New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-16
A STRANGE STORY.
The Superstition Connected With
Photographs.

The Superstition Connected With
Photographs.
The superstition connected with pho
tographs is well known, says a writer
in The atlanta Consultation. When
first the old "ambrotypes' were gotten
out the superstitious were wont to
watch them with suspicion, the mys-
terry of the thing adding to this prevalent
superstition. Many were the yarns Of
pictures fading after the subject was
dead, and I know of one widow of a
confederate soldier who believes till
this day that picture of her husband
was an omen of his death in battle
among the far-away hills of Virginia.
Then there was the ghostly picture,
in which shadowy face appeared be-
hind the real picture, gradually de-
veloping until the first face was lost in
the outlines of the spiritual usurper.
All these things are we'll known, but
the most conspicuous and remarkable
coincidence in regard to picture and
its original was told me to-day.
Prof. A. T Lyon is wellknown art
list, standing very high in the profess
sion, and known in all the principal
cities of the state. When Bishop
George f. Pierce celebrated his golden
wedding, Prof. Lyon went to the scene
OF festivities well equipped with fine,
large camera and extra large plates to
photograph the remarkable scene, On
the grounds he erected pavilion,
t1oored it with carpet covered with
Masonic emblems, and to be sure of cor
rectly timing it he first took a picture
OF the court house, forwarded it to
Atlanta, and had friend to develop it
and telegraph the result. The friend
did so, and dispatched him that it was
all right.
Well satisfied with his arrangements,
he had the bishop, his wife, and the
forty-eight descendants in group, and
the photographer obtained three fine
large negatives of the wonderful as
sembly. The work was we'll done, and
the artist congratulated himself on the
success of his venture. He brought
the negative to his studio in Macon.
Now comes the strange coincidence.
Prof Lyon waited to perfect his ar
rangements for copyrighting the great
picture, and meanwhile the negatives,
securely boxed, reposed on a shelf in
his dark room. The box was perhaps
third wider than the shelf on which
it rested. For many months it rested
there in perfect safety, Suddenly the
announcement that the grand old man
was ill and dying cast shadow of
sorrow all over the south. The young
college girls visited the studio, and the
artist told them of what a good snap
he had on his photograph which he had
arranged to publish. He brought out
the negatives and showed them to the
young ladies, and then carried them
back to the dark room and placed them
on the same shelf where they had re-
posed SO long. Returning TO his work
room he began retouching some pic
lures when suddenly he heard a great
crash, and, rushing into the dark room,
there lay the beautiful negatives smash
ed into Thousand pieces. His grief
was terrible, hut an additional pan
was added to it when, in few minutes,
came the telegram announcing that
Bishop Pierce was dead. The mega.
tives were broken just as the spirit OF
the grand old Christian hero took its
flight 1t was "a strange coincidence
to say the least.