The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1914-02-06
A BANDIT
ARTIST
By EDWN v. KIMBALL

able for their gentlemanly manners
and courteous treatment of their vic
Tins. made bold to enter the city of
Florence with a view to trying his
hand at burglary. Having gained &C
cess to a palaZZo, or palace, name
given to any fine house, and finding
himself in an apartment which on &C
count Of the darkness he could see lit
tie or nothing of, he struck match
and lighted the gas.
The furniture was handsome. giving
the room an air Of comfort and refine
ment. There were mirrors, curtains.
diVanS and other articles, all OF costly
material But Giovanni especially AID
mired the paintings and statuary He
had descended from a line Of artists,
and the artistic instinct was very
strong in him. Having admired the
pictures OH the walls and the statues
on their pedestals, his notice fell upon
Il portrait of a young and beautiful
lady resting OH an easel. 1t was not
framed and was evidently not finished
That it was III process of production
was evident from the fact that Il box
of paints and brushes and Il palette
were on table beside it. while maui
stick rested against the easel.
Giovanni stood for some time look
ing ut the portrait. The face was one
of perfect innocence, while Il smile
was spread over it, being most eXqui
site Oh the lips between pair Of dim
pies. Whether it was the contrast be
tween this purity and the bandits own
wickednesS no one, 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
pick up a relic of the days of the i'm
perial Caesars nor in Florence when he
will hit OH an artist Giovanni sat down
before the easel, took up brush. palette
and maulstick and began to work on
the picture, little more than the draw
ing of which had been made. The
night wore on, and still he painted,
while under his brush that which was
merely drawing became Il painting
in 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
or 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 filling 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 | think / can make the
features you mention more like the
original"
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 ac
counted for from the fact that she
had been out to ball and had hap
pened to wear the costume in which
she had been drawn. This made the
work much easier for Giovanni though
his attention was principally bestowed
upon the face.
Time flew 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 well on came from his
bedroom and opened the door of the
chamber where the two were. 1t hap
tIo+ hn
Giovanni was too much absorbed in
his work to notice him.
The prince recognized the leader of
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 once
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
dream.
Father said the girl, ''what means
this Interruptions
''My child, what means this portrait
painting at such an hour"'
'This gentleman is painting my por'
trait as it should be painted. See
what he has DONE
do you know who this gentleman
is?"
mo. nor do | care
HE is the bandit who recently sent
you word that if you didn't send him
$4,000 francs he would send you my
ears
''That may be- said the girl after
slight shock. ''but he has earned the
money No other artist could have
produced such a work as this
Giovanni sat covered by the muskets