Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-05
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Midas Touch.
IOriginal.l


A stranger stopped oneAevenfng at an
inn in an italian hamlet. girl in the
picturesque costume of the country was
setting the table for supper.
us that your daughter?"' asked the
stranger Of the,landlord.
"Yes. signOr Marina is my child,
and a good child she is. Never has she
given me the slightest trouble. Every
body lovesiher."
"She hasa sad look"
''That isibecause she has come to the
marriageable age and 1 have no dot to
give her. She loves young man, Gull
emo Luigi, sheep tender, but he is
very poor; besides. he is Il dreamer, or
he fancies art, which is the same thing.
Instead of watching the sheep he
spends his time sketching them. Last
week he lost three sheep and was dis
charged on Saturday. 1t is this just
now that makes Marina sad"
'Is that one of his sketches-that
ram hanging ON the WALTZ"
Yes. signor-'
The supper was brought in by the
| little maid. who stood opposite the
stranger while he ate. waiting for his
| orders with her hands demurely folded
and a PARKWAY look In her eyes
Shortly after supper Guliemo was
sent for. When the table was cleared
the young fellow came in. wondering. as
did Marina and the landlord, what was
wanted of him. The stranger went to
| the wall and took down the picture of
the ram.
This RAM" he said, as out of draw
ing. The foreshortening is bad. but Of
course foreshortening is very difficult.
Let me show you how 1t should be
done"
Taking a pencil he resketched the
animal on the back of the paper, max
ing the outline of a cliff before 1t.
"Ah, signor, 1t will step off the cliff
said Guliemo, delighted with the life
that had been infused into the drawing
Bring me your colors. Now you
and Marina stand off there. You
Guliemo. fold your arms and turn
away from her as If in anger. You
Marina, drop to your knees: place one
hand on his; now try to think that he
is about to leave you, believing that
you have deceived him, while you are
innocent"
The lovers did as the stranger had
bid them. For half an hour he kept
them in the same position, then lei
them rest and posed them again
When he had finished, he showed them
the picture They both threw up theil
hands with delight. The little figure
of Guliemo had served as a fine mode
for an injured lover; Marina for an in
jure6 innocence, their costumes enrich
ing the sketch.
"Ah. signor." said Guliemo, "if
could but do that"
"You may not do it in figures, fol-
your talent lies in animals. You are
rather a Landseer than a Bouguereau
Nevertheless you will one day be 9
great painter"
"How can that be when cannot be
instructed"
Genius finds a way. think you
will break through the surrounding dis
advantages and rest upon its proper
level"
The next morning the stranger tool
his departure, and, before doing so
sent the picture, placing first his name
on the corner, to an art dealer in Paris
to be sold.
ST go to Florence" he said to thu
landlord. "In a few weeks l will re
turn this way and will stop with yoI
, again. Keep any mail that comes fol
, me till them
One morning month later the stran
ger reappeared at the inn and was re
ceived by the landlord and Marina.
"a letter for you," said the landlord.
The stranger took the letter, openeC
it, glanced at rectangular bit of pa
per it contained and put it In hui
pocket.
"where is GuliemoT he asked.
"Ah, signor, since you were here III
has not found another situation. HI
is starving"
"Send for him. want to see him."
"NIarina, whose interest in the stran
ger from the very moment he reap
, peared shone in her soft Italian eyes
} ran off for GuIiemo, while the land
lord went inside and returned with I
bottle Of wine which he set before hi
7 guest. Then Guliemo and Marin;
: came, the youth looking hungrily a
the man who had told him he was ,
genius.
: "GuIiemo," said the stranger, "hov
: would you like to go with me to Pari
( to study art?"
5 sob signorg' exclaimed the youth