Book Description

An old woman lived near a village in the Alps. One day she appeared with a small child who, she said was her grandson. Some time later, little Angelo was awakened by smoke in their cottage and ran to the village for help, but the cottage was destroyed and the woman killed. Angelo was taken in by a woman in the village, but her husband gave him to a cruel woodcutter. Angelo ran away fearing he would be beaten after losing an axe, and was found by a local Curé. The Curé sheltered Angelo and discovered he had a fine talent for painting. He sent Angelo to Rome, where the boy was trained in an artist's studio. When the artist died, he left Angelo much of his estate, and Angelo was a wealthy man, but remained kind and generous. Then a plague entered the city. Angelo spent his days looking for children orphaned by the disease and found a way to shelter them. When, at last, the plague ran its course, Angelo collapsed and died.