The Portland daily press., 1873-02-22
A Strange Story.

with some inaccuracies in statement of fact
which induced Heaphy to write out this ac-
Z count Of his strange experience. 1t will be OF
interest to our readers t, know that Mr..
Heaphy is a brother of Mrs. Murray the dis
Nd tinguished water color artist and wife of II.
J. Murray Esq.,, the British Consul at this
port.-ED.l 81 E2 s.4 d ,
am painter. One morning in May 1858
was seated in my studio at my usual occupa-
aFation. AT an carrier hour than that at which
~ visits are usually made, received one from
friend whose acquaintance had made some
year or two previously in Richmond Barracks,
Dublin. My acquaintance was captain in
a the Bird West York Militia, and from the hos
pitabe manner In which l had been received
" while guest with that regiment, as well as
from the intimacy that existed between us
personally, it was incumbent on me to offer
my visitor suitable refreshments; consequent
ly, two o'clock found US well occupied in con-
versaton, cigars, ans a decanter of sherry.
About that hour ring at the bell reminded
me of an engagement had made with a
model, or young person who having pref
sTSty face and necs, earned livelihood by sit
ting fer them. to artists. Not being in the
humour for work, 1 arranged with her to
come on the following day, promising, OF
course, to remunerate her for her loss of
time, and she went away. In about five
minutes she returned, and, speaking 70 me
privately, stated that she had looked forward
T be Inconvenience by the want Of it; would /
let her have part? Therebeing no diff
Guilty on this point, she again went. Close
aato the street in which live there is another
e0~of a very similar nane and persons who are
not familiar with nv address often go to it
by mistake. The models way lay directly
through it, aud, on arriving there, she was
accosted by lady and gentleman, who asked
if she could inform them where lived?
They had forgotten my right address, and
were endeayorins to find me by enquring Of
persons whom they met; in a few more min
utes they were shown into my ROOM
sslea My new visitors were strangers to me.
They had seen portrait had painted, and
wished for likenesses of themselves and their
children. The price I named did not deter
them, and they asked to look round the
7oE studio to select the style and size they should
iz.fs prefer. My friend of the Sd West York with
- infinite address and humour, took upon him
self the office of Snowman, diatng on the
merits OF the respective works in manner
IS that the difidence that is expected in pro-
fessional man when speaking of his own pro-
auctions would not have allowed me TO adopt.
FgFne inspection proving satisfactory, they
asked whether could paint the pictures at
their house in the country, and there being
no difficulty on this point, an engagement
was made for the following autumn, subject
70 my writing to fix the time when / might
be able to leave town for the purpose. This
being adjusted, the gentleman gave me his
car !, and they left. Shortly afterwards my
friend went also, and on looking for the first
time at the card left by he strangers, was
" somewhat disappointed to find that though
III contained the name of Mr.. and Mrs Kirk
beck, there was no address. 1 tried to find it
. by looking at the Court Guide, but it con-
-'Aa tanned no such name, so put the card IN
my waiting-desk, and forgot tor time the
entire transaction. =.
A., IN Autumn came, and with it series of en-
j gagemeRts had made IN the north of Eng
MI, land. Towards the end of September, 1855
- was one of dnner-party at country
e. house on the confines of Yorkshire and Lin
colnshire. Being stranger to the family, it
was by mere accident that was at the house
at all. had arranged to pass day and a
night with friend in the Deghborhood, who
was intimate at the house, and had received
an invitation and the dinner occurring on
n the evening in question, had been asked to
-5as accompany him. The party was numerous
= one, and as the meal approached its termina-
-irs ton, and was about to subside into the des
4iasert, the conversation became general.
s'asi Should here mention that my hearing is de-
~ fective; at some times more SO than at others,
bsszd and on this particular evening I was extra
-deaf-so much so, that the conversation only
reached me in the form of a continued din
Atone instant, however, heard word dis
tincty pronounced, though it was uttered
by person at a considerable distance from
IA me, and that word was-Krkbeck. In the
- business OF the London season had fol got
ten all about the visitors of the spring, who
az had LETT their card without the address. The
-.ai. word reaching me under such circumstances
s"9 arrested my attention, and Immediately re-
lsEs called the transaction to my remembrance.
tsdsgOn the first opportunity that offered, asked
,s person whom was conyersing with if
-e5 family OF the name in question was resident
In the neighborhood. / was told, in reply,
that Mr.. Kirkbeck lived at A, at the
farther end OF the county. The next morn
~ ing wrote to this person, saying that be-
heyad he called at my studio in the spring,
VI and lad made an arrangement with me,
4s1 which 1 was prevented fulfilling by their be-.
2 ing no address ON his card; furthermore that
n should shortly be in his neighborhood on
yiar- my return from the north, but should be
500 mistaken in addressing him, I begged he
.-r would not trouble himseftorepy to my note.
gave as my address, The Post-office, York.
ON applying there three days afterwards, l
received a note from Mr.. Kirkbeck, stating
that he was very glad he had heard from me,
al and that if / would cali on my return, he
would arrange about the pictures; he also
told me to write day before proposed COM
ing, that he might not otherwise engage him
self. It was ultimately arranged that should
- go to his house the succeeding Saturday, stay
till Monday morning, transact afterwards
what matters had to attend to in London
and return in a fortnight to execute the COM
- missions y. q -
The day having arrived for my visit, di-
rectly after breakfast took my place in the.
morning train from York to ondon. The
IA train would stop at Doncaster, and after that
at Retford junction, where 1 should have to
feE get out in order to take the lire through
Lincoln to A. The day was cold wet foggy
aud in every way as dsagreeabe have ever
known dag to be in 8 n English October The
carriage in which l was seated had no other
occupant than myself.but at Doncaster lady
o got in. My place was back to the engine
and next to the door. As that is considered
the ladies' seat / offered it to her; she, how
ever, very graciousy declined it, and took
-- the corner opposite, saying, in very agreea-
bid voice, that she liked to feel the breeze on
her cheek. The next few minutes were oc-
cupied in locating herself. There was the
cloak to be spread under her, the skirt of the
dress to be arranged, the gloves to be tight
ened, and such other trdng arrangements
ofpiumage as ladies are wont to make before
setting themselves comfortably at church or
elsewhere, the last and most important being
the placing back over her hat the veil that |
concealed her features. / could then see that |
the lady was young, certainly not more than |
two or three-and-twenty; but being moder-
i pro ately TALL rather robust in make and dpcid
ed in expression, she might have been two or
three. years younger. L suppose that her
complexion would be termed medium one:
her hair being bright brown, or auburn
d While her eyes and rather decidedly marked
eyebrows were nearly black The color of
. nef cheek was OF that pale transparent hue
s s;, sets OF to such advantage large express
Tae eyes, and an equabIe firm expression of
r. tbsn; On the whole, the ensemble was
sion ba ns;nasome than beautiful her expires
mopy na aSn,gs, that agreeable depth and har-
features tho,.,t mat rendered her face and
- IV more attractive iiStly iDHuitc-
al,ed -, ~ so'Ne than if they had been mod
Iu upoh Tue strictest rules ofsvmmptrv
dull loDs s iourn aaya tage wet day and
panion, one who can conv sn agreeable a COM
- CONVEX alton has sufficient snhS ,n Gu! "loee
nsss o 9ns forget sssaa the and the drear
deficiency to complain Of 'I tba respect had no
cidedy and agreeably conversational ein we ae,
she had settled herself to her sat;st. Mnen