Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-12-22
MISCELLANY.
THE MYSTERIOUS PICTURE.

Il The following remarkable story,
which proves how the spirit can act with
out the senses, is said by the author to
be strictly true.
II Madame Dorival was the widow of a
distinguished French officer, who had
died in the service of his country. Be-
ing anxious to secure an independence
for her children in case of her death,
she was induced to open boarding
school in the vicinity of Paris. The as
sistance of her two highly accomplished
daug ghters, Suc!la and Julia, made the
employment Of female teachers unncces-
sary; but she engaged the best masters
for music, dancing, drawing, and paint
ing, and the most fashionable foreign
languages. Her establishment was con-
Quoted on most liberal scale, and each
of the young ladies had separate apart
ment. Among these young ladies', was
Josephine Nericour, who took lessons
in miniature painting, with the view of
exercising that branch of the art as a
profession; the circumstances other fami-
ly being such that it was necessary to
educate her, in the prospect of turning
her talents to profitable account.
Her Imagination being deeply impress
sed with this object, she thought of it
nearly all the day, and dreamed of it
at night. That she had much natural
talent for drawing was unquestlonablc; ;
but she was only fifteen, she was not a
prodigy, and in every thing she produc-
ed there was a due portion of defects
With an ardent ambition to excel, jose
phine was the victim of a painful and un-
conquerable timidity, and an entire want
Of confidence in herself The remarks
of the gentleman who instructed her,
though very ludicious, were often so Sc
we're, that she was frequently tempted 70
throw away her pencil; and she never
painted worse than under the eye of her
master
One morning in the garden she was
struck with the graceful and picturesque
attitude in which two Of her companions
had unc unconscientiously thrownthcmselves
One Of them, having put her arm round
the waist of the other, was pointing out
to her notice beautiful butterfly that
had Just settled on rose. Josephine
begged of the girls to remain in that po-
sition while she sketched them OH a
blank leaf of a book. Afterwards she
made separate drawing of each of their
faces, and then transferred the whole to
large sheet of ivory, intended to make
picture of it in the miniature style. But
she determined to work at it in her own
chamber, at leisure hours, and not to
allow it to be seen till it was entirely
finished. In six weeks there was to be
private examination, at which premi-
ums were to be awarded to those who
excelled in the different branches taught
at Madame Doriva's school. Seven of
the young ladies were taking lessons in
miniature painting, all of whom, in the
eyes of the dihidcnt Josephine possessed
far more talent than herself. Still she
knew that industry, application, and an
ardent desire to excel, had often effected
wonders; and she was extremely anx-
ious to CRAFTY her parents by obtaining
the prize, if possible.
In the retirement of her own room she
painted with unrcmitting solitude, but, as
she thought, with very indifferent sue
cess; and one afternoon, more dlssatls-
fed than usual with the result OF her
work, she hastily took the ivory from her
colour box, which she consigned to Its
usual place in the drawer OF her table
Next morning, what was the surprise
of lose phine, to find herpicture standing
against the easel on the table, and much
farther advanced than when she had
quilted it the preceding day, and the
faults which had then discouraged her
entirely rectifcd. She tried to recol-
lect if she had really put away the pic
ture, and her memory recalled every
circumstance of shutting it up in her the
drawer. But she had no recollection OF
having previously corrected any OF the
errors; indeed she knew that she had not; /;
and the only way III which she could at
tempt to solve the my stcry was to suppose
that some one, with the intention OF ex-
citing laugh at her expense, had come
into the room during the night ana re-
touched it.
II She mentioned it to no one; but the
next night, to guard against recur-
renee OF the same trick, she arranged
every thing in the ncatest order, locked
up her picture in the secret drawer at
/ the bottom other colour box, and placed
it under her bolster.
But her astonishmcnt was redoubled,
when awaking at an early hour next
morning, she put her hand under the boil
ster for her box, and found II gone! She
ran to the table, and there saw the box
lying beside the picture, which, as be,
fore, was leaning against the easel, and