painter's appeared to be
engaged on the work. It was a marvel past their simple comprehension;
but the mother, confirmed in her first belief, resolved to watch, and
try if it might be permitted to her living eyes to gaze upon the child
whom the grave had shut from her sight. With this hope she concealed
herself, without Richard's knowledge, in a large closet in his
bed-room--placing the door ajar that she might see all that passed in
the chamber. Her watch was of no long duration; suddenly her sleeping
son rose from his couch, lighted his candle, approached his easel, and
began to work at the portrait! Much amazed and half angry at the
deception she believed he had practiced on her, Mrs. Monckton issued
from her hiding-place, and spoke to him. He made her no answer; she
stood before him--he saw her not; he was fast asleep! It was indeed a
spirit's painting; for love had in this instance burst the bands of
matter, and the somnambulist had achieved a work of art that surpassed
all the efforts of his waking hours.

The story of the sleep-painting got abroad, and reached the ears of a
gentleman of large fortune, who resided in the neighborhood. He called
on the young artist; was pleased with his manners; and proposed engaging
him as traveling companion to his own son, a youth about to visit Italy
with his tutor; proffering a salary that would enable him to cultivate
his genius for painting in the land of its birth, and of its perfect
maturity. The offer was eagerly and thankfully accepted, and old
Monckton made no opposition to his son's wish: he was only too thankful
to be relieved from the burden of supporting him. Indeed the miser was
somewhat changed since Ernest's death; not that he expressed in words
any remorse for having preferred his gold to the life of his fair young
son; but from that time he never touched the organ--the spirit of music
appeared to have died with Ernest; and he often visibly shrank from
meeting the silent reproach of Richard's eyes. The neighbors also
shunned him; they had loved poor Ernest, and the conduct of his father
toward him--the fact of his refusing to pay the physician who had
attended him, "because he never sent for him"--and the mean, pauper-like
funeral which he had grudgingly bestowed on the dead--revolted and
disgusted them. A mean funeral was one of the offenses the people of
K---- never forgave! The old man probably detected something of their
feelings in their manners, for he gr