The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-09-22
SOUL IDEAL.

and during the vacation assist in
the conduct Of my fathers grocery |
store. will endeavor to relate, as
succinctly as l may the circumstan-
ces which led up to my assuming
the married relation, and also at
tempt to explain some theories |
have, or had, or may of had in re-
gard TO matters pertaining to said
relation.
was 81 years OF age and still in
the single state, when there came to
obtain summer board at my fathers
residence a young gentleman who
was much interested in composite
photography by which l mean
that intricate and interesting art
whereby, through the superimposi-
ton of solar image upon another
a total product is obtained which is
as entity of itself, but yet contains
the characteristics of the individu-
ais.
As engaged with this gentleman
in experimentation in this singular
and interesting art, l became strong
ly impressed with an idea which
grew upon me more and more, and
which l was fully convinced was
fraught with the utmost interest to
the human race.
1t is easy to see mans taste by
an examination of the pictures he
gathers about him. An intellestnal
man will make ii collection of intel
lectual faces a merely eauty-lov-
ing man will be apt TO collect pho
tographs of those whose charms ap-
peal rather to the eye and if it be
true that you may judge a man by
his friends, then to some extent you
may Judge a mans preferences by
the photographs ofhis friends. If
therefor, you had the sum Of all his
photographs, it might be said that
you hold his taste in nutshell.
Apply this simple though to the
question of selection of an individ-
ual from the opposite sex and the res
ult is most startling; indeed, most
electritying. In dozen pictures of
ladies a gentlemen will hardly find
one which also charming in one or
more particulars. The unfortunate
man is left undecided. His mind is
confused. But upon the other hand,
were it possible for him to behold
all these faces blended into one
which should possess all the desira-
BILE features of the group, there
would no longer be any hesitation
at all. He would he pleased at once.
In other words, he would have
found his ideal.
Very well. My theory, elaborated
into formula after long and
patient thought, was this: Let Il
man determine what qualities
are known to predominate, or Il
number of pictures in which these
qualities are plainly manifested :
! from these, by the process of com
posit photography, have single
negative made. The print from this
will be the ideal-or, ms | prefer to
call it, the soul idea. | proposed to
take out letters patent upon this
simple but inestimably valuable
process, which | designated MS MIR.
Absalom Bigger's Patent Process for
the Soul-idea." Subsequent events,
however convinced me that little
further experimtation was desirable
before making formal application
therefor.
l resolved to try the working OF
the formula in my own case.
l had already number of pho
tographs and other pictures in my
possession, including some of differ
ent footlight favorites, one of Mary,
Queen of Scots, one of the Empress
Catharina, and one of LYDIA Pink
ham. l was always a great admirer
of the sweet face of LYDIA Pinkham
To this collection | now added sew
eral other pictures, including one oi
a meek, lovely milkmaid. l am dis
posed to favor certain tranquility
of disposition in women.
Being in favor of woman's rarest
power, beauty in my ideal l put in
several actresses, operate stars then
not wishing to neglect the intellect
ual features, threw in Geo. Eliot
and three noted lecturers on
woman's suffrage being disposed
to admire a noble bearing in woman
kind, put in Mary, Quee Of Scots
the Empress Catharina and Mary
Antoninette fearing the deal would
be too dark, l added the picture o
my mothers Swedish hired cir
whom l knew 20 be a very light