What shall I do? I will dare, as long as the picture is damaged
and past restoration, to wash it off entirely."
The mother then took a big sponge and deliberately began to wash the
painting. A hand, an arm, an angel's form appeared to view, such as only
the greatest master could portray. Though the mother hated to destroy
the work of her beloved husband, yet she worked assiduously to remove
all the water-colors, and lo! a painting of extraordinary beauty and
genius met her admiring gaze.
It was a historical picture of ancient times The figures stood forth in
living beauty and seemed to speak from out the canvas.
"If I see rightly," said the mother, "this is a painting by an old
master. On a journey, which I once took with your departed father, I saw
many paintings by this same artist. But this painting, unless I am very
much mistaken, is classed among his best productions. It is one of the
finest in art. Nothing in this picture is without purpose and shows the
stroke of a genius.
"I must seek advice from Mr. Raymond--an old, true friend of your dear
father. He is a connoisseur on works of art." So she hurriedly donned
her cape and hastened to his house.
The venerable gentleman was only too glad to welcome her to his home. He
had scarcely looked at the picture, when he cried in astonishment: "Yes,
truly, this painting is by one of the earliest Italian masters. It is
exquisite and sublime. And now it dawns on me how this beautiful work
came to be hidden by the brush of another artist.
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