The Penn's Grove record., 1888-07-28

Vol VI ~ 500 NAS e'Tt
months ago, that her husband was the
recipient.
This whetted my curiosity anew,
particularly when 1 detected her be-
slowing upon Dora the same sly, In
sidious glances (as IL fearful to be
caught at them) that Glasgow Thirkle
had so freely INDUCED in. Again l
perceived this same discomposure upon
Dora's part. Again, when we were
alone, did Dora coniide to me how
these glances annoyed her, and how she
was gradually arriving at the conclu-
sion that some mystery of a 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 l asked, "did Mrs.
Thirkle mean by referring to the part
ing in her hairp 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
DuolllCSEy huo Eoou blub luiC
During the last year he has taken up
with photography, as an amusement,
and he has a 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 l ventured
to ask what possible construction this
could have to the proper parting of
Mrs. Thlrkle's hair. Dora continued:
"When Mr.. 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 it parted nat
uTally.
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 mt was a feeling that
somewhere, sometime, l had seen
something like the face of one Of the
Thirkles-I could not tell which-be-
fore. Sometimes this dlmly remem-
bered, ever elusive face, which haunted
me, resembled Mr.. Thirkle's excepting
that the red seal was wanting) some.
times it resembled his wlfe'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
4 passed ere l reached the Golding house
after leaving the vestry room.
Instantly admitted, a 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 me into the room. Ere
| could utter a word, Dora exclaimed:
"Hushl say nothing. Papa and
mamma know nothing as yet Of the
discovery l have made. You know l
am a spoiled child. / 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
l have told my story, you can consider
what had better be done. And now
tell me-" her eyes burned with excite
ment, ''does this photograph look like
me?" 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 1 seen it anywhere | should have
recognized 1t as Dora's likeness. The
outlines were a tritie blurred and the
portrait could not be considered a fine
specimen of photography, but the re.
semblance was unmistakable, and l
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 a little dis
lance, she mhde the following curious
statement:
You know that, unlike most girls,
| am the soul of punctuality, being
generally ready for anything fifteen
minutes before anybody else. 1t was
80, even this morning. Papa, who is
always late, was later than usual.
Mamma was flarried and had twenty
things to do at the same moment.
Everything and everybody in the house
were in confusion excepting myself.
Dressed as l was, for church, | was the
one to go to search for papa. He was
In his private room, the little photo
graph gallery 1 told you of, which it
was his custom to lock himself In, so
that he could pursue his favorite hobby
undisturbed. l knocked at the door
no answer, l called, still no answer.
Alarmed, l tried the handle, suspect
ing that the door was locked. On the
contrary, it yielded to my pressure,
though 1 had to push very hard. What
was my horror at discovering thai |
was pushing against papa's body. He
has lately had bad attacks Of vertigo,
and, as We found out afterwards. he
had Just unlocked the door and was
preparing to come out, when the YER
tigo seized him and he fell"
"Then that was the reason" | ex-
claimed, feeling an immense relief,
''that the wedding was postponed?"
"That had nothing to do with it
whatever" replied Dora. Papa was
not hurt. l rang for assistance. He
recovered almost Immediately. 1t was
what | saw in the room that made it
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 Photographic 1t has been
Il favorite amusement of his lately.
Do you know how it is done2 1t con-
sists In taking two or more photographs
aud hanging them on Plus, one in
front OF the other in such a way that
the eyes of all the portraits shall coin-
eide as perfectly as possible. Then
you throw the image of each, in uc-
cesslon. upon the same part of a pro-
perly prepared plate, and the result is
the g~eneralized likeness of all the faces
30 taken. This, for instance" said
Dora, taking up the photograph she
had held out to me, ''is a composite
photograph of me-"
| stared at her IN surprise. Then a