The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-12-12
A BANDIT
ARTIST
By EDWIN v. B

One night Giovanni di Falco. n Of
those bandits who have from time to
time figured in Italian history. remark
able for their gentlemanly banners
and courteous treatment Of their VIC
Mms. made bold to enter the city of
Florence with q view to trying his
hand at burglary. Having gained &C.
CESS to a palazzo. or palace, a name
given to any fine house, and finding
himself in an apartment which on &C.
count Of the darkness he could see it,
te or nothing of. he struck a match
and lighted the gas.
The furniture was handsome, giving
Ne room an air of comfort and refine
Dent. There were mirrors, curtains.
1ivans and other articles, all of costly
material. But Giovanni especially ad.
nired the paintings and s%tatuary. He
had descended from a line Of artists.
and the artistic instinct was very
strong in him. Having admired the
Dictures on the walls and the statues
IN their pedestals. his notice fell upon
Z portrait Of a young and beautiful
lady resting on an easel. 1t was not
framed and was evidently not finished.
That it was in process Of production
was evident from the fact that q box
II paints and brushes and a palette
were on q table beside 1t. while a maui
stick rested against the easel.
Giovanni stood for some time look.
Ing at the portrait. The face was one
e perfect innocence. while a smile
was spread over it. being most exqui-
site on the lips between a pair Of dim
Pies. Whether 1t was the contrast be-
tween this purity and the bandits
W~ickedness no Re. Of course, knows,
but the picture appealed to him so
strongly that he forgot everything else.
In Rome one can't tell when he will
plck up a relic Of the days of the i'm
perial Caesars nor in Florence when he
will hit on an artist. Giovanni sat down
before the easel. tool up brush. palette
and maulstick and began to work or
the picture. little more than the draw
ing of which had been made. The
night wore ~, and still he painted.
while under his brush that which was
merely u drawing became u painting
n oils. Suddenly hearing the rustic
Of silk behind him. he looked around.
There stood the original Of the pic
ture. All other considerations in her
r in him were lost in it. She did not
seem to care who he was or how he
came there.
"You are doing splendidly." she said.
but in filing in the drawing you have
slightly changed certain features"
'"That, signorina. is because ! have not
had my model before me. If you will
pose before me l think l can make the
features you mention more like the
sriginal."
Passing to the other side Of the easel.
she assumed the position of the pic
ture. She was dressed almost exactly
as in the portrait. which was to be &C.
counted for from the fact that she
had been u to a ball and had hap
pened to wear the costume in which
abe had been drawn. This made the
work much easier for Giovanni. though
his attention was principally bestowed
up0n the face.
Time few for both of these persons.
the one absorbed in being reproduced
on canvas. the other as producer.
Prince Poelani. the owner Of the
palazzo and the father of the young
lady. being an early riser. when the
daylight was we'll on came from his
bedroom and opened the door Of the
o1ho IN oss ~x,horo thu tvuy0 vroNo r. hon.
pened that he faced the artist, though
Giovanni was too much absorbed in
his work to notice him.
The prince recognized the leader Of q
gang who not long before had captured
him while travelling between Florence
and Siena and held him till he had
been paid $4,000 francs ransom. What
his daughter was doing in this singular
position the prince. though surprised.
did not stop to consider. Seeing that
he was ~unobserved. he closed the door
softly. went downstairs and at n
sent out for the police. When they
arrived they entered the apartment
where the portrait was being painted
BY the two different doors leading into
It. one party led by the prince. Artist
and model both awOke as from a
dream.
Father" said the girl. what e
this interruption"
my child, what can this portrait
painting at such an hourT'
"This gentleman is painting my por-
trait as it should be painted. See
what he has DONE"
do you know who this gentleman
III"
mo, nor do l care"
He is the bandit who recently sent
you word that II you didn't send him
$1,000 francs he would send you my
cara"
'@That may be-" said the girl after a
slight shosk. but he has earned the
money. No other artist could have
produced such a work as this"
Giovanni sat covered by the muskets
g the police during this interview.