The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-01-13
THE MYSTERIOUS FACE.

\ chtld. vas "a oid.iashioned young boy; 40 OF
what f,shton really am, is Il bard to cont ctare
l have tried t. read Mr. rhackersy's works, but
do NOS think quite understand them, not being
literary, and feeling pusEied by sa,irtcal remarks
especially when know beforehand that the au-
thor IL 3 wit, and shst ought, therefore, 10 fod
. hid len meaning 10 every tine; yet from what l
haze been able to make ont, Isbou!d say that I
was t.,y. do not bsione to any club. though
nv means are comfor;abic-i live IN London, aud
ave often been asked whether shoad like 10
aoio the Polyniees or lrtaxerxss. Well, l shoutd
like; aad yet, roo eee, could never exactly make
M my MUD, because never have belonged to q
club. No, there 10 tavsn frequent, ~here the
oook 10 most ex celeut, and where dine daily At
the ssms minuse, 10 the sane o1rn.r. Oke that
c,-sses was usuvped-I tried TO dine at another
table II vain! vas un~el! the next day, and
hss 70 take medicine; but the waiter, Charles has
beea very careful ever since, And, believe, that
rather than allow me to be sol teeted again %
similar incon venience, the proprietor would feed
ascension Of beggsrs. gy Ifs, in that place. fr
the eusire afternoon, 10 keep IL for me, tust a.
pobiemcn with younger sons at college, present
octoganarisus to their iivines. Why must dine
IN that particular corner! Because always bsve
done co. That uninteligble remark about noble
10 sp's sons and IiviDgs 10 not mine. but my nephs
ew rom's-rcm whom have employed 70 write
out this account, from my dictatiou, insists on
putttn2 In his rem .rks, will "ionch up my
rsive q he Is It, aud do no qai'e like 1t; no
more do I like bis siapping me 80 hard on the
~
when have been standiug for some time " 18th n y
back 20 large ere; aud de not know Why
.A MD let him and everybody Play upon me, bat
I always have.
N ,ruiaz al ten O'clock, and read the newspaper
s,,l bali past twelve, smoking during that time
two cigars. Que paper always lasts the whole
time, ~ | psruse every column; and yet. some.
asks M ssyut the lie 80. I 4 I'd it mas all slipped
oat OF my head No, Tom, am not asleep = tho
time; II wero Ry cigar would go ONT, which 1t
does no.--oftea. remember my chiidhob6: We
always had ross, beef Add Yorkshire pnddings
on Saturdays, cold meat aud fruit pie on Sundays.
I osu also call to my mind my boyhood aad school
days, f,r never haze 10 after life been able TO
discover such taffy as that sold at the DANES
round the c,rneror such open tarts as sppertained
20 tbs pastry cooks higher up the street. Was
about Is when I first discovered that earth pos
sessed . charm, not indeed equal TO eating aud
drinking, but only secondary to those pleasures;
the uame VI ,ron,aN began to s,ir my heart, 10.
duigsd Ia revsriss and posical fsneies; and often
In the midst Ut the ,ys fsoae unususiiy piquans
dish. have thought how eest it would 10 See
q far firm grazing the opposite Seat. enhancing
the .vor by her sympathy, aud when there WAS
enough for both, participation.
When in the presence OF ladies, however, I was
bAshful. embarrassed, awkward; trod on thsir
dresses, spilt scalding coffee down their backs,
pulled all their music Oh the piano. split their
fans, drepyed and broke their smelling bottles.
retired early from the fsd, and made mp my
miad to die an old bachelor. Still, conld not
t.ns a yssrning toward beauty. which, after q
while, took the settled form OF fancy for paint.
ina and sculpture; at least as far as those arts
so,k tue female face and firm for their study.
never bought, but pottered abo1t sales aud exit
bftious, aud spent hours daily In staring Ia at
shop windows, and tuning over second hand
prints. The society of WON ans pictures IL
tsiaIy net 80 thrilling as direct oommu nication
wish the T. al article; bnt then IL is more com
f,riable--ths be wtched smile in q painting never
turns to frowD; the expression Of the fratu, ss
fades not into broad apathy immediately You
are left alone with IL. Y-u have not g,t tickle
its vanity-you feel NC jealousy when others gaze
on IL; on the contrary, the admiration of frsuds
enhances your pleasure; and II yon are poeticsliy
gifted. what charming scenes. tender and dome..
tic-ohl bow far above reality may the imagi-
nation conjure up Even ]. who hate poetry
that IL, oau't road II. cap't make ont what the
writer is df,ying at--even l oan fancy all sorts Of
things, and encounter all SORTS Of adventures
while gsB ng al q good picture of Q beautiful wo.
she Art A. al art, aud II was some time before
pickedu up the picture slang For instance one day
friend ne NJ TO me at sale and inter uptpd ny
mnsinss over painting, By whispering: Are you
thinking Of b!adag' Be warned my dear fsllow nd
d, not q high-qui,s take fn not Ti,ianI by no
means Q Titan! .'Perhsps nct," replied, sbut
very pretty; doubt whether Titan himself had
q better leg and ankls." OF course came to
~ q
fret rate FIRST rate amateur.
1t WAS when was about thirty that wac very
mnch struck one May day by q face 10 the exhibi-
tion Of the Royal Academy. II was that ofa full
sissd Judith, who WAS standing 10 q striking. If
not strictly feminine attitude, ~ith bloody sword
Ia one hand, dripping head in the other. aud her
Dyes turued up to heaven. That face fascinated
me, waited patiently tiil u seat opposite the
picture was vacant, and then pumped myself
down, and hesdicse Of the eounoissers,, country
usius, and flirting couples, who trod on my toes
and hsstlea 20 on every side; there sat aud sazed
my-{No Tom, that's not 80 elegant scratch il OUT
--gssed To safety that is better.l
vas fascinated. Day af er day did return 10
feast my syes upon that picture aud the X. A. vas
making qnie nice little com pet ency ont Of me in
shiiitngs, when began TO tad nysslf lying awake
1T night, thtosisg Of those mp turned eyes, aud
horrible symptoms. my appetite showed signs OF
.IsbsiEess. Having no fancy 10 become s4cond
Pig, PIG Whats bis name, Tom ~ Piemesly'up,
left ef my visits to Trafalgar square; and Ovid
tells us the 5cst remedy foe love 10 to multiply the
obtecls ofour admirRtion--proving thereby that
Hahneman was DOT the Hrst homoe oathist--I pa
troniyed she exhibition in Pail Mali, determined
10 dad Arrival for Judith. In the hrst rop m there
Was nothing particular to arrest my attention,
but the moment entered the second vas struck
all ola heap by Siren. No!-yesiit va! The
attitude w1a dsrens. the expression was fferent
the dress was very different indeed; the pres. ut
lady only wore her hair. which vas fortunately
very toag aud plentiful, but still there the Ia.
IDENTICAL nose, the very charming chin, the same
hewilchin mouth Il was a late, then: hr how
c,nld Two artists have struck ont the same idea by
chsncef left the room confused, bewiIdered;
and the waiter, ~ Bobs that day looked assonish.
ed when told MIN I vas ready for the Siren; ner
waa hi, sarprise mitig ated when ordered plat
Of Jnd,th. uow no longer attempted To resist
my des,iuy, but gave N, seh mp to rspt seraphic
contemplation OF The idea.. (Ah, eabbagej .Uncie
has one Of Bal~sr Lytton's books 10 his hsnds.-
Toni Whiting ODE or other Of the .xhit itior Q
ever, dsy untii they closed, and then felt void
10 my exssenee had never known before.
7. grew melancholy and dyspeptic, aud Consulted q
medical man. who prescribed compieie change Of
soen+; 70 obtain which made up my mind to quit
ny native land. and take npmyIe ideuce, for a
fortnight ~ BOuiogee paes over the horrors,
tbe psrs, the m,ssfies Of the voyag which lasted
upsxds Of two fearful hours. and proceed TO
eAronieis my extreme good fortune 10 dis.
covering . boarding house where the hos
ssss sLs Eoslisa. the guests Euglish and
Irish. the ssrvAnts English. and oh the cookery
E0slish. Here took Up my abode, and sought
onee more the distractions of society-shat
n, played Pope Joan with the old ladies for
osunters at penny the dopen; walked on the
Pier. and saw the people batbing. AID the packets
eens In; and su6soribsd TO the Esabtisseaem des
1assss, sad sat 10 . corner on the ball nights
Piuf ged IN this vortex OF dissipation, the face
vhieb had 20 long hsunted me began TO faie from
ny remembrance when one day, the third
ahsr ny arrival - stood 90 the pier and watched
she deesssafion from the London packet saw .
from the vessel 70 the shore. Her veil was dow q.
yesf could disttpg0sh the ontlae Of her features
nd my heart throbbsd With emotion. With = |
Dtafely ssep she pureued her way 70 the custom |
sonse door. and then, ore She entered turned and
. So more Clearly where her luggage IA being
,sSried 10. raised the envfous veil. II was sbsi
h Jadith the Siren the ideal Of two artists aud
niuss { pat the burpipg epd Of my cigar 10 the /
,ack Of ny hand 20 Gee vhetber Was awake or
mt and sn teetaDsaneoss blister proved the lKtt
sd1spntebly. Wboshaii dsscrihe my bsw ildsvnen,s
5 Sust Ike the bedaneer 10 ballet whom ths
s1lsipal sbe-4aDcer bnrst 1t unexpsefed mos ants
- ~ enp.boAsds, Dleep-pxesses, laurel bushes
c1es-be1S And tcmh~tOnss. Was Ii Apge.te1.-
- u dttbDliet wss II csipeidencei M I
= Hont hens With - oppressive pfsssstimeptl
nj sonetbing vss go1ng 70 hsppep 70 somebody
,nSewhtve, md unused filI dinner. %
We Ses q meals Fl she os1sfef auS arrival, asd
Z pfensS1es vsss thess above - departed; ed