The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-07-16

/ me, was tlled Wltn tne one Welru, Stlfnge
face. In the morning my friend hoped
/ had slept well. told him the sort of
purgatory had endured, adding:
81 am sure there is some grim secret
connected with that picture; you may as
well tell me what it is. If il is family
secret, promise to keep it sacred"
"Wel," he answered, after a moments
reflection, "there is painful story con-
nected with it. The portrait is that of
my randfather-DOctor Matthias, let us
call him. He was one of the physicians
in-ordinary to George Ill, which posi-
tion he occupied long before he had
reached middle-age. He was O courte-
Gus, genial, kindly man, full of those So
cial qualities which make man favorite
of society. So much have heard. When
/ knew him things were different. In
the year of 1770, full of high spirits and
pleasant anticipations, he went on the
Continent for a months holiday; he
came back at the end of it an altered
man-his genial nature clouded with an
ineradicable gloom. He gave up all
practice, all society; bought this place
and settled here; he received no visits,
paid none; he lived in his library among
his books, occasionally taking long soil
tary rambles about the country. His
nature did not degenerate into harshness,
but strange melancholy possessed him;
It's cause was unknown, so was its cure.
He turned bis back upon the world, and,
though he was no world scOrner. nothing
would induce him TO enter it again. He
was widower, and his only son-my
father-was then boy at Harrow. You
may imagine this was not a lively place
for high-spirited young fellow to come
home to; they saw little of each other.
In due time my father married, and /
was born. Years passed, and one wintry
night, when | was about Is years old, we
received telegram summOning us here.
We came, and We're shown into the room
where you slept last night. The old man,
with the stamp of death upon his face,
was propped up on pillows where he had
for hours, his eyes fixed on the door,
watching for us. AS we entered the
room his filmy eyes frightened his
eager, outstretched hands trembled as
we touched them. With the damp death
dew on his brow, his voice quaking, and
his whole soul shuddering as he lived
over again one terrible moment of bis
life, he told us the story which l had
better put together in my own words.
1t appears that during that momentous
visit to the Continent he went TO Naples.
He was received by the best society, and
most Hospitality entertained in the most
distinguished social and political circles,
where he passed many pleasant hours
discoursing and discussing intellectual
and scientific bjects-chemistry sur
gerry, and once, among these things, the
use and misuse Of poisons cropped up
in the course Of conversation and some
one present-a gentleman of some note
and importance-asked what was the
quickest and easiest death to die. The
subject was freely debated.
One evening he returned from one of
those pleasant gatherings, and in re-
fective mood of mind, sat for an hour
looking over the moonlit city and the
beautiful, worldfamous bay. 1t was
near midnight when two strangers were
shown into him, who requested his i'm
mediate attendance i'll case of great
urgency. He represented that he was
there on a visit of pleasure, not for pro-
fessional purposes. They were perfect
ly aware of that fact, they said, still,
they urged him so strongly that at last
they overcame his scruples, and he con-
sented TO go with them. A carriage was
at the door he got in first, they followed
him, pulled down the blinds, and the
carriage ratified away. He did not like
his position, and began to suspect that
all was not right. They kept utter 81
lence.
They seemed to drive a great distance,
turning and turning many times. Once
he inquired, Had they far to gol" and
received the brief answer, "No." At
last they drove into the courtyard of
great house. The door opened as if by
magic. There were no lights, he might
as well have been blindfolded there
would have been total darkness but for
the moonbeams which struggled through
the stained-glass window, and fell in
fantastic shadows at their feet as they
ascended the wide stone staircase. On
reaching the first landing they threw
open door, and for q second he was
almost blinded by the blaze of light that
streamed out upon him. The door
closed behind him as he stepped into the
room. He took in the whole aspect of
the room at glance it was gorgeously
furnished, and brilliantly illuminated
with wax candles at table near the
heavily-curtained window man of stern,
commanding appearance sat writing. He
raised his head as they entered and,
pointing to the far end of the room, ex-
claimed
Your patient lies there, sir"
Ny grandfather's eyes followed the
direction of his finger, and observed a
woman stretched upon q couch. Where
had he seen that face beforel Slowly it
dawned upon his memory. A few days
back he had been to the theater, and,
glancing around, was struck by beauti-
I ful, fair face, which for the time fasci-
mated him he thought it the loveliest
there. He looked on it again now but
how changed The hands were clasped
upon the breast, as though in prayer a
dumb, white terror was written on the
face and in the great unified eyes
there was a hopeless, despairing agony
sickening TO behold.
He inquired what was the matter-how
she had been attacked, and seeing that
she was gagged, be begged them to re.
lease her mouth, that she might answer