Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-03-11
SITTING FOR A DAGUERREOTYPE.

Some months ago, well'conditioned
farmer, from the interior of the State,
arrived in Philadelphia, and, after selling
his produce and making sundry purchases
recollected that he had promised, on
leaving home that he would bring back
his daguerreotype. 1t was all apiece
of nonsense, he had argued; but his ar
gument was of no avail, for wife and
daughter said that he must do as they
wished, and so he had yielded an easy
compliance. On inquiry, he was told
that Root was the man for him. SO. one
bright morning, he took his way down
Chestnut street to the gallery Of the far
farmed daguerreo,ypist. Mr.. Root was
at home, Of course, and ready to accom-
modate the farmer, who after looking at
sundry portraits, asked prices and ma
king his own remarks on all he saw, was.
invited to walk up into the operating
room. ta.f. rlsa ..sHr asa. Z.
"Wherel" inquired the farmer look
ing curious.
"Into the operating-room," replied
Mr.. Root, as he moved towards the
door. r~
The farmer was not yet sure that he
had heard correctly, but he did not like
to ask again, so he followed on; but it
sounded in his ears very much as if Mr..
Root had said Operating room, and
the only idea he had of Operations"
was the cutting off of legs and arms.
However, up stairs he went, with his dog
close behind him, and was soon introdu-
ced into a room in the third story. =
"Now, SIR" said Mr.. smiling,
as the farmer thought, little strangely
eve will see what we can do for you.
Take seat in that chair" te3 ~
The farmer sat down, feeling little
uneasy, for he did not much like the ap-
pearance of things. Besides Mr.. Root,
there was another man in the room, and
he felt that, if any unfair play were at
tempted, they would prove too much for
him. This idea, as it clearly presented
itself, seemed SO ridiculous that he tried
to thrust it away, but he could not
There was mysterious ticking in the
room, for which he could not account.
1t was like a sound Of clock, and yet
not like it. He glanced around, but
could not perceive the source from
whence it came. Al. one moment, it
seemed,fo betunderithe floor near his
feet, then in the ceiling. and next in q
far corner in the room.
As he took his place in the chair that
had been pointed out, Mr.. Root drew
singular-looking apparatus into the mid
die of the floor, and directed towards
him the muzzle ofwhat seemed small
brass cannon. At the same time, the
other man placed his hand upon his head
and drew it back into a iron clamp, the
cold touch of which made the blood III
his veins curdle to his very heart.
The farmer was man who both took
and read the newspapers, and through
these he had become acquainted with
many cases of mysterious disappear
ance.' Men with few hundred dol
lars in their pockets-such was then his
own case-had been inveigled among
robbers and murderers, and he might
now be in one of their dens of iniquity.
This fear once excited, every movement
of the two men, who were acting in con-
cert, but confirmed his suspicions.-
Their mysterious signs, their evident
preparation to act together at parti!c;;;
ular moment, all helped to excite still
further his alarm. 1t was moro than
human nature-at least, the farmers
human nature-could stand for, spring.
ing suddenly from the chair, he caught
up his hat, and, escaping from the room,
dashed down stairs as if q legion of evil
spirits were after him, to the no small
amusement of the two Operators"
who, though they lost customer, had q
good joke to laugh over for month.