Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-09-28
A Mystery ola Picture.

the grim struggle for pence and
praise our paths div6rged and we
heard little of each other for many
years. Since we last met Jackson
has struggled into a tolerable Prac-
tce as a doctor, while l had strug-
gled into no practice at all as a bar
rister.
One morning 1 received anOte from
jackson asking me to run down and
spend "a hours with him, and so we
old pals met after long separation.
jackson labored in a little country
town, some two hours journey down
the Southwestern line. He lived in a
house as eccentric, and as honest,
and as sturdy as he was himself
When l saw the house for the first
time Twas possessed with anidea ola
builder suddenly gone out Ofhis mind.
This well meaning man had selected
as the scene of his labors a beautiful
grove Of pine trees. He chose a clear
space and there built a house, not in
the usual way; but according to the
dictates OF a picturesquely cOntorted
intellect. He built up huge blocks Of
moss-grown stone, with massive
beams of timber and red brick He
launched out into insane wings and
abutments, he scared into the
heavens on tall, skeletOnic stacks Of
chimneys, he groveled on the ground
in terraces and paved courts, and
finished up the whole with a roof OF
ancient red tiles Altogether it was
the most rambling, queer, comfort
able house 1 had ever looked upon.
In this great dwelling, large enough
for a garrison, Jackson lived a rO-
mantle and solitary life, attended only
by woman from the village who
did for him during the day, and
when night fell retired to her own
shed in the village.
When Jackson took the house first
4 or a mere song he had Il colossal
ambition of furnishingit throughout.
But his initial failure was so signal
that he gave up further attempt in
despair and never got beyond the
furniture of three rOOms-his own
bedroom, the dining-rOOm and his
surgery. This he told me as we lin
gered over the dinner table.
Need 1 say, we sat laughing, telling
stories, recalling old adventures, and
past scenes? Need l say it was pro-
lOnged till supper time, and then,
when the woman" had retired to her
own wigwam, far into the night?
After dinner, as the early winter
shades were gathering, we prOwled
over the house. Jackson did en-
thusiastic cicerOne with a lamp in his
hand and black brier-rOOt in his
mouth, while pulled the ambitious
captain-general and sustained the
part of intelligent sightseer.
He even led me into the apartment
in which he was to sleep, while had
his bedroom. 1t was a narrow,
crooked place, devoid of everything
except dust and camp bedstead
with the usual toilet paraphernalia,
and pile of packing crates skillfully
bestowed in "a chasm in the wall
which had sprung from the I'M
premeditated method OF building.
But there was Il superb painting on
the wall, out of all proportion to the
room, but superb all the same. 1t
was Il lite-size portrait Of beautiful
woman The likeness was in this
room when jackson took possession
of the house, and although its tenure
had been threatened during the day
of furnishing, it had Outlived the
storm, and had now made good its
footing as a permanently.
am not superstitiOus, at least /
was not when l first saw that picture,
but had / guessed the influence that
it was to work on me before seven
hours were passed 1 would have torn
the coarse, putrid, paintbedaubed
canvas to shreds; l would have
hacked it's faded frame and worm
eaten stretcher into matchWOOd.
We stood in the gloomy, shadOwy
room, looking at the implOring face
for some time in silence. Then l be-
gan laughing, and said what came
uppermOst in my mind.
at seems rathera strange thing to
have to take that picture with the
house-a valuable work of art, too
1t appears to be the kind of painting
that traditions are made of. Is there
no story attached to iu?'
''WeI, no, said jackson, as he laid
the heavy bronze lamp upon the
floor, none that l know of, except
those that 1 myself have weaved
The truth about it, as far as 1 car
make out, is that a kind OffOreigneer-
ing lunatic. who lived in the house &
long time ago, imported the picture
This room was his private and par
ticular den; he smoked here; he gOr
drunk here, and now and theI
stabbed his friends here, and studied
and made bad pictures, and pursued