Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-04-01
By Carroll II. PIERCE

went 10 Florence, Italy.
! rented rooms of n widow and her
daughter, OF the name of Micele. They
occupied the top floor of building ON
the river Arno. used front room
for n studio and rear room for bed
room. The mother was n middle aged
woman. the daughter about twenty
five. Their ancestors had been well
or. but their estate had melted away,
and Sonora Micele and her daughter
got OH with difficulty. Blanca. the
daughter. was an artist but ar indif
fercnt one.
Nevertheless there was something
remarkable about Blanca Micele She
was neither pretty MOI homely. The
eyes of the Italians are handsome, but
Scnorina Micelc's eyes were more than
handsome; they were. so TO speak.
compelling. That is. when she looked
out of them ut me ! felt strange
force compelling me TO do her bidding.
Not that there was apparent exercise
Of will She was gcntcness itself. The
power she exercised was rather per-
suasive than forceful.
Not long after arrived in Florence
I fell Ill and did not leave my bed for
weeks. Sonora Micele and her daugh-
ter both nursed me.
A portion of the time was in either
stupor or delirium. don't know
which. At such times was very
weak and on coming TO myself usually
felt ms IL had been doing exhaustive
work. though had been in my bed
all the while. where 1t would not have
been possible for me TO do any work
even II had been mentally capable.
My illness occurred during the win
ter, and when the spring came on and
the weather began to warm up Sonora
Micele used to put me in an easy chair
and wheel me out on to one of those
little balconies common In Florence
houses. We were on the Arno en-
bankment (thc Lung Arno. they call 1t
there). In sight of the green hills that
surround the city. Indeed. from my
balcony | could see some six or seven
miles distant the heights on which
Fiosole. the original Florentine settle
ment. was made During three more
months ! spent much of the day on
this balcony In fancy painting pictures
OF the scenes spread out before me.
One OF these was the undulating plain
beyond the city's edge and the heights
OF Tiosole beyond the plain. There is
big clock tower at Fiosole which IL
seemed to me would make an attrac-
tive feature In my imaginary picture.
and | spent hours working II In. An
other view dreamed of was the Arno.
directly beneath me. winding under
Its arched bridges toward the south,
greencr hills There is something in
the atmosphere of Italy TO intensity
the color of landscape, and on such
days | delighted in the imaginative
painting could not do in reality.
But | always noticed that such days
instead of giving me strength drew
upon what had.
Fortunately ! recovered before the
hot weather set in and after convalesc-
ing In the invigorating climate of the
Swiss Alps went to Paris. where re-
manned some time
Strolling one day down one of the
Partisan boulevards. | stepped into
picture shop. The dealer. fancylng 10
make customer of me- advanced and
questioned me MS to what | was look
ing for. II occurred to me To ask for
one OF my own pictures, not that cX-
pected 10 find one. but that TO ask for
the work of any special artist would
make II appear that was not looking
at his wares with no intention Of buy
ing.
Have you anything of Adrian
Giles?" asked.
"Giles. the American"
ayes"
Certainly. | have very remark
able piece of his work. Come this
way"
lie leu me to one Oh MS ulNpiuN
rooms and up 10 picture that had
evidently been hung with considers
BILE care. The subject was certainly
familiar TO me, for II was the plain
had overlooked AT Florence with the
hills and Fiosolc In the distance. And
as I stood looking at II | recognized
not only the identical scene | had
painted In my day dreams. but my in
dIvidual style Quickly bending to the
lower left hand corner, a cap was put
upon my astonishment by seeing my
own name.
caught with both hands ~ the rail
that extended around the room to
guard the pictures Here was Il view
! had no remembrance Of presenting.
but which l must have painted. IL
was some time before | recovered suf-
ficient equanimlty TO further examine
the painting. but when did so | saw
at once that for the first time IN my
life had portrayed scene exactly
as | saw H. What | mean Is that II