
whole set of new clothes for the poor idiotic
babv-a gift which won Zanze's heart for
ever But he did not find her quite ms
satisfactory u model as Carpaccio had done
He wanted her little face to be rapt In
praise. an ecstasy OF gratitude and moth
ing would make her look anything but
happy and smiling He brought her
sweets and wooden doll and new hood
and though her little face looked charm
ingly pretty. flushed with childish pleasure
and gratitude, 1t was not at all what he
desired
One day Carpacc,o came into his friend's s
studio and found Bellini less serene than
usual He had been trying again and
again to paint study OF ZAnze which
should express the rapture of praise he de
sired. and he could not get anything but
sweet, happy, contented child's face
Sweets or bits OF finery were gratefully
received with sparkling eyes and dimpling
checks but this was not what Beliini
wanted Carpaccio sat and watched the
painter and tho two children for some
time; then he said;
"Send Zanze away for today, Giovan-
nino. l have o thought how to obtain
what thou dcsirest.
Zanze was dismissed and bidden to come
again In the afternoon, while Madonna
Rosalin told her that she should keep
Zinc with herself in the interval
go and play. little one; the babe will
be well cared for. :" she said. and Zanze,
after moments hesitation, kissed the
kind womnn's hand and departed
When she arrived in the afternoon, to
her surprise Zinc was not forthcoming.
"Thou wilt not sec him for week, lit
tie oDe." said Bellini, smiling, but do
not cry Flo Is with some kind people.
who will see II they cannot make him
again like other children. Thou wouldst
like that, eh, Znnzes Thy father has con
sentcd. littls one II is all right.
1t was rnther more than a fortnight be-
fore Bellini wanted her again, and then
when she came in as usual she beheld
Master Carpaccio in the room also She
was about to pose with her guitar as she
always did to Bellini. when Carpaccio
said:
'.Znnze, come here
| Zanze came obedientiy and stood by his
side.
What wouldst thou do to the most
holy Madonna II she were to send buck
thy Zinc to thee well and bright, able to
laugh and to speak like other children of
| his agef
Zanze's cheeks grew red and her eyes
opened wide
'wouldst thou play her thy very best
tune on thy guitar, little one. thinking
about her all the timer
''Oh, signor. l would, l would But
| can she-will shef Monna Wanna said
that he would never be able to speak
again, not though he grew to be as big as
! the babbo himself. -
At that moment Madonna Rosalia, who
| had been waiting outside the door, came
In leading u little boy by the hand-a child
who looked frail and delicate still, but
who could walk and talk and smile again.
| Ono moment and he wns clasped in Zanze' a
arms more tightly than he quite approved
| of, while the devoted little sister laughed
and cried in breath and then knelt down
| in her impulsive southern wny to kiss Ma
donna Rosnlia's feet.
"Nuy, little one. not for me. have
! had nothing to do with IL, said the kind
woman. ''It Is Mnster Car
..It In the Snntissimn Madonna" j" said
| Carpaccio hurriedly, 'and she 1t is for
whom thou must play thy best tune on
the guitar Sit down. Now, then, hold
up thy guitar and raise thy eyes as Master
| Bellini bids"
May, rather. signor, 1t is the Almighty
| God himself, in whose hand are the issues
Of all human skill, " said a voice Zanze did
| not recognize. IL came from dark
skinned man who had followed Madonna
Rosalia into the studio and whose yellow
robe and pointed cap marked him out as q
Jew It was Master Aaron Ben Jehuda
the most learned physician In Venice,
| whom Carpaccio had called In tn see
whether anything could be done for little
Zinc, and w6b had performed upon hin,
the operation Of trephintng, which had
removed the pressure of an injured piece
Of the skull upon the brain.
But matters theological little affected
| Zanze's childish intelligence. She held up
her guitar and lifted her eyes above it In
the look Of solemn rapture which Bellini
| and his wife had 20 long vainIy tried to