New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-06
DOWN SOUTH.
THE PHANTOM PORTRAIT.

body who could do so went to Ashevinc On the path
which circles round below saw about sunrise,
several carts moving toward the town they from
farms even more remote than ours, and going
TO the'state road by the nearest ways, humping and
siding about among the deep rits. On the bottom
of each cart seated the women with their babies
They were chewing snuff and calling to each other
IN their fiat, nasal ~oices that devoid of ex-
preston as do their yellow, thin faces. have not
seen q fat mountain woman. Evidently this region
and this way OF life not fave Nole to the secretion
Of adposc tissue.
Amabel and wandered out upon the cart-path that
we might these people. We met two men on fine
looking horses, each man having woman behind him,
claspng him about the waist. Each woman had on
a white apron with ruffe at the bottom of it. As
they camo opposite, the took of their hats, and
the women said Howdy ~ staring pesistenty, as we
also did In of the carts, with three other women
almost repulsive, felt sure saw Ole Pink. Her
head set far back I'm dngy sun bonnet and she
scrupulousy continued to look the other way after
her first glance at us but 1t was Ole Pink Sally
and her husband had started long ago for tho
walk to Ashcvilc. Sally said she would be back IN
time to mako egg nog in the evening; we knew
better than that A few broad hated mounta'neefs
with guns in tho hollow Of tho arm came loping
toward from the long vista Of the path crossing
light and shade in the most picturesque manner Al
most everything is picturesque here squalor oi'en
enough has the picture element In 1t, but the thrifty
We go TO walk without finding broad fakes
Of mica eltterng in soil. Amabel protested
10 be greatly asoniShcd at this. She declared that
she did know that mica grew In this way. but HAD
thought It manufactured She seemed perfectly
reckless thus proclaming her ignorance Of geology
The twins assured that It had growed these
mountings scnce afoe they was borned there was
right smart of 1t every where.
The twins had joined In this STROLL bursting out
of the woods with the dogs, and rushing around us
like hurricanes, but with shrieks and laughter like
children.
1t this occasion that we made what seemed
10 us very singular discovery, rather the twins
made the discovery and shouted TO us, dancing up
and down In their excitement. They stood by the
stump of an enormous white oak which had been
sawed down, consequently the stump had broad
smooth surface
Ella pointed dngy finger at Amabel while she
screamed ats her It's her! Jis' luke at 1t and
then Ellen extended her finger and echoed the tone
and the words.
We supposed 1t poor Jest that was enact
ing and very lcisurely in approaching, While
the children danced in impsh impotence, and the dogs
nosed around the roots The twins appeared to
regard their discovery in the light Of something
miraculous.
When at last we reached the spot was inclined
10 the idea Of a miracle myself FOR there sketchcd
on tho top of the stump the fulllength figure OF
woman, in round hat, with face turned aside The
of the very fewest and toughest IL was not
much moro than the hint of a sketch, with no tech
meal skill in II, but the figure and the attitude
were unmstakably the figure and the attitude OF
Amabel who stood now, quito stf with surprise,
gazing at the stump. The work was evidently done
with bit of half burnt wood Indeed the black stick
dropped and Little Bull was at this moment
turning IL with his nose.
My friend looked frightened and also felt sense
Of something eerie hanging about us. At last sug-
eested to Amabel that she must have lover among
these mountains. She held up her hand to stop me.
/ had never seen her look more serious.
Don't mako light of this" she said. ut must
be warning. It's forerunne'
"A forerunner of whatl'
al don't know. Perhaps Of the shakes or rattle
snake bite; or that I'm going to be a snuff chewer'
She looked again at the picture with absolute terror
IN her face. But she could not tell could, how
very like the sketch TO her. After the twins
had gazed a moment, look of fear came into
their expression. AS we at last walked home"ai"
they kept gancing back, If the thing on the stump
would rise up and pursue us. was conscious OF
reciprocal sensation; and yet now that could not
see the sketch began TO doubt whether had seen
II at all Was 1t possible that there was an outline
portrait Of nay friend the top OF stump here on
North Carolina mountain' laughed at my fancies.
/ furtively glanced at Amabel and was not cheered
by her awe-struck countepance. When we had gone
a little further my companion asked me II / believed
I'm Spiritualism If l had ever entered into fsychic
Research and what thought OF the astral body.
These questions helped TO cast gloom upon tho
benignant winter sunshine. did not SO by large
tree on the way the cabin without imagining that
tree sawed down and a charcoal sketch upon the
stump: perhaps a sketch of me. What was that
was not as likely 10 be taken In this way as any one
Nav perhaps, already there smooth stump In
North Carolina woods with myself in black and white
upon IT, And what touch of skill there was in the
lines Altogether this discovery was mysterious ana
charming, and somehow dreadful
Amabel and l agreed that If the twins had not
known, we would for the present, have kept the
affair secret while made Stealthy Investigations
But the twins did know, and they proclaimed their
knowledge the moment they stepped foot In the cabin
What they said was that thur pictur er Miss
Am'bel in thur woods, an they reckoned the devil
must er done hit with er stick outer his fire; an
should MT they 90 ter the Junction fur preacher
1t was not TO be wondered at that Mrs Aver was
bewildcred and she continued bewildcred when we
had made all the explanation possible. After an
animated discussion Of the subject Mrs. Aver made
the only sensible remark which had yet been spoken.
She said that probably of the Northern artists who
come 70 these mountains for material had done
this thing This, indeed, reasonable; but In my
secret heart did not accept these reasonable words
What truly feminine soul would Immediately have
given up all the glamor of mystery connected with
the discovery that sketchl And was 1t liLely that
a Northern artist would have spent moment In the
delineaton of figure which had nothing local. about
IT. Besides the thing not the work OF an artist
1t was the work Of ignorant hand with natural
gift Before the sun had set we had taken Mrs
Aver to view our discovery. We were graied to see
that 1t made strong impression upon her as 1t
had done upon us. She stood with dropped chin gaz
Ing from It TO Amabel and then back again. She
calculated that she had had idea! AS we walked
back from this second visit TO what Amabel called
The stump Amabel again fell to discussing the subject
OF the astral body. She said she not very clear
ir her ideas as what astral body was, but she
did suppose any could have clear ideas that
topic. Still, she thought anything, she guessed She
thought that the sketch The stump was made by
spirit hands and referred In inscrutable way to
her own astral body. She wished she could find a
medium al moment when all the conditions should
he 10Th