The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-04-22

IL hung, as NS6a1d bekofe,' IN the
drawfng:r and ;ttin eSveEy con-
| spicdots pace. e.# fused to catch sndy-
'seH watching he when qAIGnwaring
was by, with Interpretations a feeling
that IL waa on tl1a watch. and its pre-,
sence seemed to- cast O. shadow over
the pleasant room In which'it hung.
This feeling haunted me from the
very first, and, I little knew then
what terrible reasons I should have
for aversion to- that portrait, and
what fearful event would make it's
canvas suggestive of saddest memo.
ries forever. -, .g s,.t. q %sge
I often wondered whether Ellen
shared this curious and morbid feel
ing about that particular picture;
and 1 called up my medical expe-
riepce and reading, to see, if I could
find any aecountsofs fspersonsjso affect
ed. Was it nervousness, consequent
upon a weak state of health? Hard
ly that, as I was unusually. strong,
and by no means Ola nervous tenn
permanent Hard study might have
made me nervous, but i was also a
great man for athletic sports and
exercises, and so did not over-work
myself. There was absolutely no.
thing to account for my vague horror
and dislike of Mr.. Mainwaring's
portrait, and I tried in every way
to- dismiss the feeling from my
mind, until it was again reused in o
manner that I can only regard as su-
pernatural. My story may be diff
cult to believe, but the truth has
been stamped in letters of fire upon
my mind; and although I do not
profess to explain the appearances I
am about to describe, their occur
renee is sadly and Individually true.
called one day at the house in
Gordon square, and when the door
was opened, Mr.. Mainwaring, who
was in the passage, came rushing up
to me with q sheet of music, and
said, My dear Raymond, I am so
glad to see you! I've just written
such delicious barcarole, and YOU
must come upstairs directly and hear
me play it."
I Of course assented, not without
some speculation rs to whether Ellen
would be in the drawing-room also;
but in that was disappointed, and
instead of looking on her dear face.
my eyes fell Immediately upon that
of Mr.. Mainwaring's double, the
hated portrait.
MIR. Mainwaring went to the piano,
and turned my back upon the pic
ture while he began playing his new
composition. 1t was beautiful air,
quaint and original, with the repose
of moonlight in it, and the sound of
ripping waters; the song of the
gondolier in that GLORIOUS city by
the sea-" where
NThe sea is in the broad, the narrow streets,
Ebbing and flowing, and the salt seaweed
Clings to the marble Of her places"
AS the composer went on playing,
wholly occupied by the music, hap
pened to turn round absently while
listening to it, and so came to see
the portrait again.
It was lighted up by the sunshine
which streamed through the window,
and the face looked rs if it was covered
with blood. I should say more correct
ly, half the face, the leftside of it; and
no words can describe the horrible
appearance it presented.
1 could hardly control myself sufi.
ciently to prevent Mr.. Mainwaring
noticing my fright; but he happily
went on playing unconsciously, and
in few moments I slightly changed
my position in the room, and again
looked at the portrait.
Once more the painted eyes looked
into mine, and the likeness almost
seemed to speak; and I saw again
the ghastly appearance on the left
side of the face, as if it had been
severely battered and bruised
1 rubbed my eyes, and tested the
perfectly healthy condition of my
sight by looking at other things; but
whenever they travelled back to the
likeness, L still saw the left side of the
face covered with blood. It was hor-
rible to stand there and look from
the living man to the portrait with