Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-08-01

This whetted my curiosity anew,
particularly when 1 detected her be-
sto owing upon Dora the same sly, IN
sidious glances (aS II fearful to be
caught at theml that Glasgow ThirkIe
had SO freely INDUCED in. Again
perceived this same discomposure upon
Dora's part Again, when we were
alone, did Dora conflde to me how
these glances annoyed her. and how she
was gradually arriving at the conclu-
sion that some mystery of fearful
character bound these plain and some
what rough, but by no means vulgar
couple, with the lives of her father and
mother.
but what" 1 asked, "did Mrs.
Thirkle mean by referring 10 the part
ing in her hair? Why should she part
it differently tomorrow morning, and,
above all, why should your father have
suggested-as she SAID he did-that she
should do so?''
Dora unused for a moment and then
replied:
"You know papa, not being in any
business, has good many idle hours
During the last year he has taken up
with photography, as an amusement,
and he has little private gallery OF his
own which he has fitted with the pho
tographs-taken by himself-of most
OF his friends.''
Here Dora paused, until ventured
TO ask what possible construction this
could have to the proper parting OF
Mrs. ThIrkle's hair. Dora continued:
''When SIr. Thirkle was here-he
had discovered by some means papa's
hObby-he asked to have his Photograph
taken. Papa consented The poor
man was delighted, 1 hear, with the
likeness, which was afterward for
warded TO HIM. Now, 1t seems, Mrs.
Thirkle wants hers taken, and papa IS
going to take her, first with her hair
parted on one side, as you saw it this
morning, and then with il parted nat
urally.
This explanation was satisfactory as
far AS 1t went. The singular thing
was the desire of Mr.. and Mrs. Gold
ing's part to stop the poor woman
before she could say what she had In
tended TO say. As there was no i'm
propriety in the thing itself, this desire
seemed inexplicable. Another thing
which occupied me was a feeling that
somewhere, sometime, l had seen
something like the face of one or the
Thirkles-I could not tell which-be-
bered ever elusive face, which haunted
me, resembled Mr.. ThirkIe's excepting
that the red scar was wantingl some.
times it resembled his wIfe's. Then at
times it seemed to resemble neither,
but to fade away into the many peo-
pied realm of a morbid Imagination.
The recollection of all these things
passed over and over again through my
mind during the five minutes which
passed ere l reached the Golding house
after leaving the vestry room.
Instantly admitted, figure all in
white Dora i'll her bridal dress
opened the parlor door, before the ser
want who ushered me could do so, and
almost pulled Inc into the room. Ere
1 could utter a word, Dora exclaimed:
"HushI say nothing. Papa and
mamma know nothing as yet of the
discovery have made. You know l
am a spoiled child. l am master and
mistress here-always have been. They
know as yet nothing of my reasons for
putting an end to the wedding. L
insisted upon seeing you alone. After
have told my story. you can consider
what had better be done. And now
tell me" her eyes burned with excite
meDt, ''does this photograph look like
meT" and picking up a photograph
from an adjoining table she extended
it toward me.
examined the photograph. Yes, it
was certainly very much like Dora.
Had L seen it anywhere 1 should have
recognized 1t as D0ra's likeness The
outlines were a tribe blurred and the
portrait could not be considered tins
specimen of photography, but the re-
IL Il. al-ah - q nd /
said so. Then l tried to put my arms
around my darling girl, but she held
me aloof, and motIoning me to sit on
the sofa beside her, but at little dis
tance, she mhde the following curious
statement:
You know that, unlike most girls,
I AM the soul of punctuallty, being
generally ready for anything fifteen
minutes before anybody else 1t was
SO, even this morning. Papa, who IS
always late, was later than usual.
Mamma was fiurried and had twenty
things to do at the same moment.
Everything and every body in the house
were in confusion excepting myself.
Dressed as was, for church, / was the
one To go TO search for papa He was
In his private room, the little photo
graph gallery told you OF, which 1t
was his custom to lock himself in, so
that he could pursue his favorite hobby
undisturbed. l knocked at the door
no answer, / called, still no answer.
Alarmed, tried the handle, suspect
ing that the door was locked. On the
contrary, il yielded to my pressure,
though 1 had to push very hard. What
was my horror at discovering that l
was pushing against psps's body. He
has lately had bad attacks OF vertigo,
and, as we found out afterwards, he
had lust unlocked the door and was
preparing to come out, when the ver-
tigo seized him and he fell"
Then that was the reason" eX-
claimed, feeling an immense relief,
that the wedding was postponedp"
THAT had nothing to do with II
whatever" replied Dora Papa was
not hurt. / rang for assistance He
recovered almost Immediately. 1t was
what | saw in the room that made 1t
impossible for me to marry you."
a chill went through me, but l
would not interrupt her. She con-
tinued: You have heard papa speak
of composite photography? 1t has been
favorite amusement of his lately.
Do you know how it Is dones 1t con-
sists In taking two or more photographs
and hanging them on pins, one in
front of the other in such a way that
the eyes of all the pc rtraits shall coin-
eide as perfectly as possible. Then
you throw the image of each. in sue
cession, upon the same part OF pro-
perly prepared plate, and the result Is
the generalized likeness Of all the faces
so taken. This, for instance" said
Dora, taking up the photograph she
had held out to me, lis composite
photograph of me-"
stared at her IN surprise. Then
sudden light broke in upon me.
al understand, ;" exclaimed. Your
father has followed the process you
nave just explained. He has used
several OF your photographs, taken at
various times, he has subjected them
to that process, and the result is this
portrait, which is so like you-with