The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-26
Mr.. Heaphy's Ghost.

Mr.. Jennings, in his cable letter to The
World, announces the publication of Charles
Dickens letters on Mr.. Heaphy's ghost
story, of which Mr.. Dickens speaks as the
most wonderful story he ever heard of 4
reporter of The World was sent to call on a
gentleman who knew Mr.. Heaphy and his
family and who has more than once told the
story of Mr. Heaphy's ghost to his more III
timate friends in New York.
81 have nosobjection," said this gentlemen,
"to tell you this story as have it in my
memory, though | need not say that | am
awaiting with great curiosity the arrival of
the version which l have long known that
Mr.. Dickens left behind him, and which |
am glad TO see has now been printed.
"Who was Mr.. Heaphy, do you ask? Mr..
Thomas Heaphy was distinguished and
very accomplished man, an artist by inheri-
lance as well as by training. He was one of
the best of the many water-color painters to
whom England owes her preeminenee in
that department of art, and was for some
time President of the Royal Society of Wat
er-Color Painters, as | think his father, who
died nearly fifty years ago, had been before
him. 1t was from his sister, whom knew
very well and of whose death at an advanced
age / have Just received the news, that |
b. ard the story originally. This lady, Mrs.
Elizabeth Murray, was well known in New
York some years ago. She resided here for
some time, her husband, Henry John Muir
ray, being then British Consul at Portland,
in Maine He was afterwards transferred
to post in South America. He was a
brother, by the way, of Grenville Murray. of
whom you must have heard, and who died
only year or two ago after a strange aud
troubled career as diplomatist first, and
then as journalist of rare yigor and origin
ality.
MRS. Murray was woman of considera-
bic ability ana a very clever artist. She
wrote an entertaining and valuable book on
the Canary Islands, where her husband was
Consul for number of years. Here is the
book, which. as you see, is illustrated with
engravings from drawings made by Mrs.
Murray herself. She gave lessons in water
color painting in this city during one winter
at the request of number of ladies of her
acquaintance, en- yonder on the wall ha1gs
a portrait painted by her in this very room
in which you now sit.
ssThe strangest feature of the strange
story l am now about to tell you is the CON-
bination in it of unearthly and improbable
with ordinary and everyday incidents. The
seen and the unseen world--if indeed there
be world Inseen-are mingled and almost
COMPOUNDED in it, so that the action of the
story passes from one world into the other
and back again as man walks out of one
believed in the truth of the narrative as she
gave it to me. have heard it since more
than once related with variations, none of
them affecting, however. the substantial
framework of the tale, by persons of charac-
ter and consideration in England, whose be-
lief in it was as positive at hers. Thomas
Heaphy himself was not only a man of gem
ius but man of character. The material
evidences of the extraordinary experiences
which had occurred to him still, / think.
exist. In short, 1t is most unaccountable
business from the beginning to the end and
l am very glad to have an opportunity now
of putting on record my own recolleetions of
it that may compare them with Mr.. Dick
ems version when | receive it.
Near the end of long summer day,
towards the close of London season, Mr..
Heaphy was alone in his studio in Lon
don. This studio was situated, | think,
somewhere iu the neighborhood of LaDgham
place = but that is immaterial. 1t was a
large apartment of two or three pieces, in
one of which number of portraits and pie
lures were hung upon the walls, with the
usual bric-a-erac of an artists reception
room. This room was entered directly from
a landing-plaee at the head of broad flight
of stairs leading down into the street and
past small porters room, for the studio
was in public building occupied by a num-
Der of persons. Coming into his reception
room from smaller cabinet, in which ne
was putting away some papers, Mr.. Heaphy
was startled TO see a laby quite unknown to
him, young, of good figure and carriage,
dressed quietly, in perfect taste and in the
fashion, who was walking around the room
and inspecting the pictures. Mr.. Heaphy
approached and saluted her, observing as he
did so that, while she was unqnestionably
fne-looking, her countenanee was unusually
pale and that her eyes, which she fixed up
on him as he spoke to her, had a singular,
and, as he afterwards described 1t. almost
'uncanny' expression. She made no expla-
nation whatever of her presence, but at once
asked him whether he could paint inmedi-
ately a portrait of her for a dear friend to
whom she wished to send it as soon as pos
sible. Mr.. Heaphy replied that he would
be happy to do so if il were in his power,
but that he was on the point of leaving Lon
don for round of visits in the country:
that he had many professional engagements
which would probably occupy him during
the remainder of the year, and that he
could not at all see his way clear 10 doing
what she was so good as to ask him to do.
The lady treated these objections with 20
lite Indifference and persisted, saying that
it would not be necessary for Mr.. Heaphy
that she should sit TO him. You will not
forget my face she said, with a singular in
donation, =" and if | am not misnformed as
to your talents, you can make sketch of
me now at this moment from which you
could paint such portrait as | wish Mr.,
Heaphy thanked her for her good opinion,
but again excused himself. Nothing would
do, however, and the lady finally carried her
point so far that Mr. Heaphy-he could
hardly say why. and certainly against his
own will and Judgment consep ted to IN
dertake the commission.
1t will be necessary for me- he said
to find some time during the autumn when
can give You your siftings, and if you will
obllge me with your name and address | will
see what l can do and viii let you know
That Is hardly necessary said tue lady.
i will be here at any time you may APP
point"
''Mr. Heaphy looked at her with astonish-
ment and said:
g. But don't see how you can be here
unless let you know when that time will
be-
so shall have no difficulty about that
said the lady, almost petulantly. In the
mean time | will see that you have an en-
craving Of face which am told strongly
resembles my own-so strongly that 1t has
sometimes been mistaken for portrait of
me. This will serve to keep me in your
mind,' she said, smiling; and, by the way,
wish you would try to make sketch of me
now
Puzzled by the lady's manner as much
as by her words, he quietly said:
"fOh, excuse me, / must get my address
book and we will arrange matters and with
this he tnrned his back for moment to the
lady and, going to desk, opened it to take
out the book of which he spoke When he
turned again with the book in his hand, to
his profound establishment, the lady had
vanished The door of the studio was shut as
1t had been during the whole interview. 1t
was heavy door, and closed with a strong
spring lock. II seemed TO Mr. Heaphy hard
ly possible that it could have been opened
and shut unheard by him; but he instantly
ran to it, opened it aud looked down the
broad flight Of stairs to the street, and this
80 rapidly that it seemed scarcely imaginable
a lady could have got out of the house before
he was upon the stairway No trace of her,
however, could be seen. He ran hastily
down and questioned the porter, who hap
pened to be standing near bis window, which
commanded a complete view OF the stairway
and of the entrance to the building His
amazement was heightened when he found
that the porter not only protested that he
had not seen any lady 90 out, but declared
that, SO far as hr knew, no lady had entered
tnu fon ~. r.