Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1907-04-06
ODD DISCOVERIES.
Homsnces Revealed I'm os>~s

"ftnds' OF Famous Old Paintings.
Few things inanimate are more
prone to adventure than pictures
Only the other day, while they were
cleaning an old church near Omegna,
Italy, six beautiful frescoes by Fer
rari were found under a thick coat
ing OF whltewash. How they came to
be blotted out 1t passeth the wit OF
man to say.
A Titan OF immense value, also, lay
hidden for nearly twenty years In n
small picture shop III the Latin quar-
ter Of Paris. An American customer
had the curiosity to examine the pic
ture carefully, and bought 1t for a
small sum. On being cleaned Its value
became apparent. and the lucky owner
sold It for $4,000.
In the early part Of the last cen
fury Holy Family" by Raphael, dis
appeared from the collection OF the Ro-
we're family. Many years after trav-
eler in Italy was surprised to see an
oil painting fitted Into a window In
place Of glass. The peasant who lived
In the house explained that the glass
had got broken, and. being too poor
to summon the glazier, he had patched
1t up with the picture. 1t was the
long lost Raphael.
A beautiful Rubens was discovered
lining the lid of an old travelling trunk
offered at a secondhand sale In Brus-
sells; the "Magdalene" OF Correggio
was found In a hayloft, frameless and
filthy; and another Raphael was dis
covered in the loft OF a Normandy
church by some visitors who went to
examine the roof.
An artist touring in Spain was
Obliged to put up at a very dlsreput-
able looking inn. Having supped, he
drew his chair toward the fire, and
soon fell into a doze. He awoke sud
denly. to find n man coming toward
him with a drawn knife. The artist
whipped out his pistol and fired al
random. The robber fed unframed
but the bullet cut the cord by which
an old painting hung, and the picture
fell with a crash. The innkeeper was
Indignant, and demanded compensa-
ton. The artist, having closely exam.
lned the painting, offered to buy II for
few shllllngs. The sale was made
and when he returned to civilization
the artist found his suspicious veri
fed. 1t was a velasquez, worth hun
dreds OF dollars.
Many years ago a couple of Oxford
undergraduates went to investigate q
ghost story. In the room which was
said to be haunted they found three
old pictures which the farmers wife
characterized as lumber" The ghosf
refused to be laid" and the under
graduates departed. They took witt
them the three old pictures which they
bought for a trihe After being clean
ed and restored, two Of them wer,
found to be Hobbemas, one Of which
changed hands for $1,000. The othel
turned out to be a Van Dyck, and wal
sold for $500.
But picture may have a romanti,
interest without being lost or stolen
An Indian prince, while visiting til,
Royal Academy, fell In love with tn,
picture OF a young girl. He called OF
the artist and offered him $1,000 70
the picture II he would give the nam,
Of his model The artist sent for tn,
lady, who was presented to the prince
The latter found her as beautiful n
her picture, and offered his hand an,
heart. The lady was "wlllln'."
1t is sad to destroy what might hav,
been pretty romance, but when tn,
lady's father found that she would b.
one OF several wives, he crushe,
Loves young dream and married hi
daughter to the artist.
A few years back an artist palnte,
the picture OF a flower girl for tn
academy. 1t was accepted. and hum
in Burlington House. Soon after tn
opening day distinguished an,
wealthy gentleman called on the art
list. He explained that he had de
serted his wife fifteen years before
and he was certain the original of III
flower girl picture was his daughter
from her likeness to his wife. And h
was right. He found his child sell
Ing flowers In Piccadllly Circus. He
mother had been dead several years
but she was able to satisfy any doubt
as to their relationship.