The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-10
Death Before A Camera

II suppose" said a Cincinnati pho
tographer toa Times-Star man, when
I was learning my trade in a country
town of this state, I had an experience
I wont forget until death. The boss
had gone out for a days hunt. Bust
ness was slack and he knew the other
boy and myself could run the shop. I
had made a few tintypes and consider
ed myself q natural operator. To run
the gallery for a day vas bliss, and |
was anxious for n sitter; before 8
o'clock I got everything cleaned up.
bath and plates in order, and sat in the
front window awaiting customers. An
old man came in at IL q. IN. He was
right from the country; had mud on
his boots, and all the other testimony.
He was 'goin' west to his darters and
wanted o picture to take with him, you
know I knew all about it and soon
had him in the chair, the iron clamps
behind his ears and the camera gun
aimed at his gray head. He was quite
nervous abont something and asked me
to wait. Il want my picture drawed OF
to look like this he said, rs he pulled
q tintype of q young man from his peck
ct. the same pose like, you know
he said, as he told me that it was his
son who had been killed at Stone River.
He was a dear good boy, he was,' said
the old man, with q weak voice and a
sigh-'and I'll soon be with him.
AZ got him in position while he still
held in his hand the dead boys picture.
l went through the usual ceremony,
telling him, All ready now, right STILL
and as l took the cloth from the table
turned my back to prevent any en-.
barrassment. In thirty seconds l said,
That will do He never moved. You
may rest now,' I said, but he sat still,
and held the precious tintype as if
wrapt in thong hit. Thinking that he
was deaf, l touched him on the should
er. Still he did not move, and 1 no.
ticed a fixed stare in his eyes. He was
dead. He had died in the chair and /
had the negative of a dying man. OF
course 1 got help and sent word to his
friends. The doctors said lie died of
heart disease. l developed his picture
and started as l saw the face of a dead
man look at me from the collodion coat
ing. It was nervous day for me !
can tell you, and 1 have always been
careful with old people.
Talking about love affairs in photo
graphs, I had a funny experience some
time ago. A woman, handsome and
determined, had a picture made hold
ing a pistol to her head, as if about to
commit suicide. This she sent to her
lover, who was probably getting tired
of her. Underneath the picture she
wrote: If you don't I will. He UNDER
stood. 1t had its effect, for i'll two
weeks I made a group picture of them
both, and she was attired rs q bride"
"Women have their vagaries, even
for pictures"
well, l should say SO. To them the
picture of a lover is very dear. A young
woman who became infatuated with a
drummer had me print a picture of him
on the flesh or her arm We can pho
tograph on flesh very nicely now, and
I made a good print. I fixed it
thoroughly, and she went away happy.
A month later she came back with
bushes and wanted it taken off. Her
lover had turned out to be a married
man, and of course she hated him for
his cruel deception. However, she
wears it yet, as l told her to let it wear
off"