Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-02-19
PAINTING THE PICTURE.


tomb, aud buried alive with the corpse.
PAINTING THE PICTURE.
| am not quite so sure that fellow in.
clined to be nervous at that sort of thing
might not have been seized with panic at
the idea of being thus left alone 10 draw a
dead womau'S portrait. For myself, though,
| must own | rather preferred the company of
the corpse to that OF the maniac lover. | was
not quite sure that he might not suddenly take
ii iu'O his head that had in some manner in
jured bin, and plunge that dagger into me,
the handle Of which had caught glimpse
! Of
| appliei myself now seriously to the work
before me aud drew with all MY might. Very
soon had >ketched in the face and finished
the hair The picture was a toleraoie likeness,
aud have it now at home, where the curious
can see it upon application but it is very
corpse like. Without being told one might
have supposed that it was posthumouS por
| trait.
1t was to relieve this ghastliness that
slightly tinted the lips and cheeks but as
| wanted to paint the eyes | required to know
/ what color the eyes really were The lover
vas not at haud 10 interrOgate upon the snb-
| ject The only way left to me was to gently
raise one OF the eyelids and look at the pupil
l hardly liked the job, though. In the first
| place, | did not relish the notion of touching
The dead flesh Iu,the second, | was fearful
| lest my passionate friend should return and
! Cad NE in the act. Thirdly, was afraid that
! he might iud ont afterwards that the body
| had been touched, even if he did not surprise
! ne.
thought, with shudder, that l might
not perhaps be able to close the lid again
! when once | had IA ;sed it. | waited there
fore long time, until the irksomeness Of
the delay became absolutely unbearable, hop
ing that tie stranger would return.
| That rose and drew near to the face. !
stretched forth my hand with the intention
of touching one of tie eyes, aid the next mo,
ment started back, struck dumb with horror
| For as ! stretched ont ny fingers one Of the
| eyes, without ny having touched il, opened
slowly under my hand and started straight at
TIE, while I, in my turn, stared straight back
! at the eye, nv hand still spread out in the
air, as though had been suddenly petriHed
! in q stone As was eHGeayoFing to recon
cile the horrible occurrence with any iaw Of
nature coull cal. to mind, the second eye
slowly opened in like manner aud stared at
me also.
Upon my soul, in all MY life, I never rcmem-
Der to have felt such nervous S40cE as at
that moment. | was 50 startled-s0 taken
a5ack-so utterly proStrated with terror, that
! for an instant verify believed my heart ccaS
I'd to beat and ny blood to circulate. Il was
| ouiy for an instant, though, and then reason
came to my aid saw that the eyes were
not glazed | knew that the woman was
alive | understood that she had been in
trance and had teen so buried
Without being in the least able to account
| for so doiag, or 10 restrain the strange impulse
which tempted ne, fell hack into my chair
and burst out laughing Historically.
Then, aroused by the sound, the woman
heaved a deep drawn sigh, raised herself upon
her couch, and sat siivering and looking round
! her with scared white face.
| hardly knew what I ought to Go though
what dreaded most was the mans return.
! for felt certain that the effect of this unex
pected sight upon him would be terrible
| No must see him first, and to the best of
my power prepare him for what was to
come.
Bidding the lady then not to stir for Heav
EMS sake, and assuring her that she was safe
and among friends, ard that there was no
cause for alarm, | left the room in search Of
the lover. He had gone into the adjoining
apartment, | thought but found The
/ door locked could see a light through the
keynote INIT although | hammered loudly
aud shou ed to him, he made no reply"
After waiting awhile went ont to the
! front and called to the cabman doing upon
/ 4 NO bnv IIu6 ha soon tho rrnntlanan M
the gentlemen had not come out of the cot
/ tage Then he must he in the back room.
| called 10 him again lonler than before :;
then, with the assistance Of the cabman, burst
open the door. The candle stood upon the
mantle piece. The man lay upon his face up
on the floor, and he lay in pool of blood -
He was stone dead, and when we raised him
we found that he had stabbed himself to the
heart with bis dagger knife.
In wondering horror | rast my eyes around
for scme object that might act as a clue to
the solution Of this strange mystery Pres
emily, nv eyes lighted on the locket lying on
the floor at the fartheSt corner of the
room He had probably dashed it from him
in a rage for the glass was broken but l
could see the portrait Of the unfortunate
man.
In a moment the meaning Of the scene oc
curred to me. lie had hoped to find that she
loved him stll-that she had been buried
with his portrait next to her heart. The
modification at finding that she had removed
his effigy from the locket and placed her hus
bands in its stead, had turned what little
brains he had left and driven him to self des
truction.
was never paid for the portrait neither by
the lady herself or her husband, to whom
restored her.
Rp- Adam was fond of his joke and when
he SAW his sons and dnnnh HERS marrying one